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| Geography |
| 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 |
| Location: | Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria |
| Geographic coordinates: | 33 50 N, 35 50 E |
| Area: | total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km
Size comparison: 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 |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People |
| Population: | 4,017,095 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 25.8% (male 528,047/female 506,838) 15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,294,485/female 1,399,047) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 130,148/female 158,530) (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 29.3 years male: 28 years female: 30.5 years (2009 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.107% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 17.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | NA (2009 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: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 21.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.66 years male: 71.15 years female: 76.31 years (2009 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 3,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 200 (2007 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% (Shia, 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.) |
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| Government |
| 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: | 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beqaa, Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye note: two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented |
| 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 in 1990 to include changes necessitated by the Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989 |
| Legal system: | mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; the constitutional court reviews laws only after they have been passed; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008) head of government: Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Din al-HARIRI (since 9 November 2009);Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since 9 November 2009) 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 25 May 2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly election results: Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated; 1 seat unfilled due to death of incumbent |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab (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 on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by group - March 8 Coalition 54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by group - March 14 Coalition 71; March 8 Coalition 57 |
| 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 Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc 8 March Coalition: Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Usama SAAD]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]; Tashnaq [Hovig MEKHITIRIAN] Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | Maronite Church [Patriarch Nasrallah SFAYR] other: note - most sects retain militias and a number of militant groups operate in Palestinian refugee camps |
| 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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID 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 Michele J. SISON embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Awkar facing the Municipality) mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136 |
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| Economy |
| Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and weak intellectual property rights. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. 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 in 2000 began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and passing legislation to privatize 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 2002 Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict in July-August 2006 caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage, and prompted international donors to pledge nearly $1 billion in recovery and reconstruction assistance. Donors met again in January 2007 at the Paris III Donor Conference and pledged more than $7.5 billion to Lebanon for development projects and budget support, conditioned on progress on Beirut's fiscal reform and privatization program. An 18-month political stalemate and sporadic sectarian and political violence hampered economic activity, particularly tourism, retail sales, and investment, until the new government was formed in July 2008. Political stability following the Doha Accord of May 2008 helped boost tourism and, together with a strong banking sector, enabled real GDP growth of 6% despite a slowdown in the region. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $46.03 billion (2009 est.) $44.69 billion (2008 est.) $42.04 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $32.66 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2009 est.) 6.3% (2008 est.) 4% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $11,500 (2009 est.) $11,300 (2008 est.) $10,700 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.1% industry: 18.7% services: 76.2% (2009 est.) |
| Labor force: | 1.481 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Unemployment rate: | 9.2% (2007 est.) est.) NA% |
| Population below poverty line: | 28% (1999 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2009 est.) 10% (2008 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 21.5% of GDP (2009 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $8.405 billion expenditures: $11.86 billion (2009 est.) |
| Public debt: | 160.1% of GDP (2009 est.) 160.3% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats |
| Industries: | banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 2% NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 9.03 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 8.42 billion kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 972 million kWh (2007 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 92,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 86,750 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $-2.897 billion (2009 est.) $-2.987 billion (2008 est.) |
| Exports: | $5.113 billion (2009 est.) $5.023 billion (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper |
| Exports - partners: | Syria 24.9%, UAE 12.9%, Switzerland 6.6%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%, Turkey 4.2% (2008) |
| Imports: | $15.78 billion (2009 est.) $16.25 billion (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals |
| Imports - partners: | Syria 10.5%, France 9.5%, US 9.3%, Italy 7.3%, China 6.8%, Germany 4.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Turkey 4.2% (2008) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $33.58 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $28.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $34.47 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $33.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $NA |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $NA |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $9.641 billion (31 December 2008) $10.86 billion (31 December 2007) $8.279 billion (31 December 2006) |
| Exchange rates: | Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2009), 1,507.5 (2008), 1,507.5 (2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005) |
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| Communications |
| Telephones in use: | 714,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 89 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 1.43 million (2008) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: repair of the telecommunications system, severely damaged during the civil war, now complete domestic: two wireless networks provide good service; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 50 per 100 persons international: country code - 961; submarine cable links to Cyprus, Egypt, and Syria; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2008) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 20, FM 32 (plus about a dozen unlicensed stations operating), shortwave 4 (2007) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995) |
| Internet country code: | .lb |
| Internet hosts: | 45,352 (2009) |
| Internet users: | 2.19 million (2008) |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 7 (2009) country comparison to the world: 167 |
| Airports (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 (2009) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009) |
| Pipelines: | gas 43 km (2008) |
| Railways: | total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435 m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050 m note: rail system unusable because of the damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 33 by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 13, carrier 11, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 2 foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 2, Syria 2) registered in other countries: 55 (Barbados 1, Cambodia 8, Comoros 4, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, Italy 1, North Korea 1, Liberia 2, Malta 11, Mongolia 2, Panama 5, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Syria 3, Togo 1, unknown 2) (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Beirut, Tripoli |
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| Military |
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| Military branches: | Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army (includes Navy), Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Lubnaniya) (2009) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 1,106,879 females age 16-49: 1,122,595 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 948,765 females age 16-49: 954,663 (2009 est.) |
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