Lebanon (country)

C

Religion

The most prevalent religion in Lebanon numerically is Islam, with around 40 per cent of the population adhering to Shiism and some 21 per cent to Sunni Islam. The principal denominations of Christians, who make up about 32 per cent of the population, are Maronite, Greek Orthodox Church, Armenian Church, and Protestant. Druze make up about 7 per cent.

D

Language

The official language is Standard Arabic but French also has some official status according to the constitution. Standard Arabic is a second language, taught in schools and used in formal domains and for communication across Arab nations. The more popular form of Arabic, and the mother tongue for most Lebanese, is North Levantine Spoken Arabic. French is used daily by around 20 per cent of the people; many more are competent in the language, and it is used in most schools as the language of instruction. In addition to these languages, Armenian is the first language of a small percentage of the population, and is spoken widely as a second language. English can also be heard occasionally.

E

Education

Primary education is free but not compulsory in Lebanon. The literacy rate, at 88.3 per cent, is among the highest in the Middle East. In 1994 about 360,800 pupils attended primary schools and approximately 234,300 students were enrolled in secondary schools. The government operates a number of trade, agricultural, and other specialized schools.

Beirut is the location of five Lebanese universities: the government-supported Lebanese University (1951), the American University of Beirut (1866), the Jesuit-affiliated St Joseph University (1881), Beirut Arab University (1960), and a university operated by the Lebanese Maronite Order. Their total annual enrolment in 2002–2003 was 144,050. The country also has a number of specialized schools and several teacher-training colleges. In 2002–2003, 2.7 per cent of the country’s gross national product (GNP) was spent on education.

F

Culture

Blending traditional Arabic and recent Western influences, mainly French and United States, post-war Lebanon reached a high level of cultural achievement, exemplified in the works of the poet-painter Kahlil Gibran. In recent decades, however, the cosmopolitan spirit broke down, and separate ethnic and religious groups became violently competitive.

The National Library, in Beirut, is a depository for UN documents. The library of the St John monastery in Khinshārah (Khonchara) dates from 1696 and has on display one of the first printing presses (with Arabic and Greek fonts) in the Middle East. The American University Museum and the National Museum, in Beirut, house regional antiquities and artefacts.

IV

Economy

Lebanon has an economy dominated by banking and other commercial services. Before the civil war of the 1970s, Beirut was the leading financial capital of the Middle East. The combined legacies of the war, the Israeli invasion of 1982, and the factional fighting since that time were rising unemployment, rampant inflation, the collapse of foreign investment and tourism, and the destruction of many factories and businesses. However, steady recovery has taken place since the restoration of peace, which has enabled the government to collect taxes and regain access to essential port facilities. Economic recovery has been helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-sized manufacturers. Lebanon’s reconstruction has involved substantial foreign aid and investment. The eradication of mines left over from the conflict remains a priority for recovery.

The GNP of Lebanon in 2004 was US$21,284 million (World Bank estimate), equivalent to US$6,320 per capita. In 1991 it was only around US$5,900 million (World Bank figure; 1991 prices), or US$2,107 per capita. In 2003 annual budget estimates showed about US$4,100 million in revenue and about US$6,120 million in expenditure.