A big part of Lebanon's allure is its rich history. Many civilizations -- Phoenician, Amorite, Egyptian, Hittite, Persian, Greek, Roman and Turkish, to name a few -- ruled over the land, and today the country abounds with historical attractions. The mountainous terrain also provided refuge for various religious groups who played significant roles in the development of the country.

Modern Lebanon was created as a French colony at the end of World War I from pieces of the Ottoman (Turkish) empire. In 1946, Lebanon gained full independence from France, and the new nation was held barely intact by the National Pact, an informal agreement that granted political offices to the major groups (Christian Maronites, Sunni Muslims, Druze). Tensions grew as the demographics changed (hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees entered the country after 1948, and Shiite Muslims became the largest religious sect), and the country tried to reconcile its pro-Arab and pro-Western sentiments. A brutal, multisided civil war broke out between the factions in 1975. Israel invaded twice, in 1978 and 1982, and Syria also intervened militarily. (Syrian troops are still stationed in various parts of the country.) A cease-fire was declared in 1990, and by 1992 most of the actual fighting had stopped.