2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540) 65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Airports

7 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

5

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)

Area

land

10,230 sq km

total

10,400 sq km

water

170 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

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 15-year civil war (1976-1991) 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

Birth rate

18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$7.429 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$4.444 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

33 53 N, 35 30 E

name

Beirut

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Coastline

225 km

Constitution

23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Country name

conventional long form

Lebanese Republic

conventional short form

Lebanon

former

Greater Lebanon

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form

Lubnan

Currency (code)

Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code

LBP

Current account balance

$-5.339 billion (October 2006)

Death rate

6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$31.1 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Designate Antoine CHEDID

embassy

Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carla JAZZAR; note - ambassador designate is Antoine CHEDID

telephone

[1] (202) 939-6320

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

Economic aid - recipient

$2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Economy - overview

The 1975-91 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.

Electricity - consumption

9.529 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

450 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

9.762 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

97.2%

hydro

2.8%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

lowest point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

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

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)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)

election results

for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

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 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

head of government

Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)

Exports

$1.881 billion f.o.b. (2005 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 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.4% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 939-6324

[961] (4) 544136

consulate(s) general

Detroit, New York, Los Angeles

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Lebanon

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

7%

industry

21%

services

72% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-5% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$19.62 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$21.45 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

33 50 N, 35 50 E

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

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,800 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

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; 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 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$9.34 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners

Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.4%, China 5.4%, US 5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)

Independence

22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Infant mortality rate

female

20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

26.34 deaths/1,000 live births

total

23.72 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.8% (2006 est.)

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, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.lb

Internet hosts

3,307 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

22 (2000)

Internet users

700,000 (2005) Transportation Lebanon

Investment (gross fixed)

17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

1,040 sq km (2003)

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)

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%

Land boundaries

border countries

Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

total

454 km

Land use

arable land

16.35%

other

69.9% (2005)

permanent crops

13.75%

Languages

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF)

Army, Navy, and Air Force

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

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); note - Nahib BERRI is the National Assembly Speaker (since 1992)

election results

percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group (as of December 2006) - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Lebanese Forces 5; Qornet Shewan 6; Popular Bloc 4; Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National Socialist Party 2; Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Democratic Renewal Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; Ba'th Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 4

elections

last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005 (next to be held 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.48 years (2006 est.)

male

70.41 years

total population

72.88 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

82.2% (2003 est.) Government Lebanon

male

93.1%

total population

87.4%

Location

Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

1,024,273 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

974,363

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

865,770 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

821,762

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

28.9 years (2006 est.)

male

26.7 years

total

27.8 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3

foreign-owned

4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)

registered in other countries

59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados 1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2) (2006)

total

39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$540.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.1% (2004) Transnational Issues Lebanon

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Nationality

adjective

Lebanese

noun

Lebanese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources

limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Pipelines

gas 43 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

note - organized in three major political blocs; 14 March Coalition (bloc includes 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 (bloc includes Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq); Hizballah and Amal Alliance (bloc includes 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 National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU])

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

28% (1999 est.)

Population growth rate

1.23% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli Military Lebanon

Public debt

209% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios

2.85 million (1997)

Railways

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)

standard gauge

319 km 1.435 m

total

401 km

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

405,425 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)), 20,000-40,000 (Iraq)

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$16.78 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

6,198 km

total

7,300 km

unpaved

1,102 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

Suffrage

21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education

Telephone system

domestic

two commercial wireless networks provide good service; political instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies

general assessment

repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete

international

country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Telephones - main lines in use

990,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.178 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

1.18 million (1997)

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

20% (2006 est.)