Litani River (Lebanon)

The Litani River (Arabic: نهر الليطاني, romanized: Nahr al-Līṭānī), the classical Leontes (Ancient Greek: Λεόντης, romanized: Leóntes, lit. 'lion river'), known in medieval times as Līṭa (Arabic: نهر ليطا, romanized: Nahr Līṭā), is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km (87 mi) in length, the Litani is the longest river that flows entirely in Lebanon and provides an average annual flow estimated at 0.92 km3. The Litani provides a major source for water supply, irrigation, and hydroelectricity throughout the country.