Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF LEBANON
AL-JUMHURIYAH AL-LUBNANIYAH

General Information

Total Land Area:	10,452 km²
Land boundaries:	454 km
Coastline:	225 km
Capital:	Beirut
Other Large Cities:	Tripoli, Zahlah, Sidon(Sayda),Tyr
Official Language:	Arabic
National Currency Unit:	Lebanese Pound (LBP)
National Day:	November 22

Location and Geography

Lebanon is located on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean. It is bordered by Syria in the North and East, and Palestine in the South. With a width varying between 40 km. and 75 km. and a length of 215 km., the Mediterranean coast of the country is narrow and sloping. Lebanon is a mountainous country, with two parallel mountain ranges: the Lebanon Mountains extending North and South along the Western coast of Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains which hug the Eastern border with Syria. There are streams and rivers but they are not navigable, and few permanent crops, forests, woodlands, meadows and pastures. The country has an Alpin climate in the mountains and Mediterranean on the coast. The four seasons are perfectly distributed throughout the year. Rainfalls in winter are intense with snowfalls at 800 m. height and more. Along the coast, summers are hot and humid with little or no rain.

Demography

Population:	4.40 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	19 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	6 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	28 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 69 years, Female: 73 years (2002)
Urban Population:	90.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	86.50 percent (2001)

Economy

Main crops are citrus fruits, grapes, potatoes, olives and tobacco. There are minor deposits of high-grade iron ore, asphalt, coal, phosphates and salt, all of which are exploited for internal consumption. There is a developing light industry, mostly for the production of jewellery, foodstuff and drinks, metals and non-metal products, furniture and accessories, clothing and textiles, cement, and consumer goods. Lebanon is quite active in the services sector, particularly finance, tourism, health, education and transports.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	16594 million US$ (2001)
Per Capita GDP:	4610 US$ (2001)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	12.0% Agriculture, 21.0% Industry, 67.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	971 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	6329 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Foodstuffs, clothing, textiles, chemicals, tobacco, metal products and electrical equipment
Major Imports Items:	Machinery and transportation equipment, electrical equipment, consumer goods and petroleum products
Major Trading Partners:	Switzerland, France, Germany, China, Saudi Arabia and UAE