- 1. Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, is a vibrant metropolis known for its rich history, cultural diversity, and resilient spirit. Nestled along the Mediterranean Sea, this ancient city has been a melting pot of civilizations for thousands of years, influenced by Phoenician, Roman, Ottoman, and French cultures, among others. Beirut's skyline is a stunning blend of modern architecture and historical landmarks, such as the iconic Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque and the picturesque Pigeon Rocks at Raouche. The city's vibrant neighborhoods, like Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael, are renowned for their lively cafes, bustling nightlife, and artistic scenes, attracting both locals and visitors alike. Beirut has faced significant challenges, including civil unrest and the aftermath of a devastating port explosion in 2020, yet it remains a symbol of resilience and hope, with a population known for its warmth and hospitality. The culinary scene is equally impressive, offering a tantalizing array of traditional Lebanese dishes, such as tabbouleh, hummus, and kebabs, alongside contemporary gastronomy. With its unique blend of history, culture, and modernity, Beirut is a city that captures the hearts of those who experience its vibrant energy and enduring charm.
What is the capital city of Lebanon?
A) Beirut
B) Cairo
C) Dubai
D) Istanbul
- 2. Which sea does Beirut border?
A) Mediterranean Sea
B) Black Sea
C) Red Sea
D) Dead Sea
- 3. What is the predominant language spoken in Beirut?
A) Arabic
B) Russian
C) English
D) French
- 4. Beirut is often referred to as the __________ of the Middle East.
A) Paris
B) Rome
C) New York
D) Tokyo
- 5. Which river flows through Beirut?
A) Beirut River
B) Tigris River
C) Euphrates River
D) Nile River
- 6. What is the Beirut Central District commonly known as?
A) Gemmayzeh
B) Hamra
C) Beirut Souks
D) Downtown Beirut
- 7. What is the name of the famous coastal promenade in Beirut?
A) Zaitunay Bay
B) Raouche Rocks
C) Corniche Beirut
D) Pigeon Rocks
- 8. What industry was Beirut known for prior to the civil war?
A) Mining
B) Agriculture
C) Banking
D) Fishing
- 9. Which Lebanese author wrote 'The Prophet'?
A) Naguib Mahfouz
B) Kahlil Gibran
C) Hoda Barakat
D) Amin Maalouf
- 10. What is the official currency used in Beirut?
A) Euro
B) Lebanese Pound
C) Yen
D) Dollar
- 11. Which mountain range overlooks Beirut?
A) Mount Lebanon
B) Anti-Lebanon Mountains
C) Taurus Mountains
D) Atlas Mountains
- 12. What is the name of the national flag carrier airline of Lebanon based in Beirut?
A) Qatar Airways
B) Emirates
C) Middle East Airlines
D) Royal Jordanian
- 13. What is the most popular alcoholic beverage in Beirut and Lebanon?
A) Whiskey
B) Arak
C) Wine
D) Beer
- 14. What ancient city is located near Beirut and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
A) Athens
B) Byblos
C) Cairo
D) Rome
- 15. In which year was Beirut declared the capital of Lebanon?
A) 1920
B) 2000
C) 1950
D) 1980
- 16. What is the name of Beirut's international airport?
A) Heathrow Airport
B) Changi Airport
C) John F. Kennedy International Airport
D) Rafic Hariri International Airport
- 17. Which famous Lebanese singer was born in Beirut?
A) Shakira
B) Umm Kulthum
C) Nancy Ajram
D) Fairuz
- 18. Beirut is a popular destination for ______ tourism, with its mix of historical sites and modern attractions.
A) Adventure
B) Cultural
C) Medical
D) Eco
- 19. Which famous director's film 'West Beirut' showcases the city during the Lebanese Civil War?
A) Steven Spielberg
B) Quentin Tarantino
C) Martin Scorsese
D) Ziad Doueiri
- 20. Which Lebanese-American author wrote the novel 'An Unnecessary Woman' set in Beirut?
A) Khalil Gibran
B) Etel Adnan
C) Amin Maalouf
D) Rabih Alameddine
- 21. What natural disaster has Beirut experienced in recent years, causing widespread destruction?
A) Earthquake
B) Explosion
C) Flood
D) Tornado
- 22. Which French architect undertook the urban planning of Beirut in the 1920s?
A) Haussmann
B) Le Corbusier
C) Eiffel
D) Michel Ecochard
- 23. As of 2025, what is the population of Greater Beirut?
