d heroin for the international drug
trade; opium poppy production in Al Biqa almost completely eradicated this
year; hashish production is shipped to Western Europe, Israel, US, the
Middle East, and South America
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $356 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $664 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $962 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $9
million
Currency:
1 Lebanese pound (#L) = 100 piasters
Exchange rates:
Lebanese pounds (#L) per US$1 - 1,742.00 (April 1993), 1,712.80 (1992),
928.23 (1991), 695.09 (1990), 496.69 (1989), 409.23 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*Lebanon, Communications

Railroads:
system in disrepair, considered inoperable
Highways:
7,300 km total; 6,200 km paved, 450 km gravel and crushed stone, 650 km
improved earth
Pipelines:
crude oil 72 km (none in operation)
Ports:
Beirut, Tripoli, Ra'Sil'ata, Juniyah, Sidon, Az Zahrani, Tyre, Jubayl,
Shikka Jadidah
Merchant marine:
63 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 270,505 GRT/403,328 DWT; includes 39
cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 3 roll-on/roll-off, 1
container, 9 livestock carrier, 2 chemical tanker, 1 specialized tanker, 4
bulk, 1 combination bulk
Airports:
total:
9
usable:
8
with permanent-surface runways:
6
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
2
Telecommunications:
telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding still
underway; 325,000 telephones (95 telephones per 1,000 persons); domestic
traffic carried primarily by microwave radio relay and a small amount of
cable; international traffic by satellite - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth
station and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station (erratic operations),
coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond
Syria to Jordan, 3 submarine coaxial cables; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 3
FM, 13 TV (numerous AM and FM stations are operated sporadically by various
factions)

*Lebanon, Defense Forces

Branches:
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; including Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 798,299; fit for military service 495,763 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $271 million, 8.2% of GDP (1992 budget)

*Lesotho, Geography

Locati