ed structural
reforms to boost competition and efficiency in the markets. The
conflict with Lebanon in summer 2006 dampened slightly GDP growth
estimates for the year, but continuing strong foreign investment,
tax revenue, and private consumption levels helped the economy
recover quickly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$166.3 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$121.6 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$26,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.6%
industry: 30.8%
services: 66.6% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
2.6 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 1.8%, manufacturing 1.8%,
construction 5.3%, wholesale and retail trade 15.7%, transport,
storage, and communications 6.3%, finance and business 5.3%,
personal and other services 11.5%, public services 28.6% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
22.6% (2005)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.4%
highest 10%: 32% (2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
17.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $47.57 billion
expenditures: $49.57 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
91% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Industries:
high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber
optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,
beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals
products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles,
footwear

Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
46.07 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 99.9%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
41.38 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
1.47 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
3,209 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
248,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports: