View source for Beirut

==Geography==
[[File:Pigeon's Rock Beirut Lebanon.jpg|thumb|Pigeon Rock ([[Raouché]])]]
[[File:ISS013-E-57433, view of Beirut.jpg|thumb|right|Beirut from the International Space Station]]
Beirut sits on a peninsula extending westward into the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.macalester.edu/geography/courses/geog261/efarhat/%20beirut/geography.htm |title=Beirut – The Pearl of the Middle East}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It is flanked by the [[Mount Lebanon|Lebanon Mountains]] and has taken on a triangular shape, largely influenced by its situation between and atop two hills: Al-[[Achrafieh|Ashrafieh]] and Al-Musaytibah. The Beirut Governorate occupies {{convert|18|km2|sqmi|spell=in}}, and the city's [[metropolitan area]] {{convert|67|km2|sqmi}}.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> The coast is rather diverse, with rocky beaches, sandy shores and cliffs situated beside one another.

===Climate===
Beirut has a [[hot-summer Mediterranean climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Csa'', bordering on ''As'', [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha]]: ''Csal'') characterised by mild days and nights, as its coastal location allows temperatures to be [[sea breeze|moderated by the sea]]. Autumn and spring are warm, but short. Winter is mild and rainy; [[frost]] has never been recorded. Summer is prolonged, hot and humid. The prevailing wind during the afternoon and evening is from the west (onshore, blowing in from the Mediterranean); at night it reverses to offshore, blowing from the land out to sea.

The average annual rainfall is {{convert|825|mm|in}}, with the large majority of it falling from October to April. Much of the autumn and spring rain falls in heavy downpours on a limited number of days, but in winter it is spread more evenly over many days. Summer receives very little rainfall, if any. Snow is rare, except in the mountainous eastern suburbs, where snowfall occurs due to the region's high altitudes. [[Hail]] (which can often be heavy) occurs a few times per year, mostly during winter.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = [[Beirut International Airport]]
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 27.9
|Feb record high C = 30.5
|Mar record high C = 36.6
|Apr record high C = 39.3
|May record high C = 39.0
|Jun record high C = 40.0
|Jul record high C = 40.4
|Aug record high C = 39.5
|Sep record high C = 37.5
|Oct record high C = 37.0
|Nov record high C = 33.1
|Dec record high C = 30.0
|year record high C = 40.4
|Jan high C = 17.4
|Feb high C = 17.5
|Mar high C = 19.6
|Apr high C = 22.6
|May high C = 25.4
|Jun high C = 27.9
|Jul high C = 30.0
|Aug high C = 30.7
|Sep high C = 29.8
|Oct high C = 27.5
|Nov high C = 23.2
|Dec high C = 19.4
|year high C = 24.3
|Jan mean C = 14.0
|Feb mean C = 14.0
|Mar mean C = 16.0
|Apr mean C = 18.7
|May mean C = 21.7
|Jun mean C = 24.9
|Jul mean C = 27.1
|Aug mean C = 27.8
|Sep mean C = 26.8
|Oct mean C = 24.1
|Nov mean C = 19.5
|Dec mean C = 15.8
|year mean C = 20.9
|Jan low C = 11.2
|Feb low C = 11.0
|Mar low C = 12.6
|Apr low C = 15.2
|May low C = 18.2
|Jun low C = 21.6
|Jul low C = 24.0
|Aug low C = 24.8
|Sep low C = 23.7
|Oct low C = 21.0
|Nov low C = 16.3
|Dec low C = 12.9
|year low C = 17.7
|Jan record low C = 0.8
|Feb record low C = 3.0
|Mar record low C = 0.2
|Apr record low C = 7.6
|May record low C = 10.0
|Jun record low C = 15.0
|Jul record low C = 18.0
|Aug record low C = 19.0
|Sep record low C = 17.0
|Oct record low C = 11.1
|Nov record low C = 7.0
|Dec record low C = 4.6
|year record low C = 0.8
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 154
|Feb precipitation mm = 127
|Mar precipitation mm = 84
|Apr precipitation mm = 31
|May precipitation mm = 11
|Jun precipitation mm = 1
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 0
|Sep precipitation mm = 5
|Oct precipitation mm = 60
|Nov precipitation mm = 115
|Dec precipitation mm = 141
|year precipitation mm = 730
|Jan rain days = 12
|Feb rain days = 10
|Mar rain days = 8
|Apr rain days = 5
|May rain days = 2
|Jun rain days = 2
|Jul rain days = 0.04
|Aug rain days = 0.1
|Sep rain days = 1
|Oct rain days = 4
|Nov rain days = 7
|Dec rain days = 11
|year rain days = 62
|Jan humidity = 64
|Feb humidity = 64
|Mar humidity = 64
|Apr humidity = 66
|May humidity = 70
|Jun humidity = 71
|Jul humidity = 72
|Aug humidity = 71
|Sep humidity = 65
|Oct humidity = 62
|Nov humidity = 60
|Dec humidity = 63
|year humidity = 66
| Jan dew point C =7
| Feb dew point C =8
| Mar dew point C =9
| Apr dew point C =12
| May dew point C =16
| Jun dew point C =19
| Jul dew point C =22
| Aug dew point C =22
| Sep dew point C =19
| Oct dew point C =16
| Nov dew point C =11
| Dec dew point C =8
|Jan sun = 131
|Feb sun = 143
|Mar sun = 191
|Apr sun = 243
|May sun = 310
|Jun sun = 348
|Jul sun = 360
|Aug sun = 334
|Sep sun = 288
|Oct sun = 245
|Nov sun = 200
|Dec sun = 147
|year sun = 2940
|source 1 = Danish Meteorological Institute (sun 1931–1960)<ref name=DMI>{{cite web |url=http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf |title=Libanon – Beyrouth |last1=Cappelen |first1=John |last2=Jensen |first2=Jens |work=Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931–1960) |page=167 |publisher=Danish Meteorological Institute |language=da |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116071752/http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf |archive-date=16 January 2013 |access-date=2 March 2013}}</ref>
|source 2=[https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/lebanon/beirut/climate Time and Date] (dewpoints, between 1985-2015)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/lebanon/beirut/climate |title=Climate & Weather Averages at Beirut Airport weather station (40100) |publisher=Time and Date |access-date=4 February 2022 |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204041541/https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/lebanon/beirut/climate |url-status=live }}</ref>
|date=October 2011}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+Beirut mean sea temperature<ref name="Seatemperature">{{cite web |url=http://www.seatemperature.org/middle-east/lebanon/beirut-february.htm |title=Monthly Beirut water temperature chart |publisher=seatemperature.org |access-date=20 January 2014 |archive-date=6 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206023744/http://www.seatemperature.org/middle-east/lebanon/beirut-february.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
|-
|{{convert|18.5|°C}}
|{{convert|17.5|°C}}
|{{convert|17.5|°C}}
|{{convert|18.5|°C}}
|{{convert|21.3|°C}}
|{{convert|24.9|°C}}
|{{convert|27.5|°C}}
|{{convert|28.5|°C}}
|{{convert|28.1|°C}}
|{{convert|26.0|°C}}
|{{convert|22.6|°C}}
|{{convert|20.1|°C}}
|}