A) 3.0 million
B) 2.7 million
C) 2.4 million
D) 1.8 million
- 24. How long has Beirut been inhabited?
A) Over 5,000 years
B) For approximately 7,500 years
C) Around 3,000 years
D) About 10,000 years
- 25. What does the Arabic name 'Bayrūt' derive from?
A) Latin Berytus
B) Greek Bērytós
C) Phoenician bēʾrūt, meaning 'wells'
D) Akkadian Biruta
- 26. How was Beirut's name hellenised by the Greeks?
A) Bayrūt
B) Beirutus
C) Bērytós
D) Berythus
- 27. What was Beirut's official Roman name when it became a colony?
A) Colonia Iulia Augusta Felix Berytus
B) Colonia Iulia Berytus
C) Colonia Augusta Berytus
D) Colonia Berytus
- 28. During the Crusades, what were some French names for Beirut?
A) Beirutus or Beirout
B) Beyrouth or Bayrūt
C) Berutum or Berythus
D) Barut or Baruth
- 29. What evidence suggests that the surrounding area of Beirut was inhabited tens of thousands of years ago?
A) Crusader castles
B) Prehistoric archaeological sites with flint tools from various periods
C) Roman ruins and Byzantine structures
D) Modern urban development
- 30. What was Beirut I (Minet el-Hosn) known for?
A) It was the site of a major Roman colony.
B) It was primarily an agricultural settlement.
C) It was listed as 'the town of Beirut' and had a Mousterian flint industry.
D) It was known for its Byzantine mosaics.
- 31. What did Beirut II (Umm el-Khatib) contain?
A) Neolithic pottery and tools
B) Roman coins and artifacts
C) A Copper Age flint industry discovered by P.E. Gigues
D) Middle Bronze Age tombs
- 32. What did Beirut VII sites reveal?
A) Modern urban infrastructure
B) Collapsed walls, pits, floors, charcoal, pottery, flints, and Bronze Age tombs.
C) A large Phoenician harbor
D) Extensive Roman aqueducts
- 33. When was another suggested port or dry dock claimed to have been discovered?
A) In 26 June 2012
B) In 1993
C) In 140 BC
D) In 2011
- 34. Who destroyed the Phoenician city in 140 BC?
A) Diodotus Tryphon
B) Roman general Pompey
C) King Tigranes the Great
D) Antiochus VII Sidetes
- 35. What was built upon the site of the destroyed Phoenician city?
A) A Roman fort
B) Laodicea in Phoenicia
C) An Armenian settlement
D) A Seleucid palace
- 36. What symbol appeared on mid-1st-century coins from Berytus?
A) A depiction of Pompey
B) A dolphin entwines an anchor
C) An image of Diodotus Tryphon
D) The head of Tyche
- 37. Who took up the symbol from Berytus in 15th century Venice?
A) The early printer Aldus Manutius
B) Antiochus VII Sidetes
C) Diodotus Tryphon
D) King Tigranes the Great
- 38. Who conquered Beirut after the Battle of Tigranocerta?
A) Roman general Pompey
B) Diodotus Tryphon
C) Antiochus VII Sidetes
D) King Tigranes the Great
- 39. Which Roman emperor established veterans of two legions in Berytus?
A) Augustus
B) Claudius
C) Trajan
D) Nero
- 40. Which Roman emperors were Papinian and Ulpian associated with as teachers?
A) The Severan emperors
B) The Flavian emperors
C) The Antonines
D) The Julio-Claudians
- 41. What is a major component of medical tourism in Beirut?
A) Cardiac surgery
B) Cosmetic surgery
C) Neurosurgery
D) Orthopedic surgery
- 42. Which suburb includes Dekwane and Mkalles?
A) Northern suburbs
B) Southern suburban districts
C) Eastern suburbs
D) Western suburbs
- 43. What role did Beirut play in the eastern Mediterranean during the Middle Ages?
A) Religious hub
B) Trading centre
C) Military stronghold
D) Cultural capital
- 44. What percentage of the capital area is covered by concrete roofs?
A) 30%
B) 80%
C) 50%
D) 10%
- 45. Who took control of Beirut in 1187?
A) Sultan al-Ashraf Khalil
B) John of Ibelin
C) Saladin
D) Henry I of Brabant
- 46. Under which emperor did Berytus expand to include Heliopolis (Baalbek)?
