djective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite,
Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian,
Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 86.4%

male: 90.8%

female: 82.2% (1997 est.)

Lebanon Government

Country name: conventional long form: Lebanese Republic

conventional short form: Lebanon

local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah

local short form: Lubnan

Government type: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (mohafazat, singular -
mohafazah); Beyrouth, Ech Chimal, Ej Jnoub, El Bekaa, Jabal Loubnane

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution: 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently
Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Taif Accord) of October
1989

Legal system: mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code,
and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
women at age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24
November 1998)

head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October
2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president and members of the National Assembly; the current
Cabinet was formed in 1998

elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held
NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the
president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the
president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni
Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim

election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly
vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab
(Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected
by popular vote on the basis of secta