opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin
America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved
legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime
(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Lebanon (Middle East)
Introduction ::Lebanon
Background:
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern
portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French
separated out the region of Lebanon in 1920, and 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,
with the exception of Hizballah, designated by the US State
Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and Palestinian
militant groups. 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.
Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000 and the
passage in September 2004 of UNSCR 1559 - a resolution calling for
Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese
affairs - encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria
withdraw its forces as well. The assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 22 others in February 2005 led to massive
demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar
Revolution"), and Syria withdrew the remainder of its military
forces 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. In July 2006, Hizballah kidnapped two
Israeli soldiers leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel in which
approximately 1,200 Lebanese civilians were killed. UNSCR 1701 ended
the war in August 2006, and Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployed
throughout the country for the first time in decades, charged with
securing Lebanon's borders against weapons smuggling and maintaining
a weapons-free zone in south Lebanon with the help of the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The LAF in May-September 2007 battled
Sunni extremist group Fatah al-Islam in the Nahr al-Barid
Palestinian refugee camp, winning a decisive victory, but destroying
the camp and displacing 30,000 Palestinian residents. Lebanese
politicians in November 2007 were unable to agree on a successor to
Emile LAHUD when he stepped down as president, creating a political
vacuum until the election of Army Commander Michel SULAYMAN in May
2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008.
Geography ::Lebanon
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
country comparison to the world: 169
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)
Total renewable water resources:
4.8 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.38 cu km/yr (33%/1%/67%)
per capita: 385 cu m/yr (2000)
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
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.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Birth rate:
17.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Death rate:
6.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 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
country comparison to the world: 99
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
country comparison to the world: 101
male: 71.15 years
female: 76.31 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
3,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
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.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
2.7% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 153
Government ::Lebanon
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 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; excludes military personnel
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Sa'ad 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
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 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
Party [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD];
Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian
Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]
Independent: Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Tashnaq
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Hizballah military wing
other: Palestinian militias; Maronite Christians; Sunnis and their
militias; Shias and their militias
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 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
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
Economy - overview:
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 since the Doha Accord of May 2008 has
helped to boost investment and tourism, but economic growth is
likely to slow in 2009 as a result of the global economic recession.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$44.16 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$41.54 billion (2007 est.)
$39.95 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$29.35 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
4% (2007 est.)
-4.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,100 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$10,600 (2007 est.)
$10,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.1%
industry: 18.8%
services: 76.1% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
1.481 million
country comparison to the world: 129
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.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Population below poverty line:
28% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
22.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Budget:
revenues: $6.998 billion
expenditures: $9.955 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
160.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3
177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
4.2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 28
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9.96% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 82
10.26% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.374 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$57.4 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$45.51 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$9.641 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 73
$10.86 billion (31 December 2007)
$8.279 billion (31 December 2006)
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:
NA%
Electricity - production:
9.03 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Electricity - consumption:
8.42 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
972 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Oil - consumption:
92,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - imports:
86,750 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 77
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Current account balance:
-$2.987 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
-$1.395 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.023 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
$4.077 billion (2007 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:
$16.25 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
$11.93 billion (2007 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:
$28.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
$20.55 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.28 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
$31.6 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2008 est.), 1,507.5
(2007), 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004)
Communications ::Lebanon
Telephones - main lines in use:
714,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.43 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 134
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)
country comparison to the world: 86
Internet users:
2.19 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 67
Transportation ::Lebanon
Airports:
7 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 167
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 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 43 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 401 km
country comparison to the world: 119
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)
country comparison to the world: 148
Merchant marine:
total: 33
country comparison to the world: 84
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
Military ::Lebanon
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.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 33,018
female: 31,800 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Transnational Issues ::Lebanon
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)); 50,000-60,000 (Iraq)
IDPs: 17,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions); 200,000
(July-August 2006 war) (2007)
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
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Lesotho (Africa)
Introduction ::Lesotho
Background: