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Lebanon, where the town of Beit Mery is located, is a very small country in
the Middle East located at the intersection of three continents:
Asia, Africa and Europe. In order for you to increase your knowledge about
the country, some of its characteristics are developed below.
[Geography] [Government] [Inhabitants] [Economy] [Communications] [Transportation] [Army] |
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| Geography | ||
| Country | Lebanese Republic | |
| Region | Middle East | |
| Continent | Asia | |
| Geographic coordinates | 33 50 N, 35 50 E | |
| Area | 10 400 sq km | |
| Land boundaries | 454 km: Israel 79 km - Syria 375 km | |
| Coastline | 225 km: Mediterranean Sea | |
| Climate | Mediterranean: Winter mild to cool, wet - Summer dry, hot | |
| Natural resources | Limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land | |
| Elevation extreme | 3 088 m: Qurna el sawda (the black horn) | |
| See geographical map of the country | ||
| Government | ||
| Type | Republic | |
| Chief of state | Emile Lahoud (since 24 November 1998) | |
| Capital | Beirut | |
| Administrative divisions | Six governorates ("mohafazats"): Beirut, the North, the South, the Bekaa, Mount-Lebanon, Nabatiye | |
| Currency | Lebanese pound (LBP) ~ 1507.5 LBP = 1 $ | |
| Independence | 22 November 1943 | |
| Constitution | 23 May 1926, modified several times | |
| Legal system | Mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, civil law | |
| Executive branch | - President (Maronite Christian) elected by the National Assembly | |
| - Prime minister (Sunni Muslim) | ||
| - President of the assembly (Shi'a Muslim) | ||
| Legislative branch | National Assembly constituted of 128 seats (64 Christians, 64 Muslims) elected by the people | |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age | |
| Flag | Three horizontal bands: red, white (double width), red. A green and brown cedar centered in the white band | |
| Inhabitants | ||
| Population | 3,826,018 [July 2005] | |
| Age structure | - 0-14 years | 26.7 % |
| - 15-64 years | 66.4 % | |
| - 65 years + | 6.9 % | |
| Density | 367.88 inhabitants / sq km | |
| Population growth rate | 1.26 % / year | |
| Birth rate | 18.88 births / 1000 inhabitants | |
| Death rate | 6.24 deaths / 1000 inhabitants | |
| Sex ratio | 0.94 male / 1 female | |
| Life expectancy | 72.63 years | |
| Fertility rate | 1.92 children born / woman | |
| Ethnic groups | Arabs 95 %, Armenians 4 %, Others 1 % | |
| Languages | Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian | |
| Literacy | 87.4 % | |
| Religions | - Muslims (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze...) 59.7 % | |
| - Christians (Maronite, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestants...) 39 % | ||
| - Others (Jewish...) 1.3 % | ||
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| Economy | ||
| GDP | 18.83 billion | |
| GDP by sector | - Agriculture | 12 % |
| - Industry | 27 % | |
| - Services | 67 % | |
| Labor force | 2.6 millions (+1 millions foreign workers) | |
| Unemployment | 18 % | |
| Industry | Banking, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemicals products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating | |
| Agriculture products | - Citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco | |
| - Sheep, goats | ||
| Exports commodities | Foodstuffs, tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal and metal products, electrical equipment and products, jewelry, paper and paper products | |
| Exports partners | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Syria, USA, Kuwait, France, Belgium, Jordan | |
| Imports commodities | Foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, textiles, metals, fuels, agricultural products | |
| Imports partners | Italy, France, Germany, USA, Switzerland, Japan, UK, Syria | |
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| Communications | ||
| Telephone - Main lines | 678,800 | |
| Telephone - Mobile lines | 775,100 | |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 20, FM 22 | |
| Radios | 2.85 millions | |
| Television broadcast stations | 7 | |
| Televisions | 1.18 millions | |
| Internet country code | .lb | |
| Internet Service Providers | 22 | |
| Internet users | 400,000 | |
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| Transportation | ||
| Railways | 401 km (unusable) | |
| Highways | 7,300 km | |
| Ports and harbors | 12: Antelias, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, El Zahrani, Djebaïl, Jounieh, Naqoura, Saïda, Tripoli, Sour | |
| Merchant marine | 71 ships | |
| Airports | 8 | |
| Airline | MEA (Middle East Airlines) | |
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| Army | ||
| Name | LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) | |
| Total ranks | 55,100 | |
| Branches / Ranks | - Infantry | 53,300 |
| - Navy | 1,000 | |
| - Air Force | 800 | |
| Military manpower fit for military service | 821,762 (males age 15-49) | |
| Expenditures | $540.6 millions | |
| Expenditures in percent of GDP | 3.1 % | |
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