"Paris in the Middle East" What is Beirut, the capital of Lebanon? August 5, 16:50
Beirut in Lebanon, Middle East, where there was a large-scale explosion this time. It is also known as the city where former Nissan Motors chairman Carlos Ghosn fled last year. What is it like?
Diverse religions and denominations “mosaic nation”
Lebanon is located on the Mediterranean coast and borders Israel and Syria. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a population of about 6.1 million lives in the area of Gifu Prefecture, and more than 90% of the population is said to be Arab.
“Paris in the Middle East”
The capital of Lebanon is Beirut, where there was a massive explosion this time. Formerly a French mandate, Beirut was lined with Western-style buildings, and the beauty of the cityscape has been described as "Paris of the Middle East."
Civil war and conflict history
On the other hand, Lebanon is also said to be a “mosaic nation” with various religions and denominations such as Islam and Christianity. In 1975, Muslims and Christians clashed. The city of Beirut was devastated as a result of a 15-year civil war. Since then, there have been frequent battles between Israeli Shi'ite organization Hezbollah and Israel, which is based in southern Lebanon, and the area near Beirut was hit by Israel in 2006 and suffered a great deal of damage.
Signs of reconstruction and financial failure
In Beirut, the construction of skyscrapers has progressed in recent years, and signs of reconstruction are beginning to appear. On the other hand, Lebanon suffered a serious blow to the country's finances due to the spread of the new coronavirus, and in March, it fell into a de facto default.