===Environmental issues===
{{Main|Marine environmental issues in Lebanon}}

Lebanon, especially Beirut and its suburbs, suffered a massive garbage crisis, mainly from July 2015 up to March 2016. The issue began when authorities shut down the main landfill site originally used for Beirut's garbage south-east of the city and failed to provide any alternative solutions for months. As a result, garbage mounted in the streets in Greater Beirut and caused protests to erupt, which sometimes invoked police action. This problem was commonly blamed on the country's political situation. This garbage crisis birthed a movement called "[[2015–16 Lebanese protests|You Stink]]" which was directed at the country's politicians. In March 2016, the government came up with a so-called temporary solution to establish two new landfills East and South of the city to store the garbage, while several municipalities across the country, in an unprecedented move, began recycling and managing waste more efficiently, building waste-management facilities and relying on themselves rather than the central government. Moreover, Beirut has a lack of green areas with just two main public gardens (sanayeh and horch Beirut). In fact, concrete roofs cover 80% of the capital area.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/24/middleeast/lebanon-garbage-crisis-river/index.html |title=Lebanon: River of trash chokes Beirut suburb |last1=Hume |first1=Tim |last2=Tawfeeq |first2=Mohammed |work=CNN |access-date=14 November 2016 |archive-date=14 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114170326/http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/24/middleeast/lebanon-garbage-crisis-river/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Quarters and sectors===
{{main|List of places in Beirut}}

[[File:Beirut Districts.png|thumb|Map of the 12 quarters of Beirut]]
Beirut is divided into 12 quarters ({{lang|fr|quartiers}}):<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beirut.gov.lb/www.beirut.gov.lb/MCMSAR/حضارة%2Bبيروت/ |title=Beirut's official website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521100928/http://www.beirut.gov.lb/www.beirut.gov.lb/MCMSAR/%D8%AD%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9%2B%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%AA/ |archive-date=21 May 2008 |access-date=23 April 2008}}</ref>
* [[Achrafieh]]
* Dar Mreisse
* Bachoura
* Mazraa (with the neighbourhood [[Badaro]])
* Medawar (with the neighbourhood [[Mar Mikhaël]])
* Minet El Hosn
* Moussaitbeh (with [[Ramlet al-Baida]])
* [[Port of Beirut|Port]]
* [[Ras Beirut]]
* [[Rmeil]]
* [[Saifi Village|Saifi]]
* [[Zuqaq al-Blat]]

These quarters are divided into 59 sectors ({{lang|fr|secteurs}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beirut.gov.lb/www.beirut.gov.lb/MCMSEN/Maps+of+Beirut/ |title=Beirut's Official Website |publisher=Beirut.gov.lb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412231917/http://www.beirut.gov.lb/www.beirut.gov.lb/MCMSEN/Maps%2Bof%2BBeirut/ |archive-date=12 April 2009 |access-date=5 May 2009}}</ref>
[[File:Badaro nightlife.jpeg|thumb|Nightlife scene in [[Badaro]]]]
[[Badaro]] is an edgy, bohemian style neighbourhood,{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}} within the green district of Beirut ({{lang|fr|secteur du parc}}) which also include the [[Beirut Hippodrome]] and the [[Horsh Beirut|Beirut Pine Forest]] and the French ambassador's [[Pine Residence]]. It is one of Beirut's favourite hip nightlife destination.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}

Two of the twelve official [[Palestine refugee camps|Palestinian refugee camps]] in Lebanon are located in the southern suburbs of Beirut: Bourj el-Barajneh and [[Shatila refugee camp|Shatila]]. There is also one within its municipal boundaries: [[Mar Elias refugee camp|Mar Elias]].<ref name=UNRWA>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/lebanon.html |title=Lebanon refugee camp profiles |publisher=[[United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East|UNRWA]] |date=31 December 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409202113/http://www.un.org/unrwa/refugees/lebanon.html |archive-date=9 April 2008 |access-date=18 April 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Escalier saint-nicolas beyrouth.jpg|thumb|Saint Nicholas staircase in [[Ashrafieh]]]]
[[File:Ferris wheel and the corniche.jpg|thumb|[[Ras Beirut]] and the [[Mediterranean Sea]]]]
Southern suburban districts include Chiyah, [[Ghobeiry]] (Bir Hassan, Jnah and Ouzai are part of the Ghobeiry municipality), Haret Hreik, Burj al Barajneh, Laylake-Mreijeh, Hay al Sillum and Hadath. Eastern suburbs include Burj Hammoud, Sin el Fil, Dekwane and Mkalles. Hazmiyeh is also considered as an eastern suburb with its close proximity to the capital.<ref name=UNRWA /> Of the 15 unregistered or unofficial refugee camps, Sabra, which lies adjacent to Shatila, is also located in southern Beirut<ref name=FM>{{cite web |url=http://www.forcedmigration.org/guides/fmo018/fmo018.pdf |title=Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon |publisher=Force Migration |author=Sherifa Shafie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528012358/http://www.forcedmigration.org/guides/fmo018/fmo018.pdf |archive-date=28 May 2008 |access-date=18 April 2008}}</ref> and was the scene of [[Sabra and Shatila massacre|a massacre]] during the civil war.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-29 |title=Sabra and Chatila {{!}} Sciences Po Violence de masse et Résistance - Réseau de recherche |url=https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/fr/document/sabra-and-chatila.html |access-date=2021-10-14 |website=www.sciencespo.fr |language=fr |archive-date=28 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328165019/https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violence-war-massacre-resistance/fr/document/sabra-and-chatila.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

People in Lebanon often use different names for the same geographic locations, and few people rely on official, government-provided street numbers. Instead, historic and commercial landmarks are more commonly used.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gustafsson |first=Jenny |date=2015-06-02 |title=Mapping, Beirut-style: how to navigate a city without using any street names |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/02/mapping-beirut-style-how-to-navigate-a-city-without-using-any-street-names |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225203815/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/02/mapping-beirut-style-how-to-navigate-a-city-without-using-any-street-names |url-status=live }}</ref>