Lebanon- Information gives comprehensive overview of the small country in the Middle East. The country achieved independence in 1943 and is known as Lebanese Republic (conventional long form), Lebanon (conventional short form), Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah (local long form), Lubnan (local short form).

Lebanon has a rich historical and cultural heritage, having been the homeland of many ancient civilizations and clans. Lebanon - Land and People are of great importance, as it has been through many important and significant historical periods.

Lebanon has been under the rule of many great civilizations since ancient times, including the Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Ottoman empires. This enigmatic mix of civilizations and cultures renders to the current Lebanese population a degree of uniqueness.

Lebanon is a treasure trove of the rich and varied cultural heritage. The most prominent geographical feature of the country are the mountains and the valley.

The climate is moderate, Mediterranean type. Vegetation includes the cedar, the symbol of the nation. The Times of Lebanon are 2 hours ahead of GMT and the international dialing code is 961.
The country of Lebanon is approximately of a rectangular shape, with variety in terrain and weather patterns. There is an alternating pattern of lowlands and mountainous regions.

The meaning of lubnan (Lebanon in Arabic) is one of the multiple derivatives of "white" (the word comes from "milk") in Arabic and in Aramean

Capital: Beirut
Area: 10,452 sq. km.
Population: (July 2007 estimate) 4,099,000
Density: 358/km²
Language: Arabic, French, English and Armenian
Currency (code): Lebanese pound (LBP)
Time: GMT +2 hours
Telephone Codes: 00 961
Electricity: 220V, 50Hz
Flag Adopted: 7 December 1943
Coat of Arms Adopted: 7 December 1943
GDP (PPP) 2006 estimate: Total $21.45 billion (103rd)--- Per capita $6,100 (90th)
ISO Code: LB LBN 422
FIPS 10-4 Code: LB
MARC Code: le
IOC Code: LIB
Time Zone: EET (UTC+2)---- Summer(DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Internet TLD: .lb

Lebanon Time
Times of Lebanon are primarily determined by the geographical location of the country. Lebanon is located in the Middle East between Israel and Syria. The Mediterranean Sea borders the country. The Latitude of the country is 33o 52’ N and the longitude of the country is 35 o degree 30’ E. Lebanon Time falls under the Greenwich Mean Time Zone according to its location.

Standard Time of Lebanon is 2 hours ahead than Greenwich Mean Time which indicates that it runs 2 hours ahead of GMT. Therefore Time in Lebanon can be counted as GMT+2. The Standard Time Zone of Lebanon is UTC/GMT+2. Lebanon time also operates day light saving time, which is +1 hour in Lebanon. Thus the Time Zone becomes UTC/GMT+3 hours. The time zone can be changed at times.

Lebanon sees sunrise at around 6:04 AM and sunset at around 7:18 PM. The duration of day in Lebanon is about 13 hours, 14 minutes. The civil twilight begins at 5:38 AM and ends at 7:44 PM. The nautical twilight begins at 5:06 AM and ends at 8:15 PM. On the other hand the astronomical twilight begins at 4:34 AM and ends at 8:48 PM. The timing of moon rise at Lebanon is around 1:57 PM and moon set occurs at around11:40 PM.

Lebanon Time is thus determined by various factors and it can be calculated as GMT+3.

The country and the people of Lebanon
Though Lebanon, particularly its coastal region, was the site of some of the oldest human settlements in the world—the Phoenician ports of Tyre (modern Sur), Sidon (Sayda), and Byblos (Jubayl) were dominant centres of trade and culture in the 3rd millennium BC—it was not until 1920 that the contemporary state came into being. In that year France, which administered Lebanon as a League of Nations mandate, established the state of Greater Lebanon. Lebanon then became a republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1943.

As an Arab republic, Lebanon shares many of the cultural characteristics of the Arab world, yet it has attributes that differentiate it from many of its Arab neighbours. Its rugged, mountainous terrain has served throughout history as an asylum for diverse religious and ethnic groups and for political dissidents. Lebanon is one of the most densely populated countries in the Mediterranean area. It has one of the highest rates of literacy. Although its prosperity is unevenly distributed, having bypassed large segments of its population, wealth and privilege appear to be evenly distributed among its middle-income group. Notwithstanding its meagre natural resources, Lebanon long managed to serve as a busy commercial and cultural centre for the Middle East.

This outward image of vitality and growth nevertheless disguised serious problems. Not only did Lebanon have to grapple with internal problems of social and economic organization, but also it had to struggle to define its position in relation to Israel, to its Arab neighbours, and to Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon. The Lebanese pluralistic communal structure eventually collapsed under the pressures of this struggle. Communal rivalries over political power became so exacerbated by the complex issues that arose from the Palestinian question that a breakdown of the governmental system resulted from an extremely damaging civil war that began in 1975.

The economy
Until 1975 Lebanon had an economy characterized by a minimum of government intervention in private enterprise. Since the civil war, the weak central government has exercised little power in economic matters, and local militias have dominated public decision making.
The services sector generated the overwhelming proportion of national income before the civil war and employed the largest proportion of the labour force; industry generated the second largest proportion of income and of employment. Agriculture accounted for a smaller proportion of income. The growth of services was related mainly to international transport and trade and to the position of Beirut as a centre of international banking and tourism.
The war of 1975–76, the Israeli invasion of 1982, and the continuing violence have left deep scars and have led to chaos in the economy. There has been extensive destruction in all sectors, but especially in housing, trade, and public services, and the country's productive capacity has been drastically reduced. The greatest reduction in productive capacity seems to be in services, followed by industry and agriculture.

Resources
The mineral resources of Lebanon are few. There are deposits of high-grade iron ore and lignite; building-stone quarries; high-quality sand, suitable for glass manufacture; and lime. The Litani River hydroelectric project generates electricity and also has increased the amount of irrigated land for agriculture.

Agriculture
Arable land is scarce, but the climate and the relatively abundant water supply from springs favour the intensive cultivation of a variety of crops on mountain slopes and in the coastal region. On the irrigated coastal plain, market vegetables, bananas, and citrus crops are grown. In the foothills the principal crops are olives, grapes, tobacco, figs, and almonds. At higher altitudes (about 1,500 feet) peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries are planted, while apples and pears thrive at an altitude of about 3,000 feet. Sugar beets, cereals, and vegetables are the main crops cultivated in al-Biqa'. Poultry is a major source of agricultural income, and goats, sheep, and cattle are also raised.
As a result of the continued violence, many small farmers have lost their livestock, and there has been a noticeable decrease in the production of many agricultural crops. The production of hemp, the source of hashish, has flourished in al-Biqa' valley, however, and the hashish is exported illegally through ports along the coast.

Industry
The majority of the country's industry survived the civil war unscathed. Beirut's industrial belt was razed, but some of the country's large complexes were unharmed. Manufacturing recovered to more than half of the still-existing capacity, restrained by limited labour mobility, difficulty in acquiring supplies, insufficient working capital, and difficulty in obtaining credit. The Israeli invasion of 1982, however, with its heavy bombardment of some of Lebanon's major cities and subsequent sabotage by local warring factions, caused further damage to industry and infrastructure.
Beirut's well-developed seaport and airport and the country's free economic and foreign-exchange systems, favourable interest rates, and banking secrecy law (modeled upon that of Switzerland) all contributed to the traditional preeminence of trade and services. Prior to the civil war, the country's scenery, its biblical and other historic sites, its hotels, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, its seaside and mountain resorts, its outdoor sports facilities, and its international cultural festivals made tourism a year-round industry. As the war progressed, the prosperous hotel district in Beirut became the scene of some of the fiercest fighting, and bombing in 1982 caused heavy damage. The closures of Beirut airport, the heavy destruction of the port, and the continued political unrest greatly damaged the service industry.

Finance
The finance sector of Lebanon's economy, including banking and insurance, showed an impressive expansion before the war, and the monetary reserves of Lebanon continued to rise despite political uncertainties. During the two years of civil war and the extended period of domestic instability and economic inflation following that, reserves, which included a considerable portion of gold, nevertheless continued to rise.
The balance of payments has traditionally shown a surplus. The strength of the Lebanese pound and of the balance-of-payments position reflected large inflows of capital, mostly from Lebanese living abroad (whose numbers rose considerably during and after the civil war) and from the high level of liquidity of commercial banks. By 1983, however, inflows from Lebanese living abroad had begun to decrease, and the value of the Lebanese pound fell dramatically.

Trade
Widespread smuggling, covert foreign aid to armed groups, and illegal drug production have disguised the pattern of trade since 1975. Exports, chiefly vegetable products, textiles, and nonprecious metals are sent mainly to Middle Eastern countries. Imports such as consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, and food come mostly from western Europe. A huge trade deficit has been partly covered by “invisible” items such as foreign remittances and government loans.

Trade unions
Lebanon is one of the few countries in the Middle East with a comparatively well-developed labour movement. Trade unions have secured some tangible gains, such as fringe benefits, collective bargaining contracts, and better working conditions. During the civil war, divisions in many of the trade unions weakened their normal functions, and many of their members joined the warring factions. Many others emigrated.

