5% of GDP; note - conversion of the military budget
into US$ using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

*Lebanon, Header

Note:
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions and
regaining its national sovereignty since the end of the devastating 16-year
civil war in October 1990. Under the Ta'if accord - the blueprint for
national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the
political process. Since December 1990, the Lebanese have formed three
cabinets and conducted the first legislative election in 20 years. Most of
the militias have been weakened or disbanded. The Lebanese Armed Forces
(LAF) has seized vast quantities of weapons used by the militias during the
war and extended central government authority over about one-half of the
country. Hizballah, the radical Sh'ia party, is the only significant group
that retains most of its weapons. Foreign forces still occupy areas of
Lebanon. Israel continues to support a proxy militia, The Army of South
Lebanon (ASL), along a narrow stretch of territory contiguous to its border.
The ASL's enclave encompasses this self-declared security zone and about 20
kilometers north to the strategic town of Jazzine. As of December 1992,
Syria maintained about 30,000 troops in Lebanon. These troops are based
mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's deployment
was legitimized by the Arab League early in Lebanon's civil war and in the
Ta'if accord. Citing the continued weakness of the LAF, Beirut's requests,
and failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the
constitutional reforms in the Ta'if accord, Damascus has so far refused to
withdraw its troops from Beirut.

*Lebanon, Geography

Location:
Middle East, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Map references:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
10,400 km2
land area:
10,230 km2
comparative area:
about 0.8 times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total 454 km, Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Coastline:
225 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Israeli troops in southern
Lebanon since June 1982; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern
Lebanon