Beirut

Lebanon's capital sits on the eastern Mediterranean coast and has been continuously inhabited since at least the 15th century BC, when it appeared in the Amarna letters. A large city with an exceptionally dense café, restaurant, and nightlife scene, Beirut is also a significant cultural hub for the Arab world, with theatres, art galleries, publishing houses, and several international universities. The rebuilt waterfront and commercial centre, restored after the civil war ended in 1990, draw considerable visitor traffic, and UNESCO World Heritage sites lie within the wider region.

• Population1,916,100
• Nearest water from center3.0 km
• Nearest mountain from center1.5 km
• UNESCO within 50 km2