Transportation
As in antiquity, Lebanon's situation makes it a vital crossroads between East and West. The road network traversing Lebanon includes international highways, which form part of major land routes connecting Europe with the Arab countries and the East. There are also national highways, paved secondary roads, and unpaved roads. The railway system, which includes lines along the coast and up al-Biqa' valley and a cog railway across the Lebanon Mountains, connects with the rail system of Syria. In the past the system was linked with rail systems of other Arab countries and with Europe and was used mainly for long-distance bulk transport.
Numerous ports lie along the seacoast. Berths for oil tankers have been built offshore at Tripoli and at az-Zahrani, near Sidon, where pipeline terminals and refineries also are located. The principal cargo and passenger port is that of Beirut, which has a free zone and storage facilities for transit shipments. The port has been expanded and deepened, and a large storage silo (for wheat and other grains) has been built, but port facilities were severely damaged during the civil war and the postwar fighting. The harbour at Juniyah has grown in importance.
Beirut International Airport was one of the busiest airports in the Middle East before the civil war. Its runways were built to handle the largest jet airplanes in service, and a number of international airlines used Beirut regularly.

Q&A
Q: What is the population rank for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Population Rank: (2005) 128

Q: What is the population density per sq mi for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Population Density: (2005) 890.7 per sq. mi.

Q: What is the population density per sq km for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Population Density: (2005) 343.9 per sq. km.

Q: What is the population projection for the year 2020 for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Projected population: (2020) 4,140 ('000)

Q: What is the percent of female population for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Female population: (2004) 50.23%

Q: What is the average household size for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Avg. household size: (2004) 4.3

Q: What is the percent of male population for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Male population: (2004) 49.77%

Q: What is the population projection for the year 2010 for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Projected Population: (2010) 3,773 ('000)

Foreign Trade
Q: What is the total value of exports for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Export value: (2001) 889.3 (f.o.b.; '000,000 U.S$ at current prices)

Q: What is the total value of imports for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Import value: (2001) 7290.3 (c.i.f.; '000,000 U.S$ at current prices)

Military
Q: What is the total military expenditure per capita for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Total military expenditures: (2003) 223 ('000,000 U.S$)

Q: What is the military expenditure as percent of the GNP for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Percent of GNP for military expenditures: (2003) 4.3%

Q: What is the total active duty personnel for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Total active duty: (2003) 72.1 ('000)

National Economy
Q: What is the annual electricity consumption for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Electricity consumption: (2002) 10,192 ('000,000) kilowatts per hour

Q: What is the external public debt of Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - (2005) 18,373 (external, outstanding, long term public debt: '000,000 U.S$)

Q: What is the GNP of Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - GNP: (2004) 22,668 (nominal '000,000 U.S$)

Q: What is the GNP per capita of Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - GNP per capita: (2004) 4,980 (nominal U.S.$)

Q: What is the annual electricity production for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Electricity production: (2002) 9,660 ('000,000) kilowatts per hour

Q: What are the tourism receipts for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Tourism receipts: (2003) 1,016 ('000,000 U.S$)

Transportation and Communication
Q: How many personal computers in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Personal computers: (2004) 400 ('000)

Q: How many personal computers per 1,000 population in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Personal computers: (2004) 113 per 1,000

Q: How many internet users in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Internet users: (2004) 600 ('000)

Q: How many internet users per 1,000 population in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Internet users: (2004) 169 per 1,000

Q: How many cell phones subcriptions in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Cell phone subscriptions: (2004) 888 ('000)

Q: How many cell phones subcriptions per 1,000 population in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Cell phone subscriptions: (2004) 250 per 1,000

Q: What is the railroad track length in miles for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Railroad length: (2004) 249 miles

Q: What is the railroad track length in kilometers for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Railroad length: (2004) 401 kilometers

Q: What is the road length in miles for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Road length: (1999) 4,536 miles

Q: What is the road length in kilometers for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Road length: (1999) 7,300 kilometers

Q: What is the number of automobiles in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Number of automobiles: (1997) 1,299,398

Q: What is the number of trucks and buses in Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Number of trucks and buses: (1997) 85,242

Vital Statistics
Q: What is the birth rate for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Birth rate: (2004) 19.3 per 1,000 population

Q: What is the total fertility rate for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Fertility rate: (2004) 2 average births per childbearing woman

Q: What is the natural increase rate for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Natural increase rate: (2004) 13 per 1,000 population

Q: What is the death rate for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Death rate: (2004) 6.3 per 1,000 population

Q: What is the male life expectancy for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Male life expectancy: (2004) 69.9 years

Q: What is the female life expectancy for Lebanon?
A: Lebanon - Female life expectancy: (2004) 74.9 years