from
U.S. Gazetteer (1990)
Lebanon, CT
Zip code(s): 06249
Lebanon, IL (city, FIPS 42496)
Location: 38.60305 N, 89.81498 W
Population (1990): 3688 (1450 housing units)
Area: 5.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 62254
Lebanon, IN (city, FIPS 42624)
Location: 40.05164 N, 86.47346 W
Population (1990): 12059 (4910 housing units)
Area: 15.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 46052
Lebanon, KS (city, FIPS 39100)
Location: 39.81049 N, 98.55705 W
Population (1990): 364 (228 housing units)
Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Lebanon, KY (city, FIPS 44344)
Location: 37.56703 N, 85.25444 W
Population (1990): 5695 (2388 housing units)
Area: 10.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 40033
Lebanon, MO (city, FIPS 41168)
Location: 37.67055 N, 92.66086 W
Population (1990): 9983 (4784 housing units)
Area: 31.5 sq km (land), 0.1 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 65536
Lebanon, NE (village, FIPS 26455)
Location: 40.04921 N, 100.27593 W
Population (1990): 75 (46 housing units)
Area: 0.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 69036
Lebanon, NH (city, FIPS 41300)
Location: 43.63527 N, 72.25418 W
Population (1990): 12183 (5718 housing units)
Area: 104.5 sq km (land), 2.6 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 03766
Lebanon, NJ (borough, FIPS 39630)
Location: 40.64394 N, 74.83512 W
Population (1990): 1036 (489 housing units)
Area: 2.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 08833
Lebanon, NY
Zip code(s): 13085
Lebanon, OH (city, FIPS 42364)
Location: 39.42666 N, 84.21269 W
Population (1990): 10453 (4121 housing units)
Area: 24.0 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Lebanon, OK
Zip code(s): 73440
Lebanon, OR (city, FIPS 41650)
Location: 44.53485 N, 122.90435 W
Population (1990): 10950 (4554 housing units)
Area: 12.5 sq km (land), 0.4 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 97355
Lebanon, PA (city, FIPS 42168)
Location: 40.34131 N, 76.42326 W
Population (1990): 24800 (10996 housing units)
Area: 10.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Lebanon, SD (town, FIPS 36260)
Location: 45.06891 N, 99.76588 W
Population (1990): 115 (59 housing units)
Area: 1.4 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 57455
Lebanon, TN (city, FIPS 41520)
Location: 36.20978 N, 86.32220 W
Population (1990): 15208 (6592 housing units)
Area: 46.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 37087
Lebanon, VA (town, FIPS 44696)
Location: 36.89940 N, 82.07853 W
Population (1990): 3386 (1455 housing units)
Area: 10.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 24266
from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Lebanon
Introduction
Background: 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 two-thirds
majority to the bloc led by Saad HARIRI, the slain
prime minister's son.
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Israel and Syria
Geographic 33 50 N, 35 50 E
coordinates:
Map Middle East
references:
Area: total: 10,400 sq km
land: 10,230 sq km
water: 170 sq km
Area - about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
comparative:
Land total: 454 km
boundaries: border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline: 225 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims:
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 lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Natural limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
resources: water-deficit region, arable land
Land use: arable land: 16.35%
permanent crops: 13.75%
other: 69.9% (2005)
Irrigated 1,040 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural dust storms, sandstorms
hazards:
Environment - deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air
current pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the
issues: burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal
waters from raw sewage and oil spills
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
international Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
agreements: Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification,
Marine Life Conservation
Geography - Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not
note: crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain
historically helped isolate, protect, and develop
numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and
ethnicity
People
Population: 3,874,050 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 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.)
Median age: total: 27.8 years
male: 26.7 years
female: 28.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.23% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 18.52 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: 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.)
Infant total: 23.72 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 72.88 years
expectancy at male: 70.41 years
birth: female: 75.48 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 2,800 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
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
Religions: 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
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.)
