Lebanon: Facts and Figures - Facts and Figures

Official name

Lebanese Republic

Capital

Beirut

Area

10,452 sq km

4,036 sq mi

Largest cities (population)

Beirut

1,171,000 (2003 estimate)

Tripoli

212,900 (2003 estimate)

Şaydā

149,000 (2003 estimate)

Population

3,921,278 (2007 estimate)

Population growth rate

1.19 per cent (2007 estimate)

Population density

383 persons per sq km (2007 estimate)

993 persons per sq mi (2007 estimate)

Urbanization

Per cent urban

88 per cent (2005 estimate)

Per cent rural

12 per cent (2005 estimate)

Life expectancy

Total

73.1 years (2007 estimate)

Female

75.7 years (2007 estimate)

Male

70.7 years (2007 estimate)

Infant mortality rate

23 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)

Literacy rate

Total

88.3 per cent (2005 estimate)

Female

83.4 per cent (2005 estimate)

Male

93.6 per cent (2005 estimate)

Ethnic divisions

Arab

93 per cent

Armenian

5 per cent

Other

2 per cent

Languages

Arabic (Standard Arabic is official), French (official), Armenian, Kurdish, English

Religions

Muslim

70 per cent

(5 legally recognized Islamic groups: Shiite, Sunni, Alawite, Druze, Ismailite)

Christian

30 per cent

(11 legally recognized Christian groups: 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant)

Type of government

Republic

Independence

November 22, 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

Constitution

May 23, 1926; amended in 1927, 1929, 1943, 1947, and 1990

Voting rights

Compulsory for men at age 21; authorized for women with elementary education at age 21

Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$)

21,944 million (2005)

GDP per capita (US$)

6,135.10 (2005)

GDP by economic sector

GDP, agriculture

6.5 per cent (2005)

GDP, industry

22.3 per cent (2005)

GDP, services

71.2 per cent (2005)

National budget (US$)

Total revenue

4,100 million (2003)

Total expenditure

6,120 million (2003)

Monetary unit

1 Lebanese pound (£L), consisting of 100 piastres

Exports

Agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, jewellery, metals and metal products, paper and paper products, transport vehicles

Imports

Consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, chemicals, foodstuffs

Major trading partners for exports

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, France, Italy, United States

Major trading partners for imports

Italy, United States, Germany, France, Syria, United Kingdom, Japan

Industries

Banking, food processing, textiles, cement, oil refining, chemicals, jewellery, metal fabricating

Agriculture

Principal products: citrus fruits, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco, sheep, goats

Natural resources

Limestone, iron ore, salt, fertile soil, water

Basic Facts and People sections

Area data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Population, population growth rate, and population projections are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International Data Base (IDB) (www.census.gov). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database (www.fao.org). Largest cities population data and political divisions data are from the statistical bureaus of individual countries. Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and from various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the Ethnologue, Languages of the World, Summer Institute of Linguistics International (www.sil.org).

Health and Education section

Life expectancy and infant mortality data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center, International database (IDB) (www.census.gov). Population per physician and population per hospital bed data are from the World Health Organization (WHO) (www.who.int). Education data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org).

Government section

Government, independence, legislature, constitution, highest court, and voting qualifications data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook. The armed forces data are from Military Balance.

Economy section

Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sectors, employment, and national budget data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, exports, imports, and major trade partner information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook and various International Monetary Fund (IMF) publications.

Energy, Communication, and Transportation section

Electricity information is from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) database (www.eia.doe.gov). Radio, telephone, television, and newspaper information is from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database (www.unesco.org). Internet hosts, motor vehicles, and road data are from the World Bank database (www.worldbank.org).

Note

Figures may not total 100 per cent due to rounding.