Background: Following World War I France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence the country has been marked by periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war that resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities was followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has long influenced Lebanon's foreign policy and internal policies and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N 35 50 E

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

Land boundaries
Border countries: (2) Israel 79 km; Syria 375 km

Coastline: 225 km

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 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
Permanent crops: 12.06%
Other: 77.22% (2011)

Irrigated land: 1040 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 4.5 km³ (2011)

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

Population: 4,131,583 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 127
Growth rate: -0.04% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 202
Below poverty line: 28% (1999 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Lebanese

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

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%

Age structure
15-24 years: 17.5% (male 368,097/female 353,518)
25-54 years: 42.4% (male 844,217/female 906,795)
55-64 years: 8.7% (male 165,271/female 193,312)
65 years and over: 9.4% (male 178,080/female 209,525) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 29.5 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 %
Potential support ratio: 8.1 (2013)

Median age
Male: 29.7 years
Female: 32.1 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.04% (2013 est.)
Rank: 202

Birth rate: 14.79 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 136

Death rate: 6.73 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 142

Net migration rate: -8.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 205

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.86% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: BEIRUT (capital) 1.909 million (2009)

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 signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 112
Male: 14.98 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 14.64 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 94
Male: 73.86 years
Female: 77.13 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.75 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 164

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 58% (2004)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 3.54 physicians/1000 population (2009)

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

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 144
People living with hivaids: 3,600 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 125
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 87

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27.4% (2008)
Rank: 40

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.2% (2004)
Rank: 96

Education expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2011)
Rank: 167

Literacy
Total population: 89.6%
Male: 93.4%
Female: 86% (2007 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2011)

Country name
Conventional short form: Lebanon
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
Local short form: Lubnan
Former: Greater Lebanon

Government type: republic

Capital
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

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day 22 November (1943)

Constitution: drafted 15 May 1926 adopted 23 May 1926; amended several times last in 2004 (2013)

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code Ottoman legal tradition 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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)
Head of government: Prime Minister 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; seats by party following 16 July 2012 byelection held to fill one seat - March 14 Coalition 72 March 8 Coalition 56

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council headed by the chief justice and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (6); Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals religious courts; military courts

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ABEDA AFESD AMF CAEU FAO G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) 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 UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNRWA UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
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 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
Lyrics and music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA

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 complex customs procedures 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 derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Following the civil war Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks - saddling the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007 following the July 2006 war. The collapse of the government in early 2011 over its backing of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and unrest in neighboring Syria slowed economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-12 after four years of 8% average growth. In September 2011 the Cabinet endorsed a bill that would provide $1.2 billion in funding to improve Lebanon''s downtrodden electricity sector but fiscal limitations will test the government''s ability to invest in other areas such as water.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 88

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 149

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 84

Gross national saving:
Rank: 28

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 15.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 32.9%
Exports of goods and services: 19.2%
Imports of goods and services: -48.8%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 19.6%
Services: 75.8% (2012 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: 1.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 112

Labor force: 1.481 million
Rank: 130
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

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

Budget
Expenditures: $13.32 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -9.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 197

Taxes and other revenues: 23% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 144

Public debt: 133.2% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 10

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5.1% (2011 est.)
Rank: 170

Central bank discount rate: 10% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 26

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 7.53% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 120

Stock of narrow money: $4.072 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 102

Stock of broad money: $92 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 56

Stock of domestic credit: $69.65 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 60

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 68

Current account balance: $-4.859 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 133

Exports: $5.386 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 110
Commodities: jewelry base metals chemicals miscellaneous consumer goods fruit and vegetables tobacco construction minerals electric power machinery and switchgear textile fibers paper
Partners: South Africa 19.3% Switzerland 12.2% Saudi Arabia 8% UAE 7.9% Syria 6.6% Iraq 4.7% (2012)

Imports: $19.3 billion (2011 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 11.2% Italy 8.6% China 8.3% France 7.2% Germany 5.6% Turkey 4.5% Greece 4.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $48.14 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 34

Debt external: $24.88 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 76

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 14.81 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 85
Consumption: 14.19 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 77
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 93
Imports: 1.245 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 61
Installed generating capacity: 2.314 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 98
Generation sources fossil fuels: 87.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 82
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 122
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 12.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 108
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 192

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 184
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 142
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 207
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 151

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 194
Products consumption: 106,700 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 76
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 190
Products imports: 120,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 45

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 152
Consumption: 150 million m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 103
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 132
Imports: 150 million m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 72
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 157

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 19.45 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 86

Telephones
Main lines in use: 878,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 81
Mobile cellular: 4 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 122

Telephone system
Domestic: two mobile-cellular networks provide good service; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 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 (2011)

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

Internet
Country code: .lb
Hosts: 64,926 (2012)
Hosts rank: 91
Users: 1 million (2009)
Users rank: 99

Military expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 55

Military service age and obligation: 17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-24 years of age for officer candidates; no conscription (2013)

Airports: 8 (2013)
Rank: 160
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 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 88 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 116
Standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m gauge

Roadways
Rank: 145

Merchant marine
Rank: 85
By type: bulk carrier 4 cargo 7 carrier 17 vehicle carrier 1
Foreign owned: 2 (Syria 2)
Registered in other countries: 34 (Barbados 2 Cambodia 5 Comoros 2 Egypt 1 Georgia 1 Honduras 2 Liberia 1 Malta 6 Moldova 1 Panama 2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 Sierra Leone 2 Togo 6 unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Beirut Tripoli

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 has been in place since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: at least 47,000 (1975-90 civil war 2007 Lebanese security forces' destruction of Palestinian refugee camp) (2011)

Illicit drugs: cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002 despite continued significant cannabis consumption; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists a