Abstract  l  Intro  l  Conclusion  l  Filmography  

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It is a gate to the Arab world offering an exotic taste of the Middle East. It is an amalgam of various ethnic and religious groups. The Lebanese are descendents of many ethnic strains. The Phoenicians, Philistines, Semitic, Persians, Assyrians, Romans and Arabs left their mark on the culture. The current population is estimated at approximately 3,5 million (the last official census was taken in 1932). Lebanon is characterized by its cosmopolitan nature, its modernism and openness to the West. Blending traditional Arabic and Western influences, mainly French and American, the society offers a contrasting image of traditional customs to modern practices. Lebanese do value individualism; still strong family relationships and religious beliefs have significant value. It also has one of the highest rates of education in the Middle East (Mattar, 1997, p.2).

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