Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, by Israel to the south, and by the Mediterranean Sea to the west; Cyprus lies a short distance away from the country's coastline. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterlands has contributed to the country's rich history and shaped a unique cultural identity shaped by religious diversity. Lebanon has a population of more than five million people and covers an area of 10,452 square kilometres (4,036 sq mi). Lebanon's capital and largest city is Beirut, followed by Tripoli and Jounieh. While Arabic is the official language, French is also recognized in a formal capacity; Lebanese Arabic is the country's vernacular, though French and English play a relatively significant role in everyday life, with Modern Standard Arabic being limited to news and government matters.
North Lebanon is the northern region of Lebanon comprising the North Governorate and Akkar Governorate. On 16 July 2003, the two entities were divided from the same province by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The division was known as Law 522.
The nine governorates of Lebanon are subdivided into 25 districts. Beirut Governorate is not subdivided into districts, and Akkar Governorate comprises a single district.
Beqaa is a governorate in Lebanon.
North Governorate is one of the governorates of Lebanon and one of the two governorates of North Lebanon. Its capital is Tripoli. Ramzi Nohra has been its governor since May 2, 2014. The population of North Governorate is 731,251.
Mount Lebanon Governorate is one of the nine governorates of Lebanon. Its capital is Baabda.
Halba is the capital of Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon, close to the border with Syria. It is located at around 34°33′2″N36°4′41″E. Its population is divided between Sunni Muslim, Greek Orthodox Christians, Maronites, and followers of other religions.
Raqqa Governorate is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is situated in the north of the country and covers an area of 19,618 km2. The capital is Raqqa. The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant claimed full control of this province as of August 24, 2014 when its fighters captured Tabqa Airbase in the southwest part of the province. However, the Syrian Democratic Forces now control much of the province; all of the area north of the Euphrates River including the provincial capital of Raqqa and the city of al-Thawrah are under SDF control, with the government holding the southern part of the governorate after a successful offensive was launched with the aid of Liwa al-Quds, tribal militias and Russian air support, which resulted in the recapture of the city of Resafa, and the capture of many oil fields in Ar-Raqqah province, including various oil and gas stations.
Latakia Governorate, also transliterated as Ladhakia Governorate, is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in western Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay Province to the north, Idlib and Hama Governorates to the east, Tartus Governorate to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Its reported area varies in different sources from 2,297 km2 (887 sq mi) to 2,437 km2 (941 sq mi). The governorate has a population of 1,008,000.
Deir ez-Zor Governorate is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in eastern Syria, bordering Iraq. It has an area of 33,060 km2 and a population of 1,239,000. The capital is Deir ez-Zor. It is divided roughly equally from northwest to southeast by the Euphrates. Most of the territory on the river's left (northeast) bank is part of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, while that on the right (southwest) bank is controlled by the Syrian government.
Hisah is a northern Lebanese village in Akkar Governorate, close to the Syrian border. It is mostly inhabited by Alawites and Sunni Muslims.
Lebanon is an eastern Mediterranean country that has the most religiously diverse society within the Middle East, comprising 18 recognized religious sects. The religions are Islam and Christianity. The Druze comprise around 5% of Lebanon's population.
Cheikh Mohammad is a village situated in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon. Situated 400 metres above sea level, in between two mountains, it overlooks the Akkar plains and sea. It is made up of approximately 450 houses, with 99% of the population being Christian, mostly Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholics and Maronites. This small village contains two schools, a primary and secondary as well as two churches, one dating back hundreds of years. It also has the first hospital in Akkar, named "Akkar Rahal Hospital".
Akkar District is the only district in Akkar Governorate, Lebanon. It is coextensive with the governorate and covers an area of 788 km2 (304 sq mi). The UNHCR estimated the population of the district to be 389,899 in 2015, including 106,935 registered refugees of the Syrian Civil War and 19,404 Palestinian refugees. The capital is at Halba.
Gibelacar, also known by its original Arabic name Hisn Ibn Akkar or its modern Arabic name Qal'at Akkar, is a fortress in the village of Akkar al-Atiqa in the Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon. The fortress dates back to the Fatimid era in the early 11th century. It was captured and utilized by the Crusaders in the early 12th century until it was captured and strengthened by the Mamluks in the late 13th century. It became the headquarters of the Sayfa clan, whose members, chief among them Yusuf Pasha, served as the governors and tax farmers of the Tripoli Eyalet and its sanjaks from 1579 through the mid-17th century.
Akkar Governorate is the northernmost governorate of Lebanon. It comprises the single district of Akkar, which in turn is subdivided into 121 municipalities. The capital is at Halba. It covers an area of 788 km2 (304 sq mi) and is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the west, North Governorate to the south, Baalbek-Hermel Governorate to the southeast, and the Syrian governorates of Tartus and Homs to the north and northeast. The governorate's western coastal plain constitutes Lebanon's second largest agricultural region after the Beqaa Valley, while the east features forested mountains that have been considered for protection as a national park.
Baalbek-Hermel is a governorate of Lebanon. It comprises the districts of Baalbek and Hermel, which in turn are subdivided into a total of 74 municipalities. The capital is at Baalbek. The governorate covers an area of 3,009 km2 (1,162 sq mi) and is bounded by Akkar Governorate to the northwest, North Governorate to the west, Keserwan-Jbeil Governorate and Mount Lebanon Governorate to the southwest, Beqaa Governorate to the south, and the Syrian governorates of Homs and Rif Dimashq to the northeast and southeast. The governorate occupies the northern portion of the Beqaa Valley, Lebanon's most important agricultural area.
The Lebanese liquidity crisis is an ongoing financial crisis affecting Lebanon, that became fully apparent in August 2019, and was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon, the 2020 Beirut port explosion and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The country experienced liquidity shortages in the years prior to 2019 but the full extent of the fragility of the economy were concealed through financial engineering by the governor of the central bank. Lebanon's crisis was worsened by United States sanctions targeting Syria's government and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which intensified under Donald Trump.
Akkar al-Atika is a town and municipality located in the Akkar Governorate in northern Lebanon. It is about 135 kilometres (84 mi) north of Beirut. Akkar al-Atika contains the 11th-century fortress of Gibelacar, which was utilized by the Crusaders and became the headquarters of the Sayfa clan, whose members were chieftains and Ottoman governors of Tripoli and its districts in from the late 16th until the mid-17th centuries.
Keserwan-Jbeil is the most recently created governorate of Lebanon. It consists of the districts of Jbeil and Keserwan. Keserwan-Jbeil covers an area of 722 km2 (279 sq mi) and is bounded by the North Governorate to the north, the Baalbek-Hermel Governorate to the east, the Mount Lebanon Governorate to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The capital is at Jounieh.
Lebanon 
