Home » Asia & Pacific » Lebanon » A Tour of Lebanon: A Quick Overview of The Nation of Lebanon, Plus a Recipe for Hommus as Lagniappe

A Tour of Lebanon: A Quick Overview of The Nation of Lebanon, Plus a Recipe for Hommus as Lagniappe

by David C. Wyld Southeastern Louisiana University on 17/02/11 at 1:03 pm

This overview of Lebanon – the country, the culture, the people, and a recipe, too – was prepared by Hannah Andrus while a Business Administration major in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Introduction

This article is about the country of Lebanon, a country many people do not know much about. The country is a great tourist destination with unusual but delicious food. There are many things to know about Lebanon.

Country Information

Geographic Facts

Image via Wikipedia

Here are some geographic facts about Lebanon:

1. Lebanon is located in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria.

2. Lebanon is about 70% the size of Connecticut.

3. The climate is mild and cool. The seasons include wet winters and hot, dry summers.

4. The natural resources include limestone, iron ore and salt.

“Serious” Facts

Here are some serious facts about Lebanon:

1. Lebanon separated from the French rule and became independent in 1943.

2. Lebanon exports jewelry, metals, chemicals, fruits and vegetables, tobacco, construction materials, paper and textile fibers.

3. Lebanon operates under a free market economy. The Lebanese economic structure was damaged by the Civil War that lasted from 1975-1990 which also caused significant national debt.

“Fun” Facts

Here are three fun facts about Lebanon:

1. For being such a small country there are 18 religious communities, 40 daily newspapers, 42 universities and over 100 banks.

2. 40% of the Lebanese population is composed of Christians which is the highest in any of the Arab countries.

3. The first law school in the world was built in Lebanon.

Image via Wikipedia

“Potpourri”

Here is an unusual fact (or two or three) about Lebanon:

Lebanon is the only country in the Middle East that does not have a desert.

Travel Information

Here are essential pieces of info that travelers to Lebanon will want to know about where to go, what to see, and/or how to stay safe while there:

1. Most streets of Lebanon, especially in Beirut, are safe to travel during the day and night. The Lebanese communities look out for each other and random violence is unusual.

2. Although the tap water is safe to drink, it would probably be best to drink bottled water.

3. The best way to get around town would be by taxi. There are also bus stations around the country.

4. The local currency is the Lebanese Pound and is called the “lira”. $1 USD is equal to about 1,500 LL. Most places in Lebanon take US dollars and credit cards.

Food Information

Recipe

First, here are the ingredients you will need for preparing Hommus:

Read more in Lebanon « Lebanese War in 1982 Best Places of Lebanon – Best for Vacation » Ingredient	Quantity
Chickpeas	1 16 ounce can
Liquid from Chickpeas	¼ cup
Lemon Juice	3-5 tablespoons
Tahini	1 ½ tablespoons
Crushed Garlic	2 cloves
Salt	½ teaspoon

Next, here is a step-by-step guide to preparing [Insert Name of Dish/Food/Beverage]:

Step	Action
1	Drain chickpeas & set the liquid to the side.
2	Combine chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic & salt.
3	Add ¼ cup of liquid from chickpeas.
4	Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until smooth.
5	Serve with pita bread.

My Kitchen Story

I actually did not make the hommus, but I have before. It is easy & quick to make. I bought it for this project in order to serve the whole class.

References

A2A Production (2005-2006). Lebanon Tourism. Retrieved from http://www.lebanontourism.org/index.asp

CIA. (January 31, 2011). The World Fact Book – Lebanon. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/le.html

Demirdjian Enterprises (July 12, 2009). Lebanon Facts. Retrieved from http://www.jdemirdjian.com/pages/lebanon-facts.htm

National Geographic. Lebanon. Retrieved from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/lebanon-guide/

(2007). Lebanon Tour Guide. Retrieved from http://www.lebanontourguide.com/index.cfm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Contact Information

To contact the author of “A Tour Lebanon: A Quick Overview of the Nation of Lebanon, Plus a Recipe for Hommus as Lagniappe,” please email Hannah.Andrus@selu.edu.

Biography

David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also serves as the Director of the Reverse Auction Research Center (http://reverseauctionresearch.com/), a hub of research and news in the expanding world of competitive bidding. Dr. Wyld also maintains compilations of works he has helped his students to turn into editorially-reviewed publications at the following sites: