Desertification is defined as “the rapid depletion of plant life and the loss of topsoil at desert boundaries and in semiarid regions, usually caused by a combination of drought and the overexploitation of grasses and other vegetation by people.” There is a common misconception that desertification spreads from a desert core. The truth is that land degradation can occur far away from deserts, and the presence of a desert has no effect on desertification. Another misconception is that droughts cause desertification. This is only true if the land had been abused before the drought occurred, and continued to be exploited during the dry season. If the land is well managed however, the land will recover from a drought once it rains again. Causes One of the main causes of desertification is poor soil conservation, which leads to soil degradation. Healthy soil contains organic matter, which is formed when decaying materials are transformed into soil that contains nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Unstable farming methods are also a cause of desertification. Overuse of fertilizers, lack of crop rotation, and poor irrigation practices strip the soil of its nutrients. When the topsoil is depleted of its organic matter, it either becomes too loose or too compacted, which can lead to erosion. Overgrazing is a large problem and another cause of desertification. Grasses are important in anchoring topsoil in a dryland region. When animals are allowed to graze too much on already dry land, they expose the soil to destructive forces such as thunderstorms and wind. Affected areas According to The World Bank, Lebanon had 13.85% of arable land in the country. That was the highest it has been since 2000, and the number is getting smaller. The most recent number, from 2010, is 11.14%. The percentage of permanent cropland in Lebanon also went down from 13.69% to 12.32% between 2009 and 2010. According to a study done by the National Work to Fight Desertification program, over 60 percent of Lebanon's land is at risk of desertification. Lebanon's land desertification spreads 60 kilometers and begins at the edge of the city Baalbek and ends at the border of Syria. Most studies on desertification in Lebanon have concluded that the area of northern Bekaa is the region most affected by this environmental issue. One of Lebanon's main causes of desertification is development of cities on prime agricultural land. Forests were cleared