Claim: A monastic tradition known as the Maronite Church was established in Lebanon.

Lebanon -LRB- -LSB- ˈlɛbənɒn -RSB- لبنان ; Lebanese pronunciation : -LSB- lɪbˈnæːn -RSB- Liban -RRB- , officially known as the Lebanese RepublicRepublic of Lebanon is the most common phrase used by Lebanese government agencies . The phrase Lebanese Republic is a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today 's world . Lebanese Arabic is the most common language spoken among the citizens of Lebanon . -LRB- الجمهورية اللبنانية ; Lebanese pronunciation : -LSB- elˈʒʊmhuːɾɪjje l.ˈlɪbnæːnɪjje -RSB- République libanaise -RRB- , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered by Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south , while Cyprus is west across the Mediterranean Sea . Lebanon 's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland facilitated its rich history and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity . At just 10,452 km2 -LRB- 4,036 sq. mi . -RRB- , it is the smallest recognized country on the entire mainland Asian continent .   The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than seven thousand years , predating recorded history . Lebanon was the home of the Canaanites/Phoenicians and their kingdoms , a maritime culture that flourished for over a thousand years -LRB- c. 1550 -- 539 BC -RRB- . In 64 BC , the region came under the rule of the Roman Empire , and eventually became one of the Empire 's leading centers of Christianity . In the Mount Lebanon range a monastic tradition known as the Maronite Church was established . As the Arab Muslims conquered the region , the Maronites held onto their religion and identity . However , a new religious group , the Druze , established themselves in Mount Lebanon as well , generating a religious divide that has lasted for centuries . During the Crusades , the Maronites re-established contact with the Roman Catholic Church and asserted their communion with Rome . The ties they established with the Latins have influenced the region into the modern era .   The region eventually was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1516 to 1918 . Following the collapse of the empire after World War I , the five provinces that constitute modern Lebanon came under the French Mandate of Lebanon . The French expanded the borders of the Mount Lebanon Governorate , which was mostly populated by Maronites and Druze , to include more Muslims . Lebanon gained independence in 1943 , establishing confessionalism , a unique , Consociationalism-type of political system with a power-sharing mechanism based on religious communities . Bechara El Khoury , President of Lebanon during the independence , Riad El-Solh , first Lebanese prime minister and Emir Majid Arslan II , first Lebanese minister of defence , are considered the founders of the modern Republic of Lebanon and are national heroes for having led the country 's independence . Foreign troops withdrew completely from Lebanon on 31 December 1946 . Lebanon has been a member of the Organisation internationale de la francophonie since 1973 .   Despite its small size , the country has developed a well-known culture and has been highly influential in the Arab world . Before the Lebanese Civil War -LRB- 1975 -- 1990 -RRB- , the country experienced a period of relative calm and renowned prosperity , driven by tourism , agriculture , commerce , and banking . Because of its financial power and diversity in its heyday , Lebanon was referred to as the `` Switzerland of the East '' during the 1960s , and its capital , Beirut , attracted so many tourists that it was known as `` the Paris of the Middle East '' . At the end of the war , there were extensive efforts to revive the economy and rebuild national infrastructure . In spite of these troubles , Lebanon has the highest Human Development Index and GDP per capita in the Arab world , to the exclusion of the oil-rich economies of the Persian Gulf .