Beruit

Beirut بيروت Beyrouth
clockwise from top left: Beirut Central District, Beirut Souks, High rise construction near the marina, Place de l'etoile, Cafés on Rue Maarad, Saifi Village
Flag Seal
Motto: Berytus Nutrix Legum (Latin: Beirut, mother of laws)
Beirut Location in Lebanon. The surrounding district can be seen on the map.
Coordinates: 33°53′13″N 35°30′47″E / 33.88694°N 35.51306°E / 33.88694; 35.51306
Country	Lebanon
Governorate	Beirut
Government
• Mayor	Jamal Itani
Area
• City	85 km2 (33 sq mi)
• Urban	100 km2 (40 sq mi)
• Metro	200 km2 (80 sq mi)
Population (2012 (city proper) and 2014 (metropolitan))
• City	c. 361,366
• Metro	c. 2,200,000
Demonym(s)	Beiruti
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Area code(s)	+961-1
ISO 3166 code	LB-BA
Website	www.beirut.gov.lb

Coordinates: 33°53′13″N 35°30′47″E / 33.88694°N 35.51306°E / 33.88694; 35.51306

Beirut (Arabic: بيروت‎‎ Bayrūt, French: Beyrouth) is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. No recent population census has been done but in 2007 estimates ranged from slightly more than 1 million to slightly less than 2 million as part of Greater Beirut. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, Beirut is the country's largest and main seaport.

It is one of the oldest cities in the world, inhabited more than 5,000 years ago. The first historical mention of Beirut is found in the ancient Egyptian Tell el Amarna letters dating from the 15th century BC. The Beirut River runs south to north on the eastern edge of the city.

Beirut is Lebanon's seat of government and plays a central role in the Lebanese economy, with many banks and corporations based in its Central District, Badaro, Rue Verdun, Hamra and Ashrafieh. Following the destructive Lebanese Civil War, Beirut's cultural landscape underwent major reconstruction. Identified and graded for accountancy, advertising, banking/finance and law, Beirut is ranked as a Beta World City by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.