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Compare Lebanon (2002) - Switzerland (2001)

Compare Lebanon (2002) z Switzerland (2001)

 Lebanon (2002)Switzerland (2001)
 LebanonSwitzerland
Administrative divisions 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.3% (male 511,902; female 491,804)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,157,688; female 1,267,106)


65 years and over: 6.8% (male 113,341; female 135,939) (2002 est.)
0-14 years:
16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929)

15-64 years:
67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408)

65 years and over:
15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Airports 8 (2001) 67 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total:
42

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
15 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total:
25

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
Area total: 10,400 sq km


land: 10,230 sq km


water: 170 sq km
total:
41,290 sq km

land:
39,770 sq km

water:
1,520 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Background Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil war. 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 while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 20,000 troops in Lebanon based mainly in Beirut, North Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern Lebanon in May of 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.
Birth rate 19.96 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.6 billion


expenditures: $8.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues:
$32.66 billion

expenditures:
$34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)
Capital Beirut Bern
Climate Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Coastline 225 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989 29 May 1874
Country name conventional long form: Lebanese Republic


conventional short form: Lebanon


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah


local short form: Lubnan
conventional long form:
Swiss Confederation

conventional short form:
Switzerland

local long form:
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form:
Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
Currency Lebanese pound (LBP) Swiss franc (CHF)
Death rate 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $8.4 billion (2001 est.) $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Vincent Martin BATTLE


embassy: Awkar, Lebanon


mailing address: P. O. Box 70840, Awkar, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002


telephone: 011-961-4-543-600/542-600


FAX: 011-961-4-544-136
chief of mission:
Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS

embassy:
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[41] (31) 357 70 11

FAX:
[41] (31) 357 73 44
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD


chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-6320


FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324


consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO

chancery:
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 745-7900

FAX:
[1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s):
Boston
Disputes - international Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid - recipient $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) -
Economy - overview The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997 but slowed to 2% in 1998, -1% in 1999, and -0.5% in 2000. Growth recovered slightly in 2001 to 1%. During the 1990s annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to reign in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize state enterprises. The Hariri government met with international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral assistance in order to restructure its higher interest rate bearing domestic debt obligations at lower rates. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfullly avoided a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002. Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value.
Electricity - consumption 8.643 billion kWh (2000) 51.862 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 31.955 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 1.25 billion kWh (2000) 21.723 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 7.95 billion kWh (2000) 66.768 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 97%


hydro: 3%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
3.44%

hydro:
59.16%

nuclear:
35.43%

other:
1.97% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Exchange rates Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (January 2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.8 (1999), 1,516.1 (1998), 1,539.5 (1997) Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)


head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq HARIRI (since 23 October 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000)


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly


elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by custom, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shi'a Muslim


election results: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions
chief of state:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term

elections:
president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72%
Exports $700 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal and metal products, electrical equipment and products, jewelry, paper and paper products machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners Saudi Arabia 11%, UAE 11%, Switzerland 7%, US 7%, France 5%, Iraq 4%, Jordan 4%, Kuwait 4%, Syria 4% (2000) EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $18.8 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 12%


industry: 21%


services: 67% (2000)
agriculture:
2.8%

industry:
31.1%

services:
66.1% (1995)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,200 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2001 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 33 50 N, 35 50 E 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Geography - note Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe
Highways total: 7,300 km


paved: 6,350 km


unpaved: 950 km (1999 est.)
total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)

paved:
71,059 km

unpaved:
0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
25.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to US and European markets because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
Imports $6.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, textiles, metals, fuels, agricultural foods machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners Italy 11%, France 8%, Germany 8%, US 7%, Switzerland 6%, China 5%, Syria 5%, UK 4% (2000) EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999)
Independence 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.6% (2000 est.)
Industries banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Infant mortality rate 27.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.5% (2001 est.) 1.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 22 (2000) 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
Irrigated land 1,200 sq km (1998 est.) 250 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed) Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Labor force 1.5 million


note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (1999 est.) (2001 est.)
3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA% services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries total: 454 km


border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
total:
1,852 km

border countries:
Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Land use arable land: 17.6%


permanent crops: 12.51%


other: 69.89% (1998 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
28%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
28% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Legal system mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - Muslim 57% (of which Sunni 25%, Sh'ite 25%, Druze 6%, Alawite less than 1%), Christian 43% (of which Maronite 23%); seats by party - Muslim 64 (of which Sunni 27, Sh'ite 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

election results:
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.79 years


male: 69.38 years


female: 74.32 years (2002 est.)
total population:
79.73 years

male:
76.85 years

female:
82.76 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 86.4%


male: 90.8%


female: 82.2% (1997 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
99% (1980 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 NM none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 67 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 320,770 GRT/468,293 DWT


ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 38, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 7, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 3


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1, Greece 10, Netherlands 4, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Spain 1, Syria 2 (2002 est.)
total:
24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force) Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $343 million (FY99/00) $3.1 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.8% (FY99/00) 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,003,174 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 618,129 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
42,597 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 22 November (1943) Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Nationality noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Lebanese
noun:
Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective:
Swiss
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Natural resources limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land hydropower potential, timber, salt
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 72 km (none in operation) crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
Political parties and leaders political party activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, clan, and economic considerations Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert DURRER, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 3,677,780 (July 2002 est.) 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 28% (1999 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.36% (2002 est.) 0.27% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre Basel
Radio broadcast stations AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 2.85 million (1997) 7.1 million (1997)
Railways total: 399 km


standard gauge: 317 km 1.435-m


narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m


note: entire system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2001)
total:
4,492 km (1,564 km double track)

standard gauge:
3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998)
Religions Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL% Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables
general assessment:
excellent domestic and international services

domestic:
extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 700,000 (1999) 4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 580,000 (1999) 1.967 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995) 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Total fertility rate 2.02 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 18% (1997 est.) 1.9% (2000 est.)
Waterways none 65 km

note:
The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
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