A) Domitian
B) Vespasian
C) Claudius
D) Tiberius
- 47. Who fortified Beirut early in the 17th century?
A) Tafil Buzi
B) Fakhr-al-Din II
C) Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt
D) Jezzar Pasha
- 48. What environmental issue did Beirut face from July 2015 to March 2016?
A) A massive garbage crisis
B) A water shortage crisis
C) An air pollution crisis
D) A deforestation crisis
- 49. How many unofficial refugee camps are there in Beirut?
A) 12
B) 24
C) 59
D) 15
- 50. Which city was as important as Beirut during the Middle Ages?
A) Damascus
B) Jerusalem
C) Alexandria
D) Acre
- 51. In what century did Justinian assemble his Pandects, incorporating laws from Berytus's jurists?
A) 6th century
B) 5th century
C) 4th century
D) 7th century
- 52. Which religious group comprises 63% of Beirut's population?
A) Others
B) Muslims
C) Christians
D) Druze
- 53. How many quarters is Beirut divided into?
A) 6
B) 24
C) 12
D) 59
- 54. What is forbidden in Zeituna Bay, a marina in Beirut Central District?
A) Walking on the promenade
B) Sailing boats
C) Swimming
D) Riding bikes
- 55. What is the estimated low range of Beirut's population?
A) 1,000,000
B) 2,000,000
C) 1,500,000
D) 938,940
- 56. Which university professor criticized the loss of Ottoman and medieval remains in Beirut?
A) Saad Hariri
B) Nabil Beyhum
C) Rafic Hariri
D) Saree Makdisi
- 57. To which city were the students of Berytus's law school transferred after the earthquake?
A) Byblos
B) Sidon
C) Tyre
D) Tripoli
- 58. In which year was Beirut made the capital of a vilayet in Syria?
A) 1888
B) 1907
C) 1894
D) 1911
- 59. What is the name of Beirut's artistic bohemian quarter?
A) Zokak el Blat
B) Gemmayzeh
C) Mar Mikhael
D) Ashrafieh
- 60. What percentage of Beirut's tourists in 2012 came from European countries?
A) 40%
B) 50%
C) 25%
D) 33%
- 61. Which hospital was ranked one of the world's top ten best hospitals for medical tourism in 2012?
A) Clemenceau Medical Center (CMC)
B) Hôtel-Dieu de France
C) Rizk Hospital
D) American University of Beirut Medical Center
- 62. What percentage of Beirut's population is Druze?
A) 5%
B) 1%
C) 10%
D) 15%
- 63. What was a significant consequence of the Lebanese Civil War on Beirut Central District?
A) Population increase.
B) Establishment of new educational institutions.
C) Devastation that required thorough reconstruction.
D) Immediate economic boom.
- 64. Who announced their resignation as Prime Minister of Lebanon on 10 August 2020?
A) Hassan Diab
B) Saad Hariri
C) Tammam Salam
D) Fuad Siniora
- 65. What was the name of the operation carried out by Hezbollah in 2006?
A) Operation Cedar Revolution
B) Operation Liberation
C) Operation Independence
D) Operation Truthful Promise
- 66. Where was a massacre during the civil war located?
A) Moussaitbeh
B) Bourj el-Barajneh
C) Sabra, adjacent to Shatila
D) Ras Beirut
- 67. What system is used for handling family matters in Lebanon?
A) Lebanese secular law
B) British common law
C) French civil law
D) Ottoman 'millet' system
- 68. What organization is responsible for the reconstruction of Beirut Central District?
A) Beirut Municipality
B) UNESCO
C) Lebanese Government
D) Solidere
- 69. What was one of the public architectural features found in Roman Berytus?
A) Pantheon
B) Several bath complexes
C) Aqueducts
D) Colosseum
- 70. What year did the Lebanese Civil War begin?
A) 1982
B) 1975
C) 1990
D) 2006
- 71. In which year did Muslims first conquer Beirut?
A) 1187
B) 1291
C) 635
D) 1110
- 72. Which Roman emperor recognized the law school in Berytus as one of the three official law schools?
A) Constantine
B) Diocletian
C) Theodosius
D) Justinian
- 73. What was one of the major public entertainment venues in Roman Berytus?
A) An arena
B) A circus
C) A stadium
D) An amphitheater
- 74. What percentage of Beirut's banking sector assets were bank deposits in 2012?
