Population: 3,777,218 (July 2004
est.), 16 million
Lebanese and decedents estimated living around the globe
(Largest: Brazil 7 million, USA 3 million)
Nationality: noun:
Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:
Lebanon is a
great mix of cultures and ethnic groups that have been accumulating
throughout more than 6000 years. Most of the Lebanese are the
descendents of the Phoenicians/Canaanites-and/or-West
Aramaic (50-70%). The second largest ethnic group in
Lebanon descends from Arabs (20-30%). Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Hebrews, Kurds, Persians and others form about 10%.
Religions: Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a,
Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite
Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syriac Catholic,
Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant), other 1.3%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized
Languages: Arabic (official), French,
English, Armenian
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)
Constitution: 23 May 1926,
amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese
National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
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 Rafiq HARIRI (since 23
October 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October
2000); note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed
the next day
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 scheduled for
2004); note - on 3 September 2004 Parliament voted 96 to 29 to extend
Emile LAHUD's six-year 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: Emile LAHUD elected president; National
Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
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 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of
which Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%),
Christian 43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of
which Sunni 27, Sh'ite 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 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
Time:
+02:00 GMT, +07:00 US EST
Holidays: In addition to
national holidays, Lebanon recognizes all Christian and Muslim
holidays.
|
New Year
|
1 day
|
St. Maroun's
Day |
9th February |
|
Labor Day |
1st May |
Martyr's Day |
6th May |
|
Ascension
|
15th August |
All Saints Day |
1st November |
|
Independence
Day |
22nd November |
Christmas Day |
25th Dec & 6th
Jan |
|
Holy Friday
(Eastern) |
1 day |
Easter
(Eastern) |
1 day |
|
Holy Friday
(Western) |
1 day |
Easter
(Western) |
1 day |
|
Eid Al-Fiter |
3 days |
Ashoura
|
1 day |
|
Eid Al-Adha |
3 days |
Mawled Nabawi |
1 day |
|
Islamic New
Year |
1 day |
Al-Isra'
Wal-Mi'raj |
1 day |
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 throughout 2002 and 2003.
Disputes - international: Syrian
troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese
Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
