Background: 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. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies 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.

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N 35 50 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 10,400 km²
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: 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: 16.62%
Permanent crops: 13.98%
Other: 69.4% (2001)

Irrigated land: 1200 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: dust storms sandstorms

Geography
Note: 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

Population: 3,777,218 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.3% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 95% Armenian 4% other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official) French English Armenian

Religions
Note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.9% (male 517,356; female 496,888)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,197,430; female 1,305,339)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 117,930; female 142,275) (2004 est.)

Median age
Total: 26.9 years
Male: 25.9 years
Female: 27.9 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.3% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 19.31 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 6.28 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male/female
Total population: 0.94 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 25.48 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 28.21 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 22.61 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.35 years
Male: 69.91 years
Female: 74.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.09% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 2,800 (2003 est.)
Deaths: less than 200 (2003 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 87.4%
Male: 93.1%
Female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
Conventional short form: Lebanon
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
Local short form: Lubnan

Government type: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 6 governorates (mohafazat singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth Beqaa Liban-Nord Liban-Sud Mont-Liban Nabatiye

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
Head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)
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

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held spring 2005)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by sect - Muslim 64 ( of which Sunnis 27, Shia 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)

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: political activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious ethnic clan and economic considerations

International organization participation: 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 WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
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 consulates general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN
From the us embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 9,836-0002
From the us telephone: [961] (4) 542,600, 543,600
From the us fax: [961] (4) 544,136

Flag description: three horizontal bands of red (top) white (double width) and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band

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 enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut begin collecting taxes and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances banking services manufactured and farm exports and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of 'Horizon 2000' the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994 7% in 1995 4% in 1996 and in 1997 but slowed to 1.2% in 1998 -1.6% in 1999 -0.6% in 2000 0.8% in 2001 1.5% in 2002 and 3% in 2003. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt the re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in government expenditures increase revenue collection and privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2003 massive receipts from donor nations stabilized government finances in 2002-04.

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 12%
Industry: 21%
Services: 67% (2000)

Agriculture products: citrus grapes tomatoes apples vegetables potatoes olives tobacco; sheep goats

Industries: banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force
Note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001 est.)
By occupation: agriculture NA industry NA services NA

Unemployment rate: 18% (1997 est.)

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

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

Budget
Revenues: $4.414 billion
Expenditures: $7.026 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 185.1% of GDP (2003)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.5% (2003 est.)

Current account balance: $-2.865 billion (2003)

Exports: $1.359 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: authentic jewelry inorganic chemicals miscellaneous consumer goods fruit tobacco construction minerals electric power machinery and switchgear textile fibers paper
Partners: Switzerland 10.8% UAE 10% Saudi Arabia 7.5% US 7.3% Turkey 5.5% Jordan 4.4% (2003)

Imports: $6.073 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: petroleum products cars medicinal products clothing meat and live animals consumer goods paper textile fabrics tobacco
Partners: France 13.4% Germany 11.7% Italy 10.7% Syria 5.3% China 5.2% UK 4.9% US 4.5% (2003)

Debt external: $20.79 billion (2003 est.)

Exchange rates: Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1507.5 (2003) 1507.5 (2002) 1507.5 (2001) 1507.5 (2000) 1507.84 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 6.728 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 7.44 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 1.183 billion kWh (2001)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 678,800 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 775,100 (2002)

Telephone system
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

Internet
Country code: .lb
Hosts: 6,998 (2004)
Users: 400,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $541 million (2002)
Percent of gdp: 4.8% (FY99)

Airports: 8 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines: oil 209 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 401 km
Standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
Narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
Note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003)

Merchant marine
Total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
By type: bulk 5, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3
Foreign owned: Greece 7, India 1, Netherlands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Syria 2
Registered in other countries: 52 (2004 est.)

Disputes international: Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
Idps: 300,000 (1975-1990 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Illicit drugs: 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