You definitely know the basics about Lebanon: Lebanon has 18 religious communities, no deserts, we drive cars not camels. We’re also trilingual, we party, we can ski in the morning then swim in the afternoon blablabla. I’m sure you’ve heard it all. I’m also sure you told all your foreign friends about these awesome clichés. They’re all true obviously! I’m definitely not saying otherwise. And we all love our beautiful Lebanon for all these reasons. But why not add a few more to the list?

Here are a few random things you probably didn’t know about our beautiful Lebanon:

1- There are more than 80 banks in Lebanon

(Actual banks, not just branches obviously).

It’s a huge number for such a small country.

2- Lebanon is the 3^rd most easy-going country when it comes to National Holidays

Lebanon has 16 days of National Holidays a year. Only India and Columbia top Lebanon with 18 National Holidays a year!

The Telegraph ranked the countries according to how many days off they enjoy:

3- The name “Lebanon” appears more than 70 times in the Old Testament

Yes we go way back!

4- Beirut was named “World Book Capital” back in 2009

5- Beirut is compared to a phoenix because it was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times

6- Lebanon is the #1 producer of the publications in the Arab World

We don’t talk about this enough. We should all work together to associate Lebanon to education and culture more than anything else.

There is a saying that says “Egypt writes, Lebanon publishes, Iraq reads”

7- Lebanon was home of the first printing press in the Middle East

The printing press of Deir Mar Antonios in the Valley of the Saints (1585).

Do you know what John F. Kennedy said during his inauguration speech in 1961?
“And so my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.

These words are associated to him while they’re actually Gibran Khalil Gibran’s.

So let’s all work together to spread positive Lebanon-related information. As much as we can. As far as we can.