LANGUAGES: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
AREA: 10,452 sq . kilometers
WEATHER FACTORS: Mediterranean climate, with cool, humid winters and hot, dry summers.
ELEVATIONS: Top place - Qornet Es-Saouda (3,090m). Lowest point - Mediterranean Sea (0m).
FLAG: The Lebanese flag is split into three wide horizontal lines, with red on the top and bottom and a broader white stripe in the middle. In the center of the white stripe is a green cedar tree, the symbol of the country.
ECONOMY: Lebanon capitalizes on the initiative of its individuals and its geographical location to make up for a deficiency of natural assets. Traditionally, a significant ratio of the state's source of income derives from remittances provided by the large numbers of Lebanese located in a different country. A services-based economy, its investing, banking, and financial facilities, along with its zero cost currency market, made Lebanon the region's commercial and vacation centre just before the war. With peace established and renovation underway, Lebanon is once again serving as the business oriented and vacation capital in the area.
Around thirty eightpercent of the nation is under farming, with grain, greens, fruits, tobacco, and olives the main harvest types. There is considerable livestock farming at the same time. Industry ranges from bare cement to textiles, outfits, home furniture, canned products, and light metals. Travel and leisure, one of the mainstays of the pre-war country's economy, is getting improved.
To help tone the economy, the administration has started a low income taxes agenda to offer funding incentives, improve disposable revenue, and widen the tax base.
CURRENCY AND BANKING: Movements of currency towards and away from the country and all swap deals are fully free of any sort of management. Gold and silver coins can be freely exchanged, brought in, and exported. The official monetary unit is the Lebanese pound supplied in LL50, LL100, LL250, LL500, LL1,000, LL5,000, LL10,000, LL20,000, LL50,000, and LL100,000 denominations.
Banking is a significant enterprise in Lebanon with rigorous banking secrecy one of its critical features. More than seventy-three banking companies work in the state, and trades are implemented competently and at low cost.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: Lebanon is democratic republic with a parliamentary model of government and a cabinet headed by a prime minister. Its structure is primarily based on the splitting up of executive, legislative, and judicial power, with a president chosen for a six-yr term. The 128 members of parliament are chosen by universal person of legal age suffrage for a 4-yr term.
ADMINISTRATIVE CATEGORIES: The Lebanese Republic is divided into 6 regional administrative zones, or Mohafazaat: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Northern Lebanon, Békaa, Southern Lebanon, and Nabatiyé.
EDUCATION: There is a countrywide system of elementary and secondary public institutions, which is supplemented by numerous private institutions. Instruction is provided in a minimum of 2 languages. The typical academic spirit of Lebanon looks outwards, at the same time to the East and West. Numerous Lebanese students pursue higher certification in European countries, the usa, and Arabic nations.
Nowadays, Lebanon has 7 important universities and colleges and various specialized training colleges and schools:
· St. Joseph University, established and operated by Jesuit Fathers, has for more than a hundred years and a 1 / 4 contributed to the Lebanese and Arab intelligentsia.
· The American University of Beirut, established in 1866, offers a liberal education that has trained many of the region's leaders, tutors, and professionals.
· A Lebanese state university was founded in 1967, comprising faculties of law, medicine, arts and sciences, in addition to a teacher training faculty.
· Later, the Beirut Arab University, with faculties of arts, law, business, and engineering was opened.
· The venerable Lebanese American University (formerly Beirut University College) has also had a critical influence.
· In recent years, a number of new universities have sprung up throughout the country, particularly Haigazian University in Beirut; the Holy Spirit University and Notre Dame University, both north of Beirut; University of Balamand, south of Tripoli; the Islamic University in Khaldé; and various others.