The Republic of Lebanon or Lebanon is a small, largely mountainous country situated at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Middle East. It is bordered by Syria on the east and north, and Israel on the south, with a narrow coastline on its west. The name Lebanon derives from the Semitic word Laban, meaning the "white" peaks of the Lebanon Mountains. Its flag features the Lebanon Cedar.
A Middle Eastern country, Lebanon is demarcated to the west by the Mediterranean (Coast: 225 kilometres) and to the east by the Syro-African Depression. Lebanon borders Syria for 375 kilometres to the north and to the east and Israel for 79 kilometres to the south. The border with Israel has been approved by the United Nations (see Blue Line (Lebanon)), although a small piece of land called "Shebaa Farms" located in the Golan Heights is claimed by Lebanon but occupied by Israel, who claim that it is actually Syrian land. The UN has officially declared this region not to be Lebanese territory, but Lebanese resistance occasionally launches attacks against Israeli positions within it.
