Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0214/02146.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 23KB | 434 lines

$Unique_ID{COW02146}
$Pretitle{224}
$Title{Lebanon
Front Matter}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Thomas Collelo}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{lebanon
beirut
system
lebanese
1980s
civil
political
syria
christian
government}
$Date{1987}
$Log{Global Map*0214601.scf
Figure 1.*0214602.scf
}
Country:     Lebanon
Book:        Lebanon, A Country Study
Author:      Thomas Collelo
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1987

Front Matter

Acknowledgments

     The authors are grateful to individuals in various agencies of the United
States government and private organizations in Washington, D.C., who gave of
their time, research materials, and special knowledge of Lebanese affairs to
provide data and perspective. The authors also wish to express their gratitude
to members of the Federal Research Division who contributed directly to the
preparation of the manuscript. These include Helen C. Metz and Richard F.
Nyrop, who reviewed the text; Marilyn Majeska, who managed production; and
Barbara Edgerton and Izella Watson, who performed word processing. Others
involved in preparation of the book included Ruth Nieland and Richard
Kollodge, who edited chapters; Andrea T. Merrill, who performed the
prepublication review.

     Special thanks are owed to those responsible for the excellent graphic
work in the book. These include David P. Cabitto, who oversaw the entire
process; Kimberly A. Lord, who designed the cover and chapter illustrations
and who performed the page layout; Greenhorne and O'Meara, which produced the
maps; and Harriett R. Blood, who prepared the topography and drainage map. The
inclusion of photographs in this study was made possible by the generosity of
individuals and private and public agencies. The authors acknowledge their
indebtedness to those who provided original work not previously published.

Preface

[See Global Map: Map of Lebanon on the globe.]

     Lebanon: A Country Study replaces the Area Handbook for Lebanon published
in 1973. Like its predecessor, the present book is an attempt to treat in a
concise and objective manner the dominant historical, social, economic,
political, and national security aspects of contemporary Lebanon. But, like
the country, which has undergone radical changes since the mid-1970s, the
present study bears little resemblance to the old book; it has been completely
revised to reflect the current situation. Sources of information included
scholarly books, journals, and monographs; official reports and documents of
governments and international organizations; foreign and domestic newspapers
and periodicals; and interviews with Lebanese officials and individuals with
special competence in Lebanese affairs. Because so much of the literature is
polemical, the authors took special pains to separate fact from bias. In
addition, because the turmoil that has occurred since 1975 has precluded
comprehensive and accurate accounting of economic and demographic statistics,
most data should be viewed as rough estimates.

     Much of the recent history and much of the political situation in Lebanon
are associated with armed conflict. Accordingly, detailed information on these
topics is likely to be found in the national security chapter rather than in
the chapters on history or government and politics.

     Chapter bibliographies appear at the end of the book; brief comments on
some of the more valuable sources for further reading appear at the conclusion
of each chapter. Most measurements are given in the metric system (see table
1, Appendix A). Because of the complex nature of the fighting during the 1975
Civil War, the rival factions are treated at length in Appendix B. The
Glossary provides brief definitions of terms that may be unfamiliar to the
general reader.

     The transliteration of Arabic words and phrases posed a particular
problem. For many words--such as Muhammad, Muslim, and Quran--the authors
followed a modified version of the system adopted by the United States Board
on Geographic Names and the Permanent Committee on Geographic Names for
British Official Use, known as the BGN/PCGN system. The modification entails
the omission of diacritical markings and hyphens. In numerous instances,
however, the names of persons or places are so well known by another spelling
that to have used the BGN/PCGN system may have created confusion. For example,
the reader will find Beirut, Sidon, and Tyre rather than Bayrut, Sayda, and
Sur. Furthermore, because press accounts generally use French in the spelling
of personal names, the alternate French version is often given when such a
name is introduced in each chapter.

Country Profile

Country

Formal Name: Republic of Lebanon.

Short Form: Lebanon.

Term for Citizens: Lebanese.

Capital: Beirut.

Geography

Size: Approximately 10,452 square kilometers.

Topography: Four major features running roughly from north to south:
coastal strip, Lebanon Mountains, Biqa Valley, and Anti-Lebanon Mountains.
Several perennial rivers, but none navigable.

Climate: Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet
winters. Weather drier and hotter east of Lebanon Mountains.

Society

Population: Estimated at 2.6 million in 1983, not including about
400,000 Palestinian refugees.

Education: Five-year primary education mandatory. Education system
disrupted during and after 1975 Civil War; many children did not attend
school.

Literacy: Estimated at nearly 80 percent in mid-1980s.

Health: Drastically reduced health standards because of 1975 Civil
War. In 1980s overall shortages of medical staff and facilities. Best health
care available in private institutions.

Languages: Arabic official language. French and English also widely
spoken. Armenian spoken by Armenian community.

Ethnic Groups: More than 90 percent of population Arab; some
Armenians, Kurds, and Jews.

Religion: A variety of Muslim and Christian sects. Muslims included
Shias, Sunnis, Druzes, Ismailis, and Alawis. Christians included Maronites,
Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholics, Roman Catholics, Jacobites, Armenian
Orthodox, Assyrians, and Protestants. Fewer than 100 Jews in 1987.

Economy

billion to L Pounds 43.8 billion (for value of the Lebanese pound--see
Glossary); in either case, in real terms GDP no more than half 1974 level.
Inflation in 1987 estimated at more than 700 percent, and unemployment
estimated at 35 percent.

Agriculture: Diversity of crops grown throughout country. Biqa Valley
most productive region, primarily grains but increasingly in late 1980s
hashish and opium. Citrus crops grown on coast, especially in south.
Tobacco also cultivated in south. Only 11 percent of labor force employed
in agriculture in 1980.

Industry: Severely disrupted by civil strife. Employed about 27
percent of labor force in 1980. Cement most important industrial export
in 1980s; energy production and petroleum refining also significant.

Currency: Lebanese pound.

Fiscal Year: Same as calendar year.

Transportation and Communications

Railroads: Two standard-gauge lines from Syria: one down coast
through Tripoli and Beirut to Az Zahrani; the other through Biqa Valley
to Riyaq. Narrow-gauge mountain line from Damascus to Beirut. In 1987
no trains operating on 407-kilometer system.

Roads: Approximately 8,000 kilometers of roads in varying states of
disrepair in 1987. Beirut hub of network extending north to Tripoli, south
to Tyre, and east through mountains to Damascus. Roads also extending
through Biqa Valley and crossing Lebanon Mountains.

Ports: Major ports at Beirut, Tripoli, Sidon, and Tyre. In 1980s
numerous smaller, illegal (unofficial) ports operated by militias.

Pipelines: Trans-Arabia Pipeline (Tapline) from Sandi Arabia to Az
Zahrani refinery but closed in mid-1980s. Iraq Petroleum Company pipeline
through Syria to Tripoli refinery but closed in 1981.

Airports: Main international airport at Beirut; closed intermittently
in 1980s. Airport being built at Halat, but not cleared for civilian traffi