Map of Lebanon | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 (1975-90) 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 reduced or 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 Sa'ad 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 1200 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 LAF Commander Gen. Michel SULAYMAN in May 2008 and the formation of a new unity government in July 2008. Legislative elections in June 2009 again produced victory for the bloc led by Sa'ad HARIRI but a period of prolonged negotiation over the composition of the cabinet ensued. A national unity government was finally formed in November 2009 and approved by the National Assembly the following month. In January 2010 Lebanon assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term. Inspired by the popular revolts that began in late 2010 against dictatorships across the Middle East and North Africa marches and demonstrations in Lebanon were directed instead against sectarian politics. Although the protests gained some traction they were limited in size and unsuccessful in changing the system. Opposition politicians collapsed the national unity government under Prime Minister Sa'ad HARIRI in February 2011. After several months in caretaker status the government named Najib MIQATI Prime Minister.


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Location: Middle East bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Syria

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N 35 50 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 10,400 km²
Rank: 170
Land: 10,230 km²
Water: 170 km²
Comparative: about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 454 km
Border countries: (2) 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
Extremes highest point: Qornet es Saouda 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: 900 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 4.8 km³ (1997)

Natural hazards: dust storms sandstorms

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


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Population: 4,143,101 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 128
Growth rate: 0.244% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 174
Below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lebanese
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

Languages: Arabic (official) French English Armenian

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 Coptic Protestant) other 1.3%
Note: 17 religious sects recognized

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 23%
15-64 years: 68% (male 1,370,628/female 1,446,173)
65 years and over: 9% (male 173,073/female 200,619) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 29.8 years
Male: 28.7 years
Female: 31 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.244% (2011 est.)
Rank: 174

Birth rate: 15.02 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 134

Death rate: 6.54 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 148

Net migration rate: -6.04 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 199

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 87% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 15.85 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 113
Male: 15.99 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 15.71 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.01 years
Rank: 90
Male: 73.48 years
Female: 76.62 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 159

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 3.54 physicians/1000 population (2009)
Rank: 27

Hospital bed density: 3.5 beds/1000 population (2009)
Rank: 60

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 137
People living with hivaids: 3,600 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 124
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 92

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 13.5% (2004)
Rank: 43

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.2% (2004)
Rank: 91

Education expenditures: 1.8% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 158

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: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2009)

Youth unemployment


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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 - Aakkar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented

Dependent areas

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: mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code and religious laws covering personal status marriage divorce and other family relations of the Jewish Islamic and Christian communities

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

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
Head of government: Prime Minister Najib MIQATI (since 7 July 2011) Deputy Prime Minister Samir MOQBIL (since 7 July 2011)
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 on 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 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: Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]

International organization participation: ABEDA 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
In the us chancery: 2,560 28th Street NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,300
In the us fax: [1] (202) 939-6,324
In the us consulate general: Detroit New York Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Maura CONNELLY
From the us embassy: Awkar Lebanon (Awkar facing the Municipality)
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840 Antelias Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut 6,070 Beirut Place Washington DC 20,521-6,070
From the us telephone: [961] (4) 542,600 543,600
From the us fax: [961] (4) 544,136

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; the red bands symbolize blood shed for liberation the white band denotes peace the snow of the mountains and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity steadiness happiness and prosperity

National symbols: cedar tree

National anthem
Name: 'Kulluna lil-watan'
Lyricsmusic: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
Note: adopted 1927; the anthem was chosen following a nationwide competition

National heritage


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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 following the Doha Accord of May 2008 helped boost tourism and together with a strong banking sector enabled real GDP growth of 7% per year in 2009-10 despite a slowdown in the region.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 87
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 29

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 81
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.7%
Industry: 16%
Services: 79.4% (2010 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: 2.1% (2010 est.)
Rank: 128

Labor force: 1.481 million
Rank: 130
Note: in addition there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $8.414 billion
Expenditures: $11.31 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -7.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 179

Taxes and other revenues: 21.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 146

Public debt: 148.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 5

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 133

Central bank discount rate: 10% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 30

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.568% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 110

Stock of narrow money: $3.21 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 100

Stock of broad money: $82.07 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 53

Stock of domestic credit: $56.98 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 61

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 64

Current account balance: -$7.244 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 176

Exports: $4.716 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 108
Commodities: jewelry base metals chemicals miscellaneous consumer goods fruit and vegetables tobacco construction minerals electric power machinery and switchgear textile fibers paper
Partners: Syria 26.8% UAE 13.5% Saudi Arabia 6.4% Turkey 5.2% Qatar 4.1% Switzerland 4% (2010)

Imports: $15.9 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 76
Commodities: petroleum products cars medicinal products clothing meat and live animals consumer goods paper textile fabrics tobacco electrical machinery and equipment chemicals
Partners: US 10.4% Syria 10.3% Italy 7.6% China 7.5% France 6.9% Ukraine 5.5% Germany 5.3% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $39.16 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 37

Debt external: $30.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 69

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 10.41 billion kWh (2009)
Production rank: 89
Consumption: 9.793 billion kWh (2009)
Consumption rank: 89
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 1.114 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 204
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 196
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 129
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 143
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 155

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 887,800 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 85
Mobile cellular: 2.875 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 125

Telephone system
General assessment: repair of the telecommunications system severely damaged during the civil war now complete
Domestic: two mobile-cellular networks provide good service; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 55 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 (2009)

Broadcast media: 7 TV stations in operation 1 of which is state-owned; more than 30 radio stations 1 of which is state-owned; satellite and cable TV services are available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible through partner stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .lb
Hosts: 51,451 (2010)
Hosts rank: 87
Users: 1 million (2009)
Users rank: 100

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 40

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2010)
Rank: 168
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 102 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 401 km
Rank: 116
Standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m gauge
Note: rail system unusable because of the damage done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2008)

Roadways
Total: 6,970 km (2005)
Rank: 148

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 29
Rank: 86
By type: bulk carrier 3 cargo 12 carrier 11 refrigerated cargo 1 vehicle carrier 2
Foreign owned: 3 (Syria 3)
Registered in other countries: 40 (Barbados 2 Cambodia 6 Comoros 3 Egypt 1 Georgia 1 Honduras 2 Liberia 1 Malta 7 Moldova 1 Panama 2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 Syria 2 Togo 6 unknown 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Beirut Tripoli


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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 2000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 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 ex