Lebanon By:Sydney Ahmed and Renuka Dabli

World and Region Map of Lebanon

Ethnic Groups/Outside Forces and Influences Most ethnic groups in Lebanon are the Arabs. The remaining splits off into Christians, which are Greek Orthodox and Catholics, along with Maronites, and the Muslims, mainly Shia and Sunnis. Armenians, Jews, Kurds, and Syrians also reside, and Palestinians form a small percentage. Many people in Lebanon are stateless, however, due to the great excess of ethnic conflict, which does not allow them to define a set ethnicity, generally. Of courses, there are many minorities, but most of the ethnicities determined there are due to Arab settlement in the seventeenth century. This is one of the religious factors that influences Muslim settlement today, as the Arabs trace their roots to Islam, and despite similarities, people in Lebanon sharing the same religion also have smaller ethnic conflicts regarding religious sects.

Major Cause of Conflict To sum it up, most of the ethnic conflict in Lebanon is determined by Muslim, Jewish, and Christian rivalry, specifically over controlling territory. Arabs claimed most of the land, and still do, today, but even though all groups trace their religious beliefs to one hearth at a time in history, the diffusion of culture split their religions into becoming so diverse that land was fought over. Currently, Syria has control over Lebanon, today. Not only land conflicts, but also political conflicts have occurred from this moment in the past, and each religious group eventually used their different ideas to make requests to the government, including control over businesses and the economy. Control is changing rapidly as the groups continue to remain rivals in present-day Lebanon, as well.

Cultural Conflicts From 1975 to 1990, Lebanon was engaged in a civil war. The conflict was between Sunnis and Christians dominating the coastline, Shias in the south, Beqaa in the east, and Druze and Christian in the mountains. The government was run by elite Maronite Christians, so they obviously favored Christians. However, there is a large Muslim population in Lebanon and many pan- Arabists and left-wing groups strongly opposed the government. When Israel was established as a state and hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees were displaced to Lebanon, that shifted the demographic balance in favor of the Muslim population. The fighting was between the Maronites and Palestinians. hen Leftist, pan-Arabist and Muslim Lebanese groups formed an alliance with the Palestinians.The 1989 Taif Agreement ended the fighting, but religious tensions still remain.

Timeline France, granted the mandate for Lebanon and Syria by the League of Nations, forms the State of Greater Lebanon Lebanon proclaims its independence from France on Nov. 26, Fighting breaks out between Palestinian commandos and Lebanese army over Lebanese threats to curb Palestinian activities in Lebanon Lebanon civil war starts between Christians, Muslims, and Palestinians The civil war is declared over on Oct. 13. With Syrian help the Lebanese government reestablishes control over much of the country.

Five Themes of Geography For the five themes of Geography, Lebanon is very war-torn with violence, because it is located in an area of the Middle East where ethnic conflict is currently prevailing in this century. Countries with Arab dominance include Palestine, Israel, Syria, and Iraq, all near the country of Lebanon. Human- environment interaction can possibly include the building of churches or mosques to spread religious ideas, along with any interaction to change the environment from war. Movement is constant as groups in Lebanon attempt to determine their chosen ethnicities and religions, and regions have prevalence by religion, with Shias, mainly, and Sunnis at the top and bottom of the country. Christians are in northwestern and southeastern areas, and Druzes are prominent in the West.

Hypotheses (Solutions) Some solutions to solve the ethnic conflict in Lebanon can include having each dominating religion with a set amount of representatives in the government, because one of the main reasons or causes for conflict were over governmental things that the religions wanted. Having equal representatives for Christians, Muslims, and Jews will possibly end the conflict over religious freedoms. To end the conflict over acquired land, each religion can have its own portion of Lebanon to ensure equality; there could be a quadrant for Muslims, a quadrant for Christians, and a quadrant for Jews, along with a possible quadrant for religions that are not as common in Lebanon, or maybe the atheists or agnostics. In all, having a quadrant for each religion, along with a portion sectioned out for people questioning their faith could keep the religious conflict from intersecting governmental and political enmities.

Photos The Lebanese Civil War Lebanon gaining independence Syrian refugees fleeing into Lebanon

Photos (Continued) Religions of Lebanon

Extra Credit Video

Questions for Viewers 1.What are the three main ethnic groups represented in Lebanon? 2.Why are the ethnic groups conflicting? What do they want and why? 3.Name some political/governmental and religious conflicts concerning land. 4.Explain what occurred in the Lebanese Civil War. And what the conflict was about. (Use the video) 5.Why do those listed religions have a tough time getting along? 6.What were some hypothesized solutions/Will the conflicts ever end?

Bibliography (Links): ebanon_map.gif GROUPS.html

Bibliography (Links, Continued) impact-of-the-syrian-refugee-crisis-in-lebanon