Lebanon is situated in south-west Asia and on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It was part of the Ottoman Empire from the sixteenth century until 1918 when the Turkish forces were defeated, leaving the French to administer the territory under a UN mandate. In 1943 independence was gained. Lebanon tried not to become involved in Arab-Israeli conflicts of the mid twentieth century. However, Christian-Muslim unrest within the country led to civil war first in 1958 and then in 1975. Muslim militia joined forces with Palestinian guerillas to fight the right-wing Christians of the Falangist Party. Syrian forces crossed the border under the guise of the Arab Deterrent Forces to support the Muslims. The most serious development, however, had been the arrival of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the early 1970s, having just been expelled from Jordan. The PLO waged attacks on Israel; these naturally attracted reprisals from the Israelis together with the Fangalist Christians. In 1978 Israeli forces invaded Lebanon but withdrew soon after. Again in 1982 there was a similar but more determined Israeli offensive to oust the PLO and their leader Yasser Arafat. This left the country split primarily between Syria and Israel with a small part being controlled by the Lebanese government and some small factions. Beirut, the capital, was also left divided. After negotiations Israeli troops withdrew from southern parts of the country. The current position is that the Lebanese government has gained control of the country except for the areas controlled by Hezbollah troops, who are backed by Syria, and by the South Lebanon Army (SLA), who are Christian militia supported by the Israelis. Hezbollah and the SLA are the two militia groups which remain undefeated by the government which is made up half and half of Christians and Muslims. 93% of the population is Arab. Islam and Christianity are the main religions. Arabic is the official language.
