Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0217/02170.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 8KB | 154 lines

$Unique_ID{COW02170}
$Pretitle{224}
$Title{Lebanon
Glossary}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Robert Scott Mason}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{lebanon
known
beirut
international
shias
barrels
countries
ibrd
christian
loans}
$Date{1987}
$Log{}
Country:     Lebanon
Book:        Lebanon, A Country Study
Author:      Robert Scott Mason
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1987

Glossary

barrels per day (bpd)--Production of crude oil and petroleum products is
frequently measured in barrels per day. A barrel is a volume measure of
forty-two United States gallons. Conversion of barrels to tons depends on the
density of the special product. About 7.3 barrels of average crude oil weigh
one ton. Heavy products would be about seven barrels per ton. Light products,
such as gasoline and kerosene, would average close to eight barrels per ton.

confessional, confessionalism--In its broadest sense, refers to adherence to a
faith or religion, such as Christianity or Islam. In Lebanon, however, it more
often connotes identification with narrower affiliations, such as sect or
clan. Often used interchangeably with sectarian.

Druze(s)--Religious community generally considered to be Muslim but whose
practices also contain elements of Christianity and paganism. The religion was
brought to Lebanon around the eleventh century by Darazi (hence the name
Druze), a disciple of Al Hakim, the Fatimid caliph of Egypt who considered
himself the final incarnation of God. The religion is secretive, and very few
members are masters. The Druze community lives primarily in West Beirut, the
Shuf Mountains, the Al Matn district and the regions around Hasbayya and
Rashayya.

Greater Syria--Term used by historians and others to designate the region that
includes approximately the present-day states of Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and
Syria before those states were formed.

Green Line--A no-man's-land created in Beirut during the 1975 Civil War by the
forward lines of advance of the contending forces. The vegetation that grew in
this abandoned area gave rise to the name Green Line. In 1987 it still
separated Christian East Beirut from Muslim West Beirut.

Gross domestic product (GDP)--A value measure of the flow of domestic goods
and services produced by an economy over a period of time, such as a year.
Only output values of goods for final consumption and investment are included
because the values of primary and intermediate production are assumed to be
included in final prices. The word gross indicates that deductions for
depreciation of physical assets have not been made. Because of the turmoil in
Lebanon since 1975, GDP estimates are very imprecise.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)--Established along with the World Bank
(q.v.) in 1945, the IMF is a specialized agency affiliated with the United
Nations and is responsible for stabilizing international exchange rates and
payments. The main business of the IMF is the provision of loans to its
members (including industrialized and developing countries) when they
experience balance of payments difficulties. These loans frequently carry
conditions that require substantial internal economic adjustments by the
recipients, most of which are developing countries.

Lebanese pound (LPounds )--The unit of currency, which is divided into 100 piasters.
Before the outbreak of the 1975 Civil War, the pound was strong, and it
required only LPounds 2.3 to buy a United States dollar. During and immediately
after the worst fighting, confidence in the pound dropped, but in 1982 the
exchange rate was still fairly firm at LPounds 3.81 to the dollar. During the chaos
from 1983 to 1987, however, the pound rapidly depreciated, so that by August
1987 it was nearly worthless, trading at more than LPounds 250 to the dollar.

Maronites--The largest Christian sect in Lebanon, the Maronite Church is one
of a group of Christian churches known as Uniate, which are in full communion
with the Holy See in Rome but are separately organized and adhere to an
Eastern rite. Maronites settled in the mountains of northern Lebanon in the
mid-seventh century; many continue to live there and in East Beirut. Maronites
traditionally have looked to the West for cultural inspiration. Maronites tend
to be better educated and wealthier than other segments of Lebanese society.
By custom, the president of the republic is a Maronite.

Mount Lebanon--A term first used during the Ottoman era to designate the
central part of the Lebanon Mountains inhabited mostly by Maronites and
Druzes. After 1864 the area was administered as a separate entity and
Christians prospered. Most of the region surrounding Mount Lebanon (often
called simply "the Mountain") was considered part of Greater Syria, an area
that encompassed present-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. In 1920,
while under the French Mandate, parts of Greater Syria (q.v.) were annexed to
Mount Lebanon to create Greater Lebanon. This newly established territory
eventually became the present-day state of Lebanon.

Phalange Party--Founded in 1936 by Pierre Jumayyil (also seen as Gemayel), the
Phalange, or Phalanxes (Kataib in Arabic), was a mostly Maronite organization
whose followers were known as Phalangists. Its policies were Western oriented
and right wing. Its powerful militia, which was supported by Israel,
participated heavily on the Christian side in the 1975 Civil War. Beginning in
the late 1970s, as its militia, led by Pierre's son Bashir, seized control of
other Christian forces, it became known as the Lebanese Forces (LF). By the
mid- to late 1980s, however, after Bashir's assassination and Pierre's death,
Phalange power ebbed, and it lost control of the LF.

Shia(s)--The largest Muslim sect in Lebanon. The word Shia comes from Shiat
Ali, or party of Ali. Those who believed that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and
son-in-law, should have succeeded the Prophet have come to be known as Shias.
Those who thought that the successor should have been chosen by the community
came to be known as Sunnis (q.v.). This dispute created the first great
division in Islam. Most Lebanese Shias are Twelver Shias (also known as Imami
Shias), believing that the twelfth imam (divinely appointed religious leader)
is in hiding and will reappear. Shias live in West Beirut and its southern
suburbs, southern Lebanon, and in parts of the Biqa Valley. Shias have tended
to have less education and to be poorer than most other segments of society.

Shiite(s)--See Shia(s).

Sunni(s)--The second largest Muslim sect in Lebanon. After Muhammad's death,
those followers who supported a traditional method of election based on
community agreement became known as Sunnis; those who supported Ali as
successor became known as Shias (q.v.). Sunnis primarily inhabit parts of West
Beirut, the south-central coast, and the north. By custom, the prime minister
is a Sunni.

World Bank--Informal name used to designate a group of three affiliated
international institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), the International Development Agency (IDA), and the
International Finance Corporation (IFC). The IBRD, established in 1945, has
the primary purpose of providing loans to developing countries for productive
projects. The IDA, a legally separate loan fund but administered by the staff
of the IBRD, was set up in 1960 to furnish credits to the poorest developing
countries on much easier terms than those of conventional IBRD loans. The IFC,
founded in 1956, supplements the activities of the IBRD through loans and
assistance designed specifically to encourage the growth of productive private
enterprises in the less developed countries. The president and certain senior
officers of the IBRD hold the same positions in the IFC. The three
institutions are owned by the governments of the countries that subscribe
their capital. To participate in the World Bank group, member states must
first belong to the International Monetary Fund (IMF--q.v.).

zaim (pl., zuama)--Believed to be a vestige