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Compare Switzerland (2008) - Lebanon (2003)

Compare Switzerland (2008) z Lebanon (2003)

 Switzerland (2008)Lebanon (2003)
 SwitzerlandLebanon
Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich 6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 630,341/female 584,167)


15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,596,996/female 2,553,108)


65 years and over: 15.8% (male 489,895/female 700,154) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 27.1% (male 514,447; female 494,166)


15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,177,773; female 1,286,433)


65 years and over: 6.8% (male 115,693; female 139,191) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats
Airports 65 (2007) 8 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 42


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 16 (2007)
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)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 sq km
total: 10,400 sq km


land: 10,230 sq km


water: 170 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Background The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country 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, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. 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 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of Beirut and in 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 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well.
Birth rate 9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $155.5 billion


expenditures: $154.2 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $3.1 billion


expenditures: $5.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital name: Bern


geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Beirut
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 225 km
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Country name conventional long form: Swiss Confederation


conventional short form: Switzerland


local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)


local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic


conventional short form: Lebanon


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah


local short form: Lubnan
Currency - Lebanese pound (LBP)
Death rate 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.32 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.34 trillion (30 June 2007) $9.3 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY


embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, CH-3001 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER


chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900


FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
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
Disputes - international none Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) -
Economic aid - recipient - $3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001) $4.2 billion in pledges November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference
Economy - overview Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05, and jumped to 2.9% in 2006, and 2.6% in 2007. Unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. 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 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001, and 1.5% in 2002. 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 rein 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 restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2002, the government had successfully avoided a currency devaluation and debt default in 2002.
Electricity - consumption 58.26 billion kWh (2005) 7.44 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 32 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 38.35 billion kWh (2005) 1.183 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 56.1 billion kWh (2005) 6.728 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 97.2%


hydro: 2.8%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m


highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity 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
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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
Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003) Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999), 1,516.13 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council


head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008)


cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its 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 a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 12 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2008)


election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 80.0%; Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%
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); note - HARIRI resigned on 15 April 2003, but was reappointed the next day


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
Exports 11,360 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products foodstuffs and tobacco, textiles, chemicals, precious stones, metal products, electrical products, jewelry, paper products
Exports - partners Germany 19.7%, US 11.1%, Italy 8.8%, France 8.6%, UK 4.8% (2006) Switzerland 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 9%, UAE 8.6%, US 6.7%, Jordan 4.6%, Turkey 4.3% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $17.61 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 34%


services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 12%


industry: 21%


services: 67% (2000)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2007 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 33 50 N, 35 50 E
Geography - note landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps 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
Heliports 2 (2007) -
Highways - total: 7,300 km


paved: 6,198 km


unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production 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
Imports 267,000 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles foodstuffs, electrical products, vehicles, minerals, chemicals, textiles, fuels
Imports - partners Germany 31.7%, Italy 10.6%, France 10%, US 6.2%, Netherlands 4.7%, Austria 4.3% (2006) Italy 11.3%, France 10.7%, Germany 8.4%, US 5.6%, Syria 5.4%, China 4.8%, Belgium 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate 6.5% (2006 est.) NA%
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating
Infant mortality rate total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.22 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.6% (2007 est.) 3.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, 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, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 22 (2000)
Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003) 1,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) 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)
Labor force 3.85 million (2007 est.) 1.5 million


note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 4.6%


industry: 26.3%


services: 69.1% (1998)
services NA%, industry NA%, agriculture NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
total: 454 km


border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Land use arable land: 9.91%


permanent crops: 0.58%


other: 89.51% (2005)
arable land: 17.6%


permanent crops: 12.51%


other: 69.89% (1998 est.)
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)


note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Legal system 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 mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch 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; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to 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 the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13; note - seating for the Council of States as of December 2007 is CVP 16, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 2
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)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.62 years


male: 77.8 years


female: 83.59 years (2007 est.)
total population: 72.07 years


male: 69.64 years


female: 74.61 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 87.4%


male: 93.1%


female: 82.2% (2003 est.)
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Map references Europe Middle East
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 32 ships (1000 GRT or over) 577,765 GRT/918,974 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, container 6, specialized tanker 1


registered in other countries: 121 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 2, Cyprus 3, France 3, Indonesia 3, Italy 5, Liberia 11, Malta 22, Marshall Islands 14, Panama 26, Paraguay 1, Portugal 2, Russia 6, Singapore 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 12, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 2) (2007)
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 230,142 GRT/306,442 DWT


ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 28, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 9, roll on/roll off 4, 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.)
Military branches Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006) Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $541 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (2005 est.) 4.8% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,025,984 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Nationality noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)


adjective: Lebanese
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
Net migration rate 2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,781 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2007) oil 209 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; 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) [Hans-Juerg FEHR]; 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]; and other minor parties 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
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 7,554,661 (July 2007 est.) 3,727,703 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 28% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.381% (2007 est.) 1.34% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)
Railways total: 4,839 km


standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006)
total: 401 km


standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m


narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m


note: rail system is unusable because of damage in civil war (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant), Jewish NEGL%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.079 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.969 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education
Telephone system general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services


domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
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
Telephones - main lines in use 5.04 million (2006) 700,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 7.418 million (2006) 580,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) 15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Total fertility rate 1.44 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.1% (2007 est.) 18% (1997 est.)
Waterways 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003) none
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