Lebanon, a small country along the Mediterranean Sea, stretches over an approximate area of 10,400 square kilometers and shares its boundaries with Syria and Israel. Lebanon geography is characterized by rough and rocky terrain.
The Biqa valley divides the Anti-Lebanon and Lebanon Mountains. Lebanon’s geography is varied and exhibits various kinds of soils, vegetation and land forms.
Lebanese topography is unique in the sense that there are alternate highlands and lowlands running in a parallel manner from the northern side to the southern side of the continent. The Coastal strip, the central plateau, eastern Lebanon and western Lebanon are four such strips. While the coastal strip comprises of sahil, as it is locally called .The central plateau comprises of the very important Biqa valley while eastern Lebanon is the home of the Anti-Lebanon Range of mountains. Western Lebanon is famous for the Lebanon Mountains, highest mountain range in Lebanon and one of the most inhospitable terrains. The country of Lebanon is distinctly divided into five broad divisions namely Mount Lebanon, Anti Lebanon, Beqaa Valley, the Coastal plains and the shoreline.
Several streams and rivers flow through Lebanon but none of them are fit for navigation. Most of these water bodies have their source in springs located high above in the mountains. These rivers come down with great speed and the resulting momentum erodes away the surface of rocks. The Litani and the Orontes River are the two major rivers of Lebanon. These two rivers have several tributaries and distributaries. Buhayrat al Qirawn is the one lake which has water throughout the year while the other lake near Yammunah is a seasonal one and depends on rainfall for its water supply.
Lebanon enjoys an overall Mediterranean climate.