1998 Edition

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

Climate

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

Coastline

225 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal al Makmal 3,087 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic coordinates

33 50 N, 35 50 E

Geography-note

Nahr al Litani 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

Irrigated land

860 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Land use

arable land: 21% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 8% other: 61% (1993 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources

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

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; Al Biqa' (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Age structure

0-14 years: 30% (male 532,688; female 512,979) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,060,903; female 1,174,236) 65 years and over: 6% (male 102,946; female 122,042) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

22.66 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate

31.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian widely understood

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.64 years male: 68.08 years female: 73.33 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 90.8% female: 82.2% (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

3,505,794 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.62% (1998 est.)

Religions

Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups-Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups-4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Judaism NEGL%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

5 governorates (muhafazat, singular-muhafazah); Al Biqa', Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan

Constitution

23 May 1926, amended a number of times

Country name

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

Data code

LE

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI (since 22 October 1992) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet was formed in 1996 elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 24 November 1989 (next to be held NA 1998); note-in 1995, the National Assembly amended the constitution to extend the president's term by three years; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, 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: Ilyas HARAWI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

FAX

[1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate David SATTERFIELD embassy: Antelias, Beirut mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (1) 402200, 403300, 426183, 417774, 889926

[961] (1) 407112

Flag description

three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band

Government type

republic

Independence

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

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamad Baha CHATAH chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300

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: political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations

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) elections: last held in the summer of 1996 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (one-half Christian and one-half Muslim)

National capital

Beirut

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Suffrage

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

Agriculture-products

citrus, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, hemp (hashish); sheep, goats

Budget

revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Currency

1 Lebanese pound (£L) = 100 piasters

Debt-external

$2.3 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: aid pledges of $3.5 billion for 1997-2001

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. Peace has enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery has been helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient smalland medium-scale manufacturers, with family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid as the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy has made impressive gains since Prime Minister HARIRI launched his $18 billion "Horizon 2000" reconstruction program in 1993. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994 and 7% in 1995 before Israel's Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996 stunted economic activity. During 1992-97, annual inflation fell from more than 170% to 9%, and foreign exchange reserves jumped to more than $4 billion from $1.4 billion. Burgeoning capital inflows have generated foreign payments surpluses, and the Lebanese pound has remained relatively stable. Progress also has been made in rebuilding Lebanon's war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. Solidere, a $2-billion firm, is managing the reconstruction of Beirut's central business district; the stock market reopened in January 1996; and international banks and insurance companies are returning. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has had to fund reconstruction by tapping foreign exchange reserves and boosting borrowing. The stalled peace process and ongoing violence in southern Lebanon could lead to wider hostilities that would disrupt vital capital inflows. Furthermore, the gap between rich and poor has widened since HARIRI took office, resulting in grassroots dissatisfaction over the skewed distribution of the reconstruction's benefits and leading the government to shift its focus from rebuilding infrastructure to improving living conditions.

Electricity-capacity

1.35 million kW (1997)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,380 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

5 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Lebanese pounds (£L) per US$1-1,526.1 (January 1998), 1,539.5 (1997), 1,571.4 (1996), 1,621.4 (1995), 1,680.1 (1994), 1,741.4 (1993)

Exports

total value: $1.018 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: paper and paper products 26%, food stuffs 16%, textiles and textile products 10%, jewelry 8%, metals and metal products 8%, electrical equipment and products 8%, chemical products 6%, transport vehicles 4% (1995) partners: UAE 23%, Saudi Arabia 14%, Kuwait 8%, Syria 7%, Jordan 5%, France 5%, Italy 4%, US 3% (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$15.2 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 23% services: 73% (1997 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$4,400 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

4% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $7.559 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and transport equipment 28%, foodstuffs 20%, consumer goods 19%, chemicals 9%, textiles 5%, metals 5%, fuels 3% (1995) partners: Italy 12%, US 11%, Germany 9%, France 8%, Syria 4%, UK 4%, Japan 4% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate

25% (1993 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

9% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 1 million plus as many as 1 million foreign workers (1996 est.) by occupation: services 62%, industry 31%, agriculture 7% (1997 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 1 note: government is licensing a limited number of the more than 100 AM and FM stations operated sporadically by various factions that sprang up during the civil war

Radios

2.37 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Telephones

150,000 (1990 est.)

Television broadcast stations

13 note: government is licensing a limited number of TV stations operated by various factions

Televisions

1.1 million (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

18% (1997 est.)

Airports

9 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 6,350 km paved: 6,032 km unpaved: 318 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 258,383 GRT/392,087 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 40, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 2, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 3 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 72 km (none in operation) Ports and harbors: Al Batrun, Al Mina', An Naqurah, Antilyas, Az Zahrani, Beirut, Jubayl, Juniyah, Shikka, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre

Railways

total: 222 km standard gauge: 222 km 1.435-m (from Beirut to the Syrian border)

Military branches

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$445 million (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

5% (1997)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 901,603 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 558,774 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

Israeli troops in southern Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976

Illicit drugs

small illicit producer of hashish and heroin; hashish production is shipped to Western Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America; some cocaine processing and trafficking; a Lebanese/Syrian eradication campaign started in the early 1990s has practically eliminated the opium and cannabis crops