The most famous flora in Lebanon - the cedar tree - is now found on only a few mountaintop sites, notably at Bcharré and near Barouk in the Chouf Mountains. These lonely groves are all that remain of Lebanon's great cedar forests which, in biblical times, covered much of the country. That said, Lebanon is still the most densely wooded of all the Middle Eastern countries: many varieties of pine flourish on the mountains and much of the coastal land is cultivated with fruit trees.

Lebanon's mountain areas are home to birds of prey, and the nature reserve near Ehden has golden and imperial eagles, buzzards, red kites, Bonelli's eagles, Sardinian warblers and Scop's owls. Marine birds, both resident and migratory, can be spotted in the Palm Islands Park off the coast of Tripoli. Green turtles and Mediterranean monk seals inhabit the waters surrounding the park. As for wild land mammals in Lebanon, there's nothing more exciting than the odd hedgehog.

Lebanon's ecology has been under a lot of pressure due to the civil war and increasing industrialisation. During the war, pollutants and rubbish were dumped in the sea and rivers, and unplanned buildings sprang up everywhere. Lack of government control meant that unlawful quarrying and logging went unchecked in many mountain areas. Various conservation organisations are attempting to rectify the damage and protect the natural environment with legislation and reserved areas.

With such a diverse topography, it isn't surprising that the weather varies considerably from region to region. Broadly speaking, Lebanon has three different climate zones - the coastal strip, the mountains and the Bekaa Valley. The coastal strip has cool, rainy winters and hot, sometimes stifling, Mediterranean summers. The mountains have a typical alpine climate. Many people head to the hills to escape the oppressive summers of Beirut and come back again in winter for the snow. The Bekaa Valley has hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters with snow, frost and fierce winds.