29°C | 21°C
Country information: Lebanon
| Official Name: | Lebanese Republic |
| Population: | 4,3 million (UN) |
| Capital: | Beirut |
| Government: | Republic |
| Leaders: | Michel Suleiman (President), Najib Mikati (Prime Minister-designate) |
| Religion: | 59,7% Muslim, 39% Christian, 1,3% other (CIA) |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English and French spoken |
| GDP: | $59.37 billion (CIA 2010 est.) |
| GDP/Capita: | $14,400 (2010 est.) |
| Main exports: | Jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper |
| Time zone: | GMT + 2 |
| International dialing code: | +961 |
| Currency: | 1 Lebanese Pound (LBP) = USD 0.0007 |
Country briefing
Lebanon was a French mandate until independence in 1943. The French were eager to implement their culture, which gave Lebanon a certain Euro-centric outlook, in a sense making it more liberal than its Arab neighbors. But Lebanon has faced tremendous challenges. The country was carved out from the Ottoman province of Syria, and within its borders is a complex structure of ethnicities, ranging from Sunni and Shiite Muslims to Druze and Maronite Christians.
In order to accommodate the demands of these groups, it was decided in the National Pact of 1943 that Lebanon was to become a confessional state, meaning that power is allocated to the different communities depending on their percentage of the population. This principle still governs the country but has caused deep frictions between ethnic and religious groups, and was the main reason behind the civil war that raged from 1975 to 1990. According to the National Pact, the president of Lebanon must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament a Shiite Muslim.
With countries such as Syria, Iran and Israel fighting wars on its territory, Lebanon has been the battleground for a number of conflicts. The militant political group Hizballah practically runs the southern parts of Lebanon, and its presence has led to severe tensions with Israel. Hizballah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers in 2006, resulting in a 34-day Israeli invasion and the loss of some 1,200 civilian lives.
The murder of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri along with other killings in 2005 fueled popular protests on Beirut’s streets, an event referred to as the Cedar Revolution. The uprising forced Syria to end a 29-year military presence in Lebanon.
Lebanon has a traditional mercantile culture, proud of its laissez-faire economic approach. However, there are fundamental obstacles such as corruption, high taxes and tariffs. The economy has faced difficult challenges due to the reoccurrence of war, pushing the country into deep national debt. Still, Beirut remains a hub in the region, with a recent boom in tourism, the hospitality industry and real estate, helping the economy to grow by 7% in 2009 and 2010.
