It is the commercial center of the region and was sometimes called "the Paris of the East" because of its cosmopolitan atmosphere prior to the Lebanese Civil War. Beirut has undergone major reconstruction in recent years and is set to host the Jeux de la Francophonie (Francophone Games) in 2009.

Beirut is being considered as a possible candidate for the 2018 Winter Olympics games. The massive $1.2 billion Sannine Zenith project is currently under way to make Lebanon capable of holding the Winter Olympics games.

The city is home to numerous international organizations. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) is headquartered in downtown Beirut while the International Labour Organization (ILO) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) both have regional offices in Beirut covering the Arab world. The Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) is also headquartered in Beirut.

Backed by the Mount Lebanon mountains, Beirut is situated on a spur where the narrow coastal plain projects into the Mediterranean Sea. Beirut is located at 33°54′″N, 35°31′″E (33.90, 35.5333). [1] Beirut is located halfway along the Lebanese coastline with Byblos and Tripoli to the North, and Sidon and Tyre to the South. Its ideal location makes it easy to reach from almost any location in Lebanon.

The city's airport, situated in the southern suburbs, was previously known as Beirut International Airport; in 2005 it was renamed Rafic Hariri International Airport in honour of the assassinated former prime minister. By land, the city has frequent bus connections to other cities in Lebanon and major cities in Syria; the latter are also served by service taxis. Buses for northern destinations and Syria leave from Charles Helou Station in the north of the city, near the port; those for the south and the Bekaa Valley leave from Cola intersection in the south of the city centre.

Internal transport is served by a number of bus routes and taxis, which most often operate as service taxis on fixed routes but are also available for private hire. The city suffers from considerable traffic congestion at peak hours.

There are two public transportation companies in Beirut, the government owned and operated Office des Chemins de Fer et des Transports en Commun (OCFTC) and the privately owned and operated Lebanese Commuting Company (LCC).

There has been some talk about restoring the country's rail lines which would include the relaunch of rail travel between Beirut and Damascus in Syria.

The city is also home to the largest port on the Eastern Mediterranean. The Port of Beirut is aiming to become a major port in the region for transporting goods to Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and the Gulf states.

Before the war Beirut was a popular international tourist destination dubbed the Paris of the Middle East, with many international hotels and a thriving nightlife. In recent years the city has started to rebuild its tourist industry, with major construction and restoration works in progress in the ruined city centre, and a new marina. While rural areas are slightly more conservative, Western dress, including shorts and short skirts, are the norm in Beirut, except in religious buildings.

In addition to the city itself, a number of archeological sites are within reach, including Baalbek and Byblos, which claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. In winter, skiing is possible in the mountains at resorts such as Faraya Mzaar, Faqra in Kfardebian, and The Cedars.

Source: Wikipedia