people are Christians. A smaller number
of people are Druze—followers of a religion
that combines elements of Islam,
Christianity, Judaism, and other faiths.
About 90 percent of Lebanese live in
cities, mainly along the coast.
Economy
Services, including banking and tourism,
are Lebanon’s most important economic
activities. Manufacturing is also
important. Lebanon produces cement,
food products, jewelry, clothing,
machinery, chemicals, and wood products.
Agriculture is concentrated along the
Mediterranean coast and in the Bekaa
Valley. Major crops include potatoes,
tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus fruits,
onions, grapes, apples, and olives. Goats
and sheep are the main livestock.
History
In early times the Phoenicians, Greeks,
Romans, and Byzantines ruled what is
now Lebanon. In 1516 the Turks made
the region part of the Ottoman Empire.
AfterWorldWar I France governed
Lebanon. The country became independent
in 1943.
After independence, tensions grew
between Christians and Muslims. In
1970 the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) moved its headquarters to
Lebanon. The PLO launched attacks on
Israel from Lebanon. Lebanese Muslims
allied with the Palestinians against Israel
and the Lebanese Christians. The Lebanese
Muslims also wanted more power
in Lebanon’s Christian-dominated government.
In 1975 the conflict escalated into civil
war between Muslims and Christians.
The following year Syrian forces entered
Lebanon to support the Christians. In
1982 Israeli forces also invaded. The
Israelis and an international peacekeeping
force helped to drive the PLO out of
Lebanon. In 1984 the international
peacekeepers left the country. Fighting
between Lebanon’s religious groups continued,
however.
The civil war ended in 1991, but violence
continued in southern Lebanon,
especially between Israeli forces and the
radical Muslim group known as Hezbollah.
In 2000 Israel finally withdrew its
forces from southern Lebanon. Syria
pulled out its troops in 2005. About
300,000 Palestinian refugees remained
in Lebanon, however.
In 2006 Hezbollah captured two Israeli
soldiers. This led to heavy fighting
between Israel and Hezbollah. Beirut
and southern Lebanon were greatly
damaged during the conflict.
..More to explore
Beirut • Middle East • Palestine
Liberation Organization
Facts About
LEBANON
Population
(2008 estimate)
4,142,000
Area
4,016 sq mi
(10,400 sq km)
Capital
Beirut
Form of
government
Republic
Major cities
Beirut, Tripoli,
Sidon, Tyre (Sur),
An-Nabatiyah,
Juniyah
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Lebanon 121
Lee, Robert E.
General Robert E. Lee led Southern
armies during the American CivilWar
(1861–65). Even though his side had
fewer soldiers and less money than the
Union (the North), he scored many victories.
Early Life
Robert Edward Lee was born in Stratford,
Virginia, on January 19, 1807. His
father was Henry Lee, a hero of the
American Revolution. Robert graduated
from the U.S. Military Academy in
1829.
Career
Lee served for 36 years in the U.S.
Army. He fought in the MexicanWar
(1846–48). He also captured John
Brown, the leader of an antislavery
revolt, in 1859.
In 1861 a group of Southern states
formed their own government after
separating from the United States. The
new government was called the Confederacy.
Virginia joined the Confederacy,
and it soon became clear that the two
sides were going to war. Lee wanted to
defend his home state, so he left the
U.S. Army. He took command of the
Army of Northern Virginia in June
1862.
Lee won great victories in Virginia. One
was the second battle of Bull Run
(August 1862). Another was the battle
of Chancellorsville (May 1863).
Lee invaded the North twice, but
Northern forces stopped him both
times. The second defeat—at Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania, in July 1863—was a
turning point in the war.
After Gettysburg, Lee defended northern
Virginia. He finally surrendered to
General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox
Court House, Virginia, on April 9,
1865.
Later Years
Lee was a hero to Southerners even in
defeat. He became president ofWashington
College at Lexington, Virginia.
The school was later renamed Washington
and Lee University. Lee died on
October 12, 1870, in Lexington, Virginia.
#More to explore
American CivilWar • Confederate
States of America
General Robert E. Lee is pictured
in the uniform of the Confederate
Army.
122 Lee, Robert E. BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Leg
The limbs called legs support an animal’s
body and allow it to move. Animals
use legs to walk, run, and jump.
Humans have two legs. Other mammals,
such as horses and cats, have four
legs. Their two front legs are called forelegs,
and their two back legs are called
hind legs. Other animals have four, six,
eight, or even hundreds of legs.
Legs of Mammals
The legs of all mammals share the same
basic structure. A knee joint links the
upper and lower segments of each leg.
At the bottom of each leg is a foot.
Muscles make the legs move. Bones
make them strong.
On four-legged mammals, the legs are
attached underneath the body. The hind
legs of these mammals resemble the legs
of humans. Three long bones are found
in hind legs and in human legs: the
tibia, the fibula, and the femur. The
