|
Republic of Lebanon |
| Location: |
Middle East |
| Area: |
10,452 km² |
| Population 2005
Estimate: |
3,826,018
Lebanon has not taken a census since 1932. |
| Capital City: |
Beirut |
| Government System: |
Republic |
| Administration: |
Six Governorates |
| Time Zone: |
UTC + 2 with summer daylight
saving time UTC + 3 |
| Currency: |
1507 Lebanese Pounds = 1 Dollar |
| Gross National Income: |
$23.638 billion |
| Telephone Country Code: |
+ 961 |
| Power Voltage: |
220 V |
|
|
|
Geography |
| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria |
| Area: |
10,452 km² (4,036
sq mi)
From north to south it extends 217 km (135 mi) and from east
to west it spans 80 km (50 mi) at its widest point. |
| Neighboring countries: |
Syria, Israel |
| Time zone: |
UTC + 2 with summer daylight
saving time UTC + 3 |
| Climate: |
Most of Lebanon has
a Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers, and cool, wet
winters, although the climate varies somewhat across the landform
belts. The coastal plain is subtropical, with 900 mm (35 in) of
annual rainfall and a mean temperature in Beirut of 27°C (80°F) in
summer and 14°C (57°F) in winter. In the Lebanon Mountains,
temperatures decrease and precipitation increases with elevation:
Heavy winter snows linger well into summer, making the Lebanon
Mountains more pleasant in the summer than the humid coast; higher
altitudes receive as much as 1,300 mm (50 in) of annual
precipitation. The Bekáa Valley and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains are
situated in the rain shadow of the Lebanon Mountains and as a result
have hot, dry summers and cold winters with occasional rain. |
| Highest Point: |
3,088 m Qurnat as Sawda' |
| Lowest Point: |
0 m Mediterranean Sea |
| Rivers and Lakes: |
El Litani River is the only major river in the Near
East not crossing an international boundary.
Although
Lebanon has no navigable rivers or major natural lakes, springs in
the Bekáa feed two small noteworthy rivers: the Litani flows south,
where it is used for irrigation and hydroelectric-power generation,
and then west through a gorge into the Mediterranean; the 'Asi, Orontes,
flows north and across Syria into Turkey. Many major springs can be
found along the western slopes of the Lebanon Mountains. Throughout
the country, many streams flow only during the winter rainy season.
Combined with runoff from melting snow, these sources provide
Lebanon with a plentiful supply of water, unique in the dry Middle
East. |
| Natural Resources: |
Limestone, Iron Ore, Salt, Water-surplus state in a
water-deficit region, Arable land |
|
|
|
Population |
| Inhabitants 2005
Estimate: |
3,826,018
Lebanon has not taken a census since 1932. |
| Population density: |
358/km² |
| Religions 2005
Estimates:
|
Lebanon has not taken a census since
1932.
Muslim 59.7%, Christian 39%, Other 1.3%
The government
recognizes seventeen religious sects:
05 Muslim: Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite
11
Christian: 6 Catholic (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Syrian
Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Chaldaean Catholic), 4 Orthodox
(Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Coptic
Orthodox), 1 Protestant
01 Judaism
|
|
|
|
Political System |
| State system: |
Parliamentary
republic with constitutional confessionalism |
| Capital city: |
Beirut 33°54′ N
35°32′ E
|
| Constitution: |
23 May 1926; amended most recently Charter
of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989 |
| Independence day: |
22 November 1943 from League of Nations
mandate under French administration |
| Head of state: |
The president is always a Maronite
Christian.
President is elected by the National Assembly for a
non-renewable six-year term.
Emile Lahoud was elected on 15 October
1998 (118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions). Term started
on 24 November 1998 and ended 23 November 2004.
On 3 September 2004 the National
Assembly amended constitution for a one-time exception and voted 96 to 29 to extend Emile Lahud's six-year term by
three years. |
| Legislative branch;
parliament and speaker of the legislature: |
The speaker of the
legislature is a Shia Muslim.
Speaker of the legislature Nabih
Berri.
Parliament or
Assemblee Nationale with 128 seats; members elected by popular vote
on the basis of sectarian proportional representation (64
Muslim and 64 Christian) to serve four-year terms.
Elections last
held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005 and are next to
be held in 2009.
|
| Executive branch;
cabinet and head of government: |
The prime minister is always a Sunni
Muslim.
Prime Minister Fuad Siniora since 30 June
2005.
Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the
president and members of the National Assembly. |
| 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). |
| Administration: |
Six Governorates: Beirut,
Bekáa,
North Lebanon, South Lebanon, Mount Lebanon, Nabatiye |
|
|
| Economy |
| Currency: |
1507 Lebanese Pounds = 1 Dollar |
| Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) 2005: |
$20.7 billion |
| Public Debt 2005: |
200.7% of GDP |
| GDP Growth Rate
2005: |
0.5% |
| GDP per Inhabitant
2005: |
$5,100 |
| Shares in the GDP
2000: |
Agriculture 12%.
Industry 21%. Services: 67%. |
| Exports 2005: |
$1.782 billion |
| Imports 2005: |
$8.855 billion |
| Labor force 2001: |
2.6 million |
| Unemployment rate
1997: |
18% |
| Population below
poverty line 1999: |
28% |
|
|
| Traffic
and Transport |
| Road network: |
Total: 7,300 km
Paved: 6,198 km
Unpaved: 1,102 km |
| Railway network: |
Total: 401 km
Rail system became unusable because of damage during the civil war
in the 1975-1990; short sections are operable. |
| Major seaports: |
Beirut, Chekka,
Jounie, Tripoli. |
| Air traffic: |
Total: Eight Airports.
One international airport Rafic Hariri
International (Beirut).
Airports with paved runways: 5
Over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
Under 914 m: 2
Airports with unpaved runways: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 |
| Bicycle paths: |
0 km |
|
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