Lebanon

§1. Lebanon Introduction

Background:
  Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions
  since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15- year civil war. Under the
  Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese
  have 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, the
  Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias
  have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
  extended central government 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 two-thirds majority to
  the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son.

§2. Lebanon Geography

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 km²
  land: 10,230 km²
  water: 170 km²

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:
  1,200 km² (1998 est.)

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, 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

§3. Lebanon People

Population:
  3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)

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.)

Median age:
  total: 27.8 years
  male: 26.7 years
  female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.23% (2006 est.)

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

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

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  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
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.88 years
  male: 70.41 years
  female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.9 children born/woman (2006 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%

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.)

§4. Lebanon Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
  local short form: Lubnan

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Beirut

Administrative divisions:
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa,
  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;
    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 legislature 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; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic Movement 14;
    Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; 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
    5

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:
  Ba'th Party [leader NA]; Democratic Gathering [Walid JUMBLATT]; Democratic
  Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD];
  Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, Amal Movement leader/Speaker
  of the National Assembly]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Future
  Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Kataeb Reform
  Movement [Amine GEMAYAL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Loyalty to the
  Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Nasserite Popular
  Movement [Ussama SAAD]; National Bloc [Carlos EDDE]; Popular Bloc [Elias
  SKAFF]; Qornet Shewan Gathering [a grouping with no individual leader];
  Syrian National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU]; Tachnaq Party [leader NA];
  Tripoli Independent Bloc [a grouping with no individual leader]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
  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
  mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO
    AE 09836-0002; from 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

§5. Lebanon Economy

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. In November 2002, the government met
  with international donors at the Paris II conference to seek bilateral
  assistance in restructuring its massive domestic debt at lower interest
  rates. Substantial receipts from donor nations stabilized government
  finances in 2003, but did little to reduce the debt, which stands at nearly
  170% of GDP. In 2004 the HARIRI government issued Eurobonds in an effort to
  manage maturing debt. The downturn in economic activity that followed the
  assassination of Rafiq al- HARIRI has eased, but has yet to be reversed.
  Tourism remains below the level of 2004. The new Prime Minister, Fuad
  SINIORA, has pledged to push ahead with economic reform, including
  privatization and more efficient government. The Core Group of nations has
  announced plans to hold a Donor's Conference in early 2006 to assist the
  government of Lebanon in restructuring its debt and increasing foreign
  investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $20.42 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $20.1 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $5,300 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 21%
  services: 67% (2000)

Labor force:
  2.6 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001
    est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  18% (1997 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):
  2.4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.953 billion
  expenditures: $6.595 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  170% of GDP (2005 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:
  10.67 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  10.67 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  750 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  102,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-4.09 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $1.782 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 24.9%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland 6.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $8.855 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 11.2%, France 10.3%, Syria 9.8%, Germany 8.6%, China 5.8%, US 5.5%,
  UK 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $15.34 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $25.92 billion (2005 est.)

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

Currency (code):
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Exchange rates:
  Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5
  (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Lebanon Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  630,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  888,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely
    damaged during the civil war, now complete
  domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good service; political
    instability hampers privatization and deployment of new technologies
  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

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Internet country code:
  .lb

Internet hosts:
  3,365 (2005)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2005)

§7. Lebanon Transportation

Airports:
  7 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2005)

Pipelines:
  oil 209 km (2004)

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 during the civil war in
    the 1980s; short sections are operable (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 7,300 km
  paved: 6,198 km
  unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)

Merchant marine:
  total: 42 ships (1000 GRT or over) 161,231 GRT/187,140 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 20, livestock carrier 10, refrigerated cargo
    1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 2 (Greece 2)
  registered in other countries: 53 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados 2,
    Cambodia 1, Comoros 3, Egypt 2, Georgia 5, Honduras 1, North Korea 14,
    Liberia 1, Malta 8, Mongolia 1, Panama 1, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and
    the Grenadines 4, Syria 7, unknown 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

§8. Lebanon Military

Military branches:
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 974,363 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 821,762 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $540.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (2004)

§9. Lebanon Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of 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): 401,071 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2005)

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


<Factbook 2006>
