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 Constituition 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
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)
Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
commercial cases and one court for criminal cases)
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
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Victor
EL-ZMETER
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Richard Henry JONES
embassy: Antelias, Beirut
mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE
09836-0002
telephone: [961] (1) 402200, 403300, 406650, 406651, 426183, 417774,
889926
FAX : [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
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.
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 small- and 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 1992-96, annual inflation fell from more than 170% to
10%, and foreign exchange reserves jumped to more than $4 billion from
$1.4 billion. Burgeoning capital inflows have fueled 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. The government has had to fund
reconstruction by tapping foreign exchange reserves and boosting
borrowing. The stalled peace process and ongoing violence in southern
Lebanon could spawn wider hostilities that would disrupt vital capital
inflows. Furthermore, the gap between rich and poor has widened since
HARIRI took office, sowing grassroots dissatisfaction over the skewed
distribution of reconstruction's benefits and leading the government
to shift its focus from rebuilding infrastructure to improving social
conditions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $13 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 28%
services: 59% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total: 1 million plus as many as 1 million foreign workers
by occupation: services 60%, industry 28%, agriculture 12% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: 20% (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.9 billion
expenditures: $3.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $1
billion (1995 est.)
Industries: banking; food processing; textiles, jewelry; cement, oil
refining, chemicals, metal fabricating, wood products
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 1.22 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 4.75 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,285 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: citrus, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco,
hemp (hashish); sheep, goats
Exports:
total value : $1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
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: Saudi Arabia 13%, Switzerland 12%, UAE 11%, Syria 9%, US 5%,
Jordan 5% (1995)
Imports:
total value: $7 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities : machinery and transport equipment 28%, foodstuffs 20%,
consumer goods 19%, chemicals 9%, textiles 5%, metals 5%, fuels 3%
(1995)
partners: Italy 19%, France 13%, US 12%, Germany 11%, UK 6%, Belgium
5%, Turkey 3% (1995)
Debt - external: $3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: aid pledges of $3.5 billion for 1997-2001
Currency: 1 Lebanese pound (£L) = 100 piasters
Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds (£L) per US$1 - 1,550.8 (January
1997), 1,571.4 (1996), 1,621.4 (1995), 1,680.1 (1994), 1,741.4 (1993),
1,712.8 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Lebanon:Communications
Telephones: 150,000 (1990 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
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.)
Television broadcast stations: 13
note: government is licensing a limited number of TV stations operated
by various factions
Televisions: 1.1 million (1993 est.)
@Lebanon:Transportation
Railways:
total: 222 km
standard gauge : 222 km 1.435-m (from Beirut to the Syrian border)
Highways:
total: 6,359 km
paved: 6,041 km
unpaved: 318 km (1995 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
Merchant marine:
total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 241,583 GRT/366,093 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 43, chemical tanker 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
(1996 est.)
Airports: 7 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m : 1
under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy,
and Air Force)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49 : 876,677 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 543,861 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $278 million (1994)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.5% (1994)
Transnational Issues
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 for the
international drug trade; hashish production is shipped to Western
Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America; a key locus of
cocaine processing and trafficking; a Lebanese/Syrian eradication
campaign started in the early 1990s has practically eliminated the
opium and cannabis crops
______________________________________________________________________
LESOTHO
@Lesotho:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 30,350 sq km
land: 30,350 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 909 km
border countries : South Africa 909 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain: mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
highest point : Mount Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Natural resources: water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds
and other minerals
Land use:
arable land: 11%
permanent crops : NA%
permanent pastures: 66%
forests and woodland : NA%
other: 23% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: population pressure forcing settlement
in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, soil
exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project will control,
store, and redirect water to South Africa
Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping
Geography - note: landlocked; surrounded by South Africa
@Lesotho:People
Population: 2,007,814 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 41% (male 408,723; female 406,849)
15-64 years : 55% (male 533,327; female 566,684)
65 years and over: 4% (male 37,990; female 54,241) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.83% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 32.19 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.92 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 80.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.66 years
male: 49.48 years
female: 53.91 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
adjective: Basotho
Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans 1,600, Asians 800
Religions: Christian 80%, rest indigenous beliefs
Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.3%
male : 81.1%
female: 62.3% (1995 est.)
@Lesotho:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
conventional short form: Lesotho
former: Basutoland
Data code: LT
Government type: modified constitutional monarchy
National capital: Maseru
Administrative divisions: 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe,
Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing,
Thaba-Tseka
Independence: 4 October 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Constitution: 2 April 1993
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law;
judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state : King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996, succeeded to
the throne following the death of his father, King MOSHOESHOE II, on
16 January 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne
(November 1990 to February 1995) while his father was in exile
head of government: Prime Minister Ntsu MOKHEHLE (since 2 April 1993)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: none; the king is a hereditary monarch, but, under the
terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993
election, he has no executive or legislative powers; moreover, under
traditional law the king can be elected or deposed by a majority vote
of the College of Chiefs; following legislative elections, the leader
of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33
members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the
ruling party) and the Assembly (65 seats; members elected for a
five-year term by popular vote)
elections: last held 27 March 1993 (next to be held by March 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BCP
65
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;
customary or traditional court
Political parties and leaders: Basotho National Party or BNP
[Evaristus SEKHONYANA]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsu
MOKHEHLE]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; United
Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFCTU, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Eunice M. BULANE
chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone : [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Bismarck MYRICK
embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
telephone: [266] 312666
FAX : [266] 310116
Flag description: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner;
the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large
shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue
band with a green triangle in the corner
Economy
Economy - overview: Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho has no
important natural resources other than water. Its economy is based on
agriculture, light manufacturing, and remittances from miners employed
in South Africa. The number of such mine workers has declined steadily
over the past five years; in 1996 their remittances added about 33% to
GDP compared with the addition of roughly 67% in 1990. The great
majority of households gain their livelihoods from subsistence farming
and migrant labor; a large portion of the adult male work force is
employed in South African mines. Manufacturing depends largely on farm
products which support the milling, canning, leather, and jute
industries. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over
the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility will
permit the sale of water to South Africa and will support the
economy's continued expansion. The pace of the privatization of
state-owned firms increased toward the end of 1994.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 10% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,860 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 14%
industry: 46%
services : 40% (1994 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
total : 689,000 economically active
by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South
Africa
Unemployment rate: substantial unemployment and underemployment
effecting more than half of the labor force (1996 est.)
Budget:
revenues : $445 million
expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of $128
million (FY94/95 est.)
Industries: food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction;
tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 12.5% (1994 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 13,400 kW (1993)
note: 98% of electricity supplied by South Africa
Electricity - production: NA kWh
note: 98% of electricity supplied by South Africa
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley;
livestock
Exports:
total value: $218 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: clothing, furniture, footwear, machinery and equipment,
wool (1993)
partners: South African Customs Union 46%, North America 34%, EU 18%
(1993)
Imports:
total value: $1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: corn, clothing, building materials, vehicles, machinery,
medicines, petroleum products (1993)
partners: South African Customs Union 83%, Asia 12%, EU 3% (1993)
Debt - external: $512 million (1993)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 loti (L) = 100 lisente
note : maloti (M) is the plural form of loti
Exchange rates: maloti (M) per US$1 - 4.6410 (January 1997), 4.2706
(1996), 3.6266 (1995), 3.5490 (1994), 3.2636 (1993), 2.8497 (1992);
note - the Basotho loti is at par with the South African rand
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Lesotho:Communications
Telephones: 12,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: rudimentary system
domestic: consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay
system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system
international : satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 66,000
Television broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 11,000 (1992 est.)
@Lesotho:Transportation
Railways:
total: 2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the
statistics of South Africa
narrow gauge: 2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Highways:
total : 4,955 km
paved: 887 km
unpaved: 4,068 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 29 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total : 25
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 23 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m : 4 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air
Wing), Lesotho Mounted Police
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 468,658 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 253,025 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
LIBERIA
Introduction
Current issues: Years of civil strife have destroyed much of Liberia's
economic infrastructure, made civil administration nearly impossible,
and brought economic activity virtually to a halt. The deterioration
of economic conditions has been greatly exacerbated by the flight of
most business people with their expertise and capital. Civil order
ended in 1990 when President Samuel Kenyon DOE was killed by rebel
forces. In April 1996, when forces loyal to faction leaders Charles
Ghankay TAYLOR and Alhaji KROMAH attacked rival ethnic Krahn factions,
the fighting further damaged Monrovia's dilapidated infrastructure.
Fighting waned in late May 1996, allowing West African peacekeepers to
regain control of Monrovia. The Abuja II peace accord was signed in
August 1996 replacing the Chairman of the ruling Council of State,
Wilton SANKAWULO, with Ruth PERRY. National elections were scheduled
for 30 May 1997, but long-term prospects for peace will remain poor
unless the warring factions can overcome their greed, mutual
suspicions and ethnic hatreds.
@Liberia:Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates: 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 111,370 sq km
land : 96,320 sq km
water: 15,050 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km
Coastline: 579 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
plateau and low mountains in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m
Natural resources: iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 59%
forests and woodland: 18%
other: 19% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to March)
Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest subject to
deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of rivers
from the dumping of iron ore tailings and of coastal waters from oil
residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental
Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
@Liberia:People
Population: 2,602,068 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 584,918; female 579,728)
15-64 years: 52% (male 689,376; female 657,029)
65 years and over : 3% (male 43,868; female 47,149) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 6.92% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 42.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.53 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 38.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
note: until domestic peace is restored, many Liberian refugees will
not return from exile
Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population : 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 105.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 59.02 years
male : 56.43 years
female: 61.69 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian
Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa,
Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and
Bella), Americo-Liberians 5% (descendants of former slaves)
Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%, Christian 10%
Languages: English 20% (official), about 20 tribal languages, of which
a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.3%
male : 53.9%
female: 22.4% (1995 est.)
@Liberia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia
Data code: LI
Government type: republic
National capital: Monrovia
Administrative divisions: 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand
Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland,
Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
Independence: 26 July 1847
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Constitution: 6 January 1986