Lebanon

Religion: Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Coptic, Protestant), other 1.3% note: 17 religious sects recognized

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%, note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2016)

GDP per capita (ppp): US$18,500 (2016)

Currency: LL=100piastres foreign exchange

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 5.7%, industry: 25%, services: 69.4% (2016 est.)

Military expenditure/GDP: 4.76% (2015)

Fiscal year: 1.1 ~ 12.31

Life expectancy: total population: 77.6 years, male: 76.3 years, female: 78.9 years (2016 est.)

Illiteracy: total population: 6.1%, male: 0.4%, female: 8.2% (2015 est)


CIA World Factbook	WIKIPEDIA	BBC Profile

Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence the country has been marked by periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war that resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has historically influenced Lebanon's foreign policy and internal policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved. (CIA World Factbook)

Source: S.M. Hong, Islamic Economy & Finance (2009), Middle Eastern Economy (1997), Middle Eastern Economics (1991), BBC, Country Profile, CIA, The World Fact Book & WIKIPEDIA , 2017, Population Density, GeographyIQ.com and GeographyIQ.