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National Map
Of |
Lebanon |
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National Flag
Of |
Lebanon |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Lebanon |
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National Anthem
Of |
Lebanon |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Lebanon |
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Background:
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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 say 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 Shia
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. Syria finally
withdrew the remainder of its forces from Lebanon in
April of 2005. |
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Location:
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Middle
East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel
and Syria |
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Geographic coordinates:
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33 50 N,
35 50 E |
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Map references:
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Middle
East |
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Area:
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total:
10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.7
times the size of Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km |
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Coastline:
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225 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm |
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Climate:
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Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
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Terrain:
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narrow
coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon
and Anti-Lebanon Mountains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m |
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Natural resources:
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limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
water-deficit region, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 16.62%
permanent crops: 13.98%
other: 69.4% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,200 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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dust
storms, sandstorms |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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Nahr el
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 |
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Population:
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3,826,018
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 26.7% (male 520,270/female 499,609)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,216,738/female
1,324,031)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 120,176/female
145,194) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
27.34 years
male: 26.28 years
female: 28.43 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.26%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.88
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.24
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
24.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 27.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 72.63 years
male: 70.17 years
female: 75.21 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.92
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,800
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Arab 95%,
Armenian 4%, other 1% |
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Religions:
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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: seventeen religious sects recognized |
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Languages:
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Arabic
(official), French, English, Armenian |
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Literacy:
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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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Country name:
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conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Beirut
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Administrative divisions:
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6
governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth,
Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye |
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Independence:
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22
November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 22 November (1943) |
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Constitution:
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23 May
1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter
of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of
October 1989 |
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Legal system:
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mixture
of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil
law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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21 years
of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women
at age 21 with elementary education |
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Executive branch:
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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 election date NA); 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 Shia Muslim
election results: for 15 October 1998 election:
Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote -
118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Ba'th
Party [leader NA]; Democratic Gathering [Walid
JUNBLATT]; Democratic Left [leader NA]; Development and
Resistance Bloc [Nabih BARRI, Amal leader/speaker]; Free
Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Future Movement Bloc
[Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [leader NA]; Kataeb Reform
Movement [leader NA]; Lebanese Forces [leader NA];
Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Nasserite
Popular Movement [leader NA]; Popular Bloc [leader NA];
Qornet Shewan [leader NA]; Syrian National Socialist
Party [leader NA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc [leader NA]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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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, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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, and Los
Angeles |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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
telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600
FAX: [961] (4) 544136 |
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Flag description:
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three
horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle,
double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree
centered in the white band |
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Economy - overview:
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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 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 rates of interest. Substantial receipts from donor
nations stabilized government finances in 2003, but did
little to reduce the debt, which stood at nearly 180% of
GDP. In 2004 the HARIRI government issued Eurobonds in
an effort to manage maturing debt, and the KARAMI
government has continued this practice. However,
privatization of state-owned enterprises had not
occurred by the end of 2004, as promised during the
Paris II conference. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$18.83
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 12%
industry: 21%
services: 67% (2000) |
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Labor force:
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2.6
million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million
foreign workers (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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18% (1997
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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28% (1999
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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26% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.895 billion
expenditures: $6.642 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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177.9% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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citrus,
grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,
tobacco; sheep, goats |
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Industries:
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banking,
food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and
chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil
refining, metal fabricating |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
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Electricity - production:
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8.066
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 97.2%
hydro: 2.8%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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8.591
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.09
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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107,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-2.389
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$1.783
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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authentic
jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer
goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric
power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper
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Exports - partners:
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Syria
24.9%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland 6.7%, Saudi
Arabia 5.3% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$8.162
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum
products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and
live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics,
tobacco |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy
11.2%, France 10.3%, Syria 9.8%, Germany 8.6%, China
5.8%, US 5.5%, UK 4.6% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$16.3
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$15.84
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.2
billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft
loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid
Conference |
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Currency (code):
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Lebanese
pound (LBP) |
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Currency code:
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LBP |
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Exchange rates:
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Lebanese
pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003),
1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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678,800
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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775,100
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: telecommunications system
severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and
cable
international: country code - 961; 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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 20, FM
22, shortwave 4 (1998) |
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Radios:
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2.85
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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15 (plus
5 repeaters) (1995) |
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Televisions:
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1.18
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.lb |
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Internet hosts:
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6,998
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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22 (2000)
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Internet users:
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400,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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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) |
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Highways:
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total:
7,300 km
paved: 6,198 km
unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.) |
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Pipelines:
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oil 209
km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Beirut,
Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 26, livestock
carrier 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2,
vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: 6 (Austria 1, Greece 5)
registered in other countries: 40 (2005) |
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Airports:
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8 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Lebanese
Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18-30
years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 974,363 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 821,762 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$540.6
million (2002) (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.1%
(FY99) (2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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intense
international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian
troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon; 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 |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian
Refugees (UNRWA))
IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli
invasions) (2004) |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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