Fun facts and information on Lebanon

General Information on Lebanon & Quick Overview

Civil war ended after 16 years, destroying what had once been known as the Switzerland of the Middle East.

The blueprint for national reconciliation called the Ta'if Accord, which lead to the establishment of a more equitable political system.

Former French colony.

Geographical Statistics & Information on Lebanon

Geographical Position: Middle East Map Ref Latitude & Longitude 33 degrees North, 35 degrees East

Total Land & Sea Area Total: 12,000 square kilometres Sea Area 2000 square kilometres land area: 10,000 square kilometres

Land boundaries: Total: 450 kilometres border countries: Israel 80 kilometres, Syria 380 kilometres Coastal Length: 230 kilometres Maritime claims: territorial sea: 10 NM

Climatological Information on Lebanon

Mediterranean climate; Winters are mild to cool and wet, while the summers are hot and dry; Heavy snow falls in the Lebanon Mountains.

Terrain Features

Narrow coastal plain; Bekaa Valley, Lebanon Mountains

Highest & Lowest Elevations: Lowest elevation: Mediterranean Sea at sea level Highest elevation: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,100 metres

Country’s natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water resources are strong in a region subject to serious water shortages. arable land

Land use

ploughable land area: 17.5 percent permanent crops: 12.5 percent other: 70 percent (1998 estimate)

Irrigated land area: 1,100 square kilometres (1998 estimate) Hazardous Natural phenomena: dust storms, sandstorms

Geographical Point of Interest

Nahr el Litani 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

Information on People

Population: 3,728,000 (July 2003 estimate)

Age structure: under 15 years: 27 percent 15 to 64 years: 66 percent Over 65: 7 percent Median age of population: Total: 26 years male: 25 years female: 27 years (2002) Population growth rate: 1.3 percent (2003 estimate) Birth rate: 19 births per thousand population (2003 estimate) mortality rate: 6 deaths per thousand population (2003 estimate) Net rate of migration: 0 migrant(s) per thousand population (2003 estimate) Infant mortality rate: Total: 26.5 deaths per thousand live births female: 23.5 deaths per thousand live births (2003 estimate) male: 29.5 deaths per thousand live births Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72 years male: 69. years female: 75 years (2003 estimate) Total fertility rate: 2 children born/woman (2003 estimate)

Nationality

Lebanese

Ethnic groups

Arab 94 percent, Armenian 3 percent, other 3 percent

Religious information on Lebanon

Muslim/Islamic faith 70 percent, Christian 30 percent, Jewish NEGL percent

Languages & Linguistic Groupings

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Literacy: definition: People over the age of 15 years that are literate (can read & write): total population: 87 percent male: 92 female: 82 percent (2003 estimate)

Government information on Lebanon

Country name: Lebanese Republic

Government type: Republic Capital city: Beirut Independence: 22 November 1943 from France which administered it under a League of Nations mandate.) National holiday: Independence Day: 22 November Constitution: 1926, amended by Ta'if Accord 1989

Legal system: Combination of Ottoman law, Canon law, Napoleonic code, Civil law.

Electoral & Voting System

21 years of age for all males; women over 21 with some education. Executive branch: Head of State: President
Chief of Government: Prime Minister
Cabinet: Cabinet picked by the prime minister.

Legislative branch: Unicameral Majlis Alnuwab (National Assembly).

Economy information on Lebanon

Economy - overview: The 14 year civil war from 1975-91 destroyed much of Lebanon's economic infrastructure, slashing national output by over 50% and destroyed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern trading and banking centre.

Peace has enabled Lebanon to rebuild much of its financial and economic infrastructure, but not without considerable problems and heavy levels of national debt.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

$USD17. billion (2002 estimate) Gross Domestic Product - actual growth rate: 3 (2002 estimate) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - per head of population: $USD5,000 (2002 estimate) Gross Domestic Product - composition by sector: agriculture: 10 percent industry: 20 percent services: 70 percent (2000) Population below poverty line: 30 percent (1999 estimate)

Rate of inflation: 3 percent (2002 estimate) Labour force: 2 million Labour force - by occupation: services NA percent, industry NA percent, agriculture NA percent Rate of unemployment: 20 percent (1997 estimate)

Budget

Incomes: $USD3 billion spending : $USD6 billion, (2001 estimate) Industries: banking; food processing; jewellery; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating

Agriculture - products: citrus fruits, grapes, fruits, vegetables, root cropes, olives, tobacco; livestock

Exports

$USD1.5 billion Exports - commodities: foodstuffs, tobacco, clothing, textiles, apparel, chemicals, metal and electrical products, jewellery, papers Exports - partners: Switzerland 11 percent, Saudi Arabia 9 percent, UAE 8.5 percent, United States 7 percent, Jordan 5 percent, Turkey 4 percent (2002)

Imports

$USD6 .5 billion . (2002) Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, electrical products, transport machinery, cars, trucks, equipment, minerals, chemicals, construction equipment, petrol and oil
Imports -most important trading partners: Italy 11 percent, France 10 percent, Germany 8 percent, United States 6 percent, Syria 5 percent, China 5 percent, Belgium 4 percent, United Kingdom 4 percent (2002)

Foreign Indebtedness

$USD9 billion (2002 estimate) National Currency: Lebanese pound (LBP) Currency Abbreviation: LBP

Communications information on Lebanon

Telephones landlines: 800,000 (1999) Radio broadcast stations: Amplitude Modulation 25, Frequency Modulation 20, shortwave 5 (1998) Television broadcast stations: 20 Internet country code: .lb

Transportation in & travel to Lebanon

Railroad networks: Total: 400 kilometres

Roading System: Total: 7,000 kilometres Pipelines: oil 210 kilometres (2003) Airports & airfields: 10 (2002)

Military system of Lebanon

Military branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force) Military spending : - $USD540 million (2002) Military spending : percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 5 percent (Fiscal Year99)

International Issues Disputes - international: Syrian military forces occupy central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims areas of Golan Heights occupied by Israel armed forces.

Now you’ve studied the information on Lebanon – check out the historical information on the French speaking countries

More information on Lebanon, a French-speaking nation
History of French speaking countries | Flag of Lebanon | Map of Lebanon | Learn French in Lebanon |

Information on Lebanon
Source: All info sourced and adapted from CIA Factbook
Learn French Help – A Resource for the those Learning to speak French
32 Alverton, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, MK14 5EF, United Kingdom

Share this page:

What’s this?

Enjoy this page? Please pass it on. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

Click on the HTML link code below.
Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.