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This page was last updated on 13 December, 2007
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| Introduction | Lebanon | Top of Page

Background: | Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France granted this area independence in 1943. A lengthy civil war (1975-1990) devastated the country, but Lebanon has since made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater voice in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, Lebanon has conducted several successful elections, most militias have been disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, retains its weapons. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus justified its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's presence in Lebanon. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military forces from Lebanon in April 2005. In May-June 2005, Lebanon held its first legislative elections since the end of the civil war free of foreign interference, handing a majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in August 2006, called for the disarmament of Hizballah.

| Geography | Lebanon | Top of Page

Location: | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Geographic coordinates: | 33 50 N, 35 50 E
Map references: | Middle East
Area: | total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative: | about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: | total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline: | 225 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: | Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Terrain: | narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural resources: | limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Land use: | arable land: 16.35% permanent crops: 13.75% other: 69.9% (2005)
Irrigated land: | 1,040 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards: | dust storms, sandstorms
Environment - current issues: | deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note: | Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity

| People | Lebanon | Top of Page

Population: | 3,925,502 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 26.2% (male 525,199/female 504,240) 15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,255,624/female 1,361,265) 65 years and over: 7.1% (male 125,904/female 153,270) (2007 est.)
Median age: | total: 28.3 years male: 27.2 years female: 29.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.198% (2007 est.)
Birth rate: | 18.08 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate: | 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.042 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.922 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.821 male(s)/female total population: 0.944 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 23.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.15 years male: 70.67 years female: 75.77 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.88 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 2,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups: | Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians
Religions: | Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized
Languages: | Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

| Government | Lebanon | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan former: Greater Lebanon
Government type: | republic
Capital: | name: Beirut geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions: | 8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa, Beyrouth, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
Independence: | 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday: | Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution: | 23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Legal system: | mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held in December 2007 based on three-year extension); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi'a Muslim election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005 (next to be held 2009) election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Qornet Shewan 6; Lebanese Forces 5; Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Syrian National Socialist Party 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Ba'th Party 1; Democratic Left 1; Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Kataeb Party 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; independent 4
Judicial branch: | four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)
Political parties and leaders: | 14 March Coalition: Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Qornet Shewan Gathering (a grouping composed of political parties and independent members of the National Assembly [no individual leader]); Tripoli Independent Bloc Change and Reform Alliance: Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq Hizballah and Amal Alliance: Ba'th Party [Muhammad MUHAMMADIYAH]; Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Dr. Issam al-MAYHAYRI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | none
International organization participation: | ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Antoine CHEDID chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136
Flag description: | three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

| Economy | Lebanon | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national debt, the Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and privatizing state enterprises, but economic and financial reform initiatives stalled and public debt continued to grow despite receipt of more than $2 billion in bilateral assistance at the Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage in July and August 2006, and internal Lebanese political tension continues to hamper economic activity.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $22.86 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $20.64 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | -2.8% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $5,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.1% industry: 18.4% services: 76.5% (2005)
Labor force: | 1.5 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Unemployment rate: | 20% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): | 18.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $5.448 billion expenditures: $7.878 billion (2006 est.)
Public debt: | 190.2% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products: | citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Industries: | banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 9.571 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption: | 8.439 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 455 million kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Current account balance: | $-1.484 billion (2006 est.)
Exports: | $2.792 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities: | authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
Exports - partners: | Syria 26.8%, UAE 12%, Switzerland 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.7%, Turkey 4.5% (2006)
Imports: | $8.547 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco
Imports - partners: | Syria 11.6%, Italy 9.8%, US 9.3%, France 7.7%, Germany 6%, China 5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | $243 million received (2003) from the $4.2 billion in soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $19.18 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external: | $32.11 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA
Market value of publicly traded shares: | $8.279 billion (2006)
Currency (code): | Lebanese pound (LBP)
Exchange rates: | Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Lebanon | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 681,400 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.103 million (2006)
Telephone system: | general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete domestic: 2 wireless networks provide good service; political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership approaching 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 961; submarine cable link to Cyprus; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code: | .lb
Internet hosts: | 5,635 (2007)
Internet users: | 950,000 (2006)

| Transportation | Lebanon | Top of Page

Airports: | 7 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
Pipelines: | gas 43 km (2006)
Railways: | total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m note: rail system became unusable because of damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
Roadways: | total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)
Merchant marine: | total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 132,871 GRT/140,011 DWT by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 14, livestock carrier 12, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Greece 2, Syria 1) registered in other countries: 55 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados 1, Cambodia 7, Comoros 5, Cyprus 1, Dominica 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 3, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 3, Liberia 2, Malta 12, Mongolia 1, Panama 3, St Vincent and The Grenadines 7, Syria 4, unknown 2) (2007)
Ports and terminals: | Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

| Military | Lebanon | Top of Page

Military branches: | Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force (2007)
Military service age and obligation: | 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in May 2005, conscript service obligation reduced from 12 to 6 months over a 2-year period; conscripts eligible to volunteer for 5 years of military service upon completing 6 months of conscript service; Lebanon is moving toward a predominantly professional armed forces (2005)
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 974,363 females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 821,762 females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.1% (2005 est.)

| Transnational Issues | Lebanon | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978
Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 405,425 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)), 20,000-40,000 (Iraq) IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions), 200,000 (July-August 2006 war) (2006)
Illicit drugs: | cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 13 December, 2007