Government
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 republic
type:
Capital: 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
Administrative 8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah);
divisions: Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord,
Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)
National Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24
branch: 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 legislature 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
Legislative unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic)
branch: 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 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 - Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic
Gathering 15; Development and Resistance Bloc 15;
Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic Movement
14; Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; 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 5
Judicial four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
branch: 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 Ba'th Party; Democratic Gathering [Walid JUMBLATT];
parties and Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal
leaders: Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Development and Resistance
Bloc [Nabih BERRI, Amal Movement leader/Speaker of the
National Assembly]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel
AWN]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party
[Karim PAKRADONI]; Kataeb Reform Movement [Amine
GEMAYAL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Loyalty to the
Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR];
Nasserite Popular Movement [Ussama SAAD]; National Bloc
[Carlos EDDE]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Qornet
Shewan Gathering [a grouping with no individual
leader]; Syrian National Socialist Party [Ali QANSU];
Tachnaq Party; Tripoli Independent Bloc [a grouping
with no individual leader]
Political none
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
representation chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN
representation embassy: Awkar, Lebanon; (Akwar facing the
from the US: 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
Flag three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white
description: (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green
cedar tree centered in the white band
Economy
Economy - The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's
overview: 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. In November 2002, the
government met with international donors at the Paris
II conference to seek bilateral assistance in
restructuring its massive domestic debt at lower
interest rates. Substantial receipts from donor nations
stabilized government finances in 2003, but did little
to reduce the debt, which stands at nearly 170% of GDP.
In 2004 the HARIRI government issued Eurobonds in an
effort to manage maturing debt. The downturn in
economic activity that followed the assassination of
Rafiq al-HARIRI has eased, but has yet to be reversed.
Tourism remains below the level of 2004. The new Prime
Minister, Fuad SINIORA, has pledged to push ahead with
economic reform, including privatization and more
efficient government. The Core Group of nations has
announced plans to hold a Donor's Conference in early
2006 to assist the government of Lebanon in
restructuring its debt and increasing foreign
investment.
GDP $22.78 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $20.7 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 0.1% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $6,000 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 12%
composition by industry: 21%
sector: services: 67% (2000)
Labor force: 2.6 million
note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million
foreign workers (2001 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: NA%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment 18% (1997 est.)
rate:
Population 28% (1999 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 2.4% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 18.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $4.953 billion
expenditures: $6.595 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 180.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,
products: olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Industries: banking, tourism, food processing, jewelry, cement,
textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and
furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 10.67 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 97.2%
production by hydro: 2.8%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 10.67 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 750 million kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 102,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-4.239 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $1.782 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous
commodities: consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals,
electric power machinery and switchgear, textile
fibers, paper
Exports - Syria 25.3%, UAE 11.4%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 6%,
partners: Saudi Arabia 6% (2005)
Imports: $8.855 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing,
commodities: meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile
fabrics, tobacco
Imports - Italy 11.1%, Syria 10.7%, France 9.2%, Germany 6.5%,
partners: China 5.4%, US 5.3%, UK 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2005)
Reserves of $16.62 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $26 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion
recipient: in soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid
Conference
Currency Lebanese pound (LBP)
(code):
Currency code: LBP
Exchange Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2005), 1,507.5
rates: (2004), 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 990,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 990,000 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: repair of the telecommunications
system: system, severely damaged during the civil war, now
complete
domestic: two commercial wireless networks provide good
service; political instability hampers privatization
and deployment of new technologies
international: country code - 961; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic
Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; 3
submarine coaxial cables
Radio AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 2.85 million (1997)
Television 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 1.18 million (1997)
Internet .lb
country code:
Internet 3,307 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 22 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 700,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 7 (2006)
Airports - total: 5
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
runways:
Pipelines: gas 43 km (2006)
Railways: 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)
Roadways: total: 7,300 km
paved: 6,198 km
unpaved: 1,102 km (1999)
Merchant total: 39 ships (1000 GRT or over) 150,598 GRT/178,295
marine: 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)
Ports and Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli
terminals:
Military
Military Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force
branches:
Military 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary
service age military service; conscript service obligation - 12
and months (2004)
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 974,363
available for females age 18-49: 1,024,273 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 821,762
for military females age 18-49: 865,770 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $540.6 million (2004)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 3.1% (2004)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of
international: Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly
2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has
been in place since 1978
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 404,170 (Palestinian
internally Refugees (UNRWA))
displaced IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions)
persons: (2005)
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