and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 36.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.99 years
male: 67.49 years
female: 72.62 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

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

Religions: Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups -
Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30%
(11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6
Catholic, 1 Protestant), Judaism NEGL%

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

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 92.4%
male: 94.7%
female: 90.3%

Government
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Name of country:
conventional long form: Republic of Lebanon
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: none

Data code: LE

Type of government: republic

Capital: Beirut

Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular -
muhafazah); Al Biqa', Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan

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

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 Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989) was
elected for a six-year term by the National Assembly and in 1995 the
National Assembly amended the constitution to extend his term by
three years; note - 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
head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI (since 22 October
1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Michel al-MURR (since NA) were
appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly
cabinet: Cabinet was chosen by the prime minister in consultation
with the m