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Tour Lebanon - Overview

International Name: Republic of Lebanon

The Capital: Beirut
Population :
.............3,439,000 (1992) .............Age 0-14: 37.0 %
.............3,620,395 (1994) .............Age 15-59: 55.1 %
.............3,695,921 (1995) .............Age 60+: 7.9 %
.............Density: 856 per sq mi (1993)
............. ......... 936 per sq mi (1995)
.............Growth Rate: 1.98% (1994 est.)
.......... ..Birth rate: 27.89 births/1,000
.............Death rate:6.55 deaths/1,000 population.
.............Infant mortality rate: 38.0 deaths/1,000 live.
.............Life expectancy at birth:
..........................Male:  .67.00 years (1995)
......................... Female:72.00 years (1995)
.............Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman.
.............Ethnic divisions: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%,other1%

Area: 10,452 Sq/Km

Languages: Arabic is the official language, but French, English are well spken in Lebanon.

Electricity: Both 220 and 110 are used. Sockets are 2-pin round plugs.

Weights and measures: Metric system.

Business hours :
.............Government offices: 8am-2pm Mon to Sat; 8am-11am Friday.
.............Banks: 8:30am-12:30pm Mon to Sat.
............ Shops and commercial business: 9am-6pm Mon to Sat. Many stores keep later hours and open on Sunday as well.
.............Week-Ends: Saturday and sunday.

International dialling code, area codes and time zone :
.............International code: +961
............ Local Area Codes : Beirut 01 - Mt. Lebanon 04 - Kisriwan 09-North 05 - South 06 -
............ Time Zone : GMT + 2 hours.


The Lebanese Flag :
The Lebanese flag is divided into three wide, horizontal stripes with red on top and bottom, and a wider white stripe in the middle. In the center of this white stripe is a green cedar tree, the emblem of the country.

Government :
Lebanon is a Democratic Republic, with a parliamentary system of government and a cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. Its constitution is based on the separation of executive, legislative and judicial powers, with a President elected for a six year term. The 128 Members of Parliament are elected by universal adult suffrage for a four year term.

Currency and Banking:
The monetary unit is the Lebanese pound(LL). With currency Notes issued in
LL50, LL100, LL250, LL500, LL1,000, LL5,000, LL10,000, LL20,000, LL50,000 and LL100,000 denominations. Coins are now issued in LL100, LL250 and LL500 denominations. More than eighty banks operate in the country and transactions are performed efficiently and at low cost.

Official Holidays:
New Year's Day: January 1
Martyrs' Day: May 6
All Saints Day: .November 1
Al-Fitr: (three days)
Independence Day: .November 22
Al Adha: (three days)
Christmas: December 25
Al Ashoura
The Prophet Mohammad's Birthday

Islamic holidays :
The main ones are Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, and Eid al-Adha which marks the end of the pilgrimage to Makkah. Shiite Muslims observe the anniversary of the Martyr Hussein, and all Muslims celebrate the Islamic New Year.

Christian holidays :
Christmas, Easter and New Year.