Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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Following the capture of Syria from the Ottoman Empire by Anglo-French forces in 1918, France received a mandate over this territory and separated out a region of Lebanon in 1920. France granted this area independence in 1943. A 15-year civil war (1976-1991) 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 disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shi'a organization listed by the US State Department as a Foreign Terrorist 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. The assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI and 20 others in February 2005 led to massive demonstrations in Beirut against the Syrian presence ("the Cedar Revolution"). Syria finally withdrew the remainder of its military forces from Lebanon 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 Saad HARIRI, the slain prime minister's son. Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in July 2006 leading to a 34-day conflict with Israel. UNSCR 1701, which passed in August 2006, called for the disarmament of Hizballah.
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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: 16.35%
permanent crops: 13.75%
other: 69.9% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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1,040 sq km (2003)
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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 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:
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3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 26.5% (male 523,220/female 502,372)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,235,915/female 1,342,540)
65 years and over: 7% (male 122,155/female 147,848) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 27.8 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.23% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.88 years
male: 70.41 years
female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.9 children born/woman (2006 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%
note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians
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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: 17 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
former: Greater Lebanon
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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name: Beirut
geographic coordinates: 33 53 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
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Administrative divisions:
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8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, 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 (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held in 2007 based on three-year extension); 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 National Assembly is a Shi'a 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); note - Nahib BERRI is the National Assembly Speaker (since 1992)
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 (as of December 2006) - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic Movement 15; Lebanese Forces 5; Qornet Shewan 6; 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 4
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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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note - organized in three major political blocs; 14 March Coalition (bloc includes Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; Qornet Shewan Gathering (a grouping composed of political parties and independent members of the National Assembly [no individual leader]; Tripoli Independent Bloc); Change and Reform Alliance (bloc includes Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Tachnaq); Hizballah and Amal Alliance (bloc includes Ba'th Party [Muhammad MUHAMMADIYAH]; Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Kataeb Party [Karim PAKRADONI]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Syrian National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU])
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Carla JAZZAR; note - ambassador designate is Antoine CHEDID
chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Designate Antoine CHEDID
embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the Municipality)
mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070
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 Rafiq HARIRI government began an austerity program, reining in government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and privatizing 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 Paris II Donors Conference. The Israeli-Hizballah conflict caused an estimated $3.6 billion in infrastructure damage in July and August 2006, and internal Lebanese political tension continues to hamper economic activity.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$21.45 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$19.62 billion (2006 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-5% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$5,500 (2006 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 7%
industry: 21%
services: 72% (2005)
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Labor force:
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1.5 million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2005 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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20% (2006 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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4.8% (2006 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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17.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $4.444 billion
expenditures: $7.429 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
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Public debt:
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209% of GDP (2006 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, tourism, 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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9.762 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - consumption:
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9.529 billion kWh (2004)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2004)
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Electricity - imports:
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450 million kWh (2004)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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107,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day (2001)
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2004 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$-5.339 billion (October 2006)
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Exports:
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$1.881 billion f.o.b. (2005 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 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.4% (2005)
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Imports:
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$9.34 billion f.o.b. (2005 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 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.4%, China 5.4%, US 5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$16.78 billion (2006 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$31.1 billion (2006 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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Exchange rates:
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Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2006), 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Airports:
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7 (2006)
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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
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
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Pipelines:
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gas 43 km (2006)
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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 done during fighting in the 1980s and in 2006 (2006)
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Roadways:
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total: 7,300 km
paved: 6,198 km
unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 18, livestock carrier 10, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3
foreign-owned: 4 (Greece 3, Syria 1)
registered in other countries: 59 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Barbados 1, Cambodia 6, Comoros 6, Egypt 2, Georgia 7, Honduras 1, North Korea 6, Liberia 2, Malta 10, Mongolia 1, Panama 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Syria 7, unknown 2) (2006)
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Ports and terminals:
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Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli
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This page was last updated on 18 January, 2007
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