A) 50%
B) 70%
C) 82%
D) 90%
- 75. Under which Ottoman sultan did the Ottomans conquer Syria, including present-day Lebanon?
A) Selim I
B) Mustafa III
C) Suleiman the Magnificent
D) Abdul Hamid II
- 76. In which year did a major earthquake strike Berytus, causing significant damage?
A) 410
B) 476
C) 551
D) 312
- 77. What is the size of Beirut's metropolitan area?
A) 18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi)
B) 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi)
C) 67 square kilometres (26 sq mi)
D) 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi)
- 78. Which area became a no man's land during the Lebanese Civil War?
A) The Red Line
B) The Blue Line
C) The Yellow Line
D) The Green Line
- 79. What was the unique linguistic characteristic of Berytus in the Syria-Phoenicia province?
A) Bilingual with Aramaic and Latin
B) The only mainly Latin-speaking area
C) Multilingual with multiple local languages
D) The only Greek-speaking area
- 80. Who was killed in a car bomb explosion on 19 October 2012 in Beirut?
A) Walid Jumblatt
B) Saad Hariri
C) Mohamad Chatah
D) Rafic Hariri
- 81. Which street in Beirut is known for its concentration of shopping stores, boutiques, and nightlife?
A) Hamra Street
B) Rue Monnot
C) Avenue des Français
D) Corniche Mazraa
- 82. What was the name of the movement born from Beirut's garbage crisis?
A) "Save Our City"
B) "Clean Beirut"
C) "Green Lebanon"
D) "You Stink"
- 83. What is the historical significance of Beirut Souks?
A) An industrial zone established post-war.
B) A residential area developed during Ottoman rule.
C) They are the old medieval market recently renovated.
D) A modern shopping mall built in the 21st century.
- 84. What policy facilitated foreign capital inflows into Beirut?
A) Protectionism
B) Economic isolation
C) The Open Door Policy
D) Import Substitution Industrialization
- 85. Who was a prominent public figure in Beirut at the start of the 20th century?
A) Bashir Gemayel
B) Emile Eddé
C) Rafic Hariri
D) Salim Ali Salam
- 86. Which neighbourhood is part of the green district of Beirut?
A) Badaro
B) Zuqaq al-Blat
C) Moussaitbeh
D) Ras Beirut
- 87. Which of these is not a southern suburban district?
A) Ghobeiry
B) Hadath
C) Chiyah
D) Hazmiyeh
- 88. When was the last population census taken in Lebanon?
A) 1932
B) 1975
C) 1950
D) 2000
- 89. How large is the Beirut Governorate?
A) 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi)
B) 50 square kilometres (19 sq mi)
C) 18 square kilometres (6.9 sq mi)
D) 67 square kilometres (26 sq mi)
- 90. What is the religious majority in East Beirut?
A) Shia Muslim
B) Sunni Muslim
C) Druze
D) Christian
- 91. Which European power had significant influence in Beirut by the late 19th century?
A) Britain
B) Italy
C) France
D) Germany
- 92. Which historian studied at the law school in Berytus between 400 and 402?
A) Sozomen
B) Socrates Scholasticus
C) Jerome
D) Eusebius
- 93. How much did Lebanon-based banks receive from the region's petrodollars during the oil boom starting in the 1960s?
A) Only through indirect investments
B) No involvement
C) Major recipients
D) Minor recipients
- 94. What is the status of public spaces like 'The Garden of Forgiveness' promised by Solidere?
A) Fully completed and operational.
B) Dedicated to military use.
C) Converted into residential areas.
D) They remain unfinished.
- 95. What was the balance sheet of Beirut's banking system at the end of 2012?
A) $200 billion
B) $100 billion
C) $152 billion
D) $50 billion
- 96. What is the total area of open spaces in Beirut Central District?
A) 96 acres (39 ha)
B) 75 acres (30 ha)
C) 120 acres (49 ha)
D) 50 acres (20 ha)
- 97. What percentage of Beirut's population is Christian?
A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 45%
D) 35%
- 98. What was established in Beirut in 1894 that boosted trade?
A) A silk factory
B) A railway station
C) A modern harbour
D) An airport
- 99. Which quarter includes the neighbourhood Badaro?
A) Ras Beirut
B) Mazraa
C) Achrafieh
D) Saifi
- 100. How many sectors are there in Beirut?
A) 24
B) 15
C) 59
D) 12
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