Beirut sits on a peninsula extending westward
into the Mediterranean Sea about 94 km (58 mi) north of the
Lebanon-Israel border. It is flanked by the Lebanon Mountains and has taken on
a triangular shape, largely influenced by its situation between and atop two
hills: Al-Ashrafieh and Al-Musaytibah. The Beirut Governorate occupies 18
square kilometres (6.9 sq mi), and the city's metropolitan area 67
square kilometres (26 sq mi). The coast is rather diverse, with rocky
beaches, sandy shores and cliffs situated beside one another.
