Page last updated on January 13, 2011
Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form:
Lebanon
local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form:
Lubnan
former:
Greater Lebanon
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Beirut
geographic coordinates:
33 52 N, 35 30 E
time difference:
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beqaa, Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye
note:
two new governorates - Aakar and Baalbek-Hermel - have been legislated but not yet implemented
Independence:
22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 November (1943)
Constitution:
23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently in 1990 to include changes necessitated by the Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
Legal system:
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; the constitutional court reviews laws only after they have been passed; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michel SULAYMAN (since 25 May 2008)
head of government:
Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Din al-HARIRI (since 9 November 2009); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since 9 November 2009)
cabinet:
Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly; note - the Cabinet resigned on 12 January 2010 following the resignation of over a third of the ministers
(For more information visit the 
)
elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 25 May 2008 (next to be held in 2014); the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly
election results:
Michel SULAYMAN elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 for, 6 abstentions, 3 invalidated; 1 seat unfilled due to death of incumbent
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab (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 on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
percent of vote by group - March 8 Coalition 54.7%, March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by group - March 14 Coalition 71; March 8 Coalition 57
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)
Political parties and leaders:
14 March Coalition: Democratic Left [Ilyas ATALLAH]; Democratic Renewal Movement [Nassib LAHUD]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [Amine GEMAYEL]; Lebanese Forces [Samir JA'JA]; Tripoli Independent Bloