Lebanon – GENERAL INFORMATION – Facts and Figures

Facts and Figures

Full name: Republic of Lebanon

Nationality
           noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)         adjective: Lebanese

Flag:   

Area

        total: 10,400 sq km         land: 10,230 sq km         water: 170 sq km   

Population: 3,826,018 (July 2005 est.)  

Ethnic groups
       Arab 95%

       Armenian 4%       other 1% 

Capital: Beirut, population – 1 630 000

Largest Cities
        Tripoli – 560 000

        Sidon  – 80 000        Zahle        Baalbeck

Official Language
       
Arabic (official)

      French      English

      Armenian 

Religion
       
Muslim 59.7% (Shi’a, Sunni, Druze, Isma’ilite, Alawite or Nusayri)      Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant)      other 1.3% note: seventeen religious sects recognized 

Political system: political activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, ethnic, clan, and economic considerations   

GDP: purchasing power parity – $18.83 billion (2004 est.)    

GDP per head: purchasing power parity – $5,000 (2004 est.)   


Annual growth:
4% (2004 est.)   

GDP – composition by sector
       
agriculture: 12%

      industry: 21%       services: 67% (2000)

Inflation: 2% (2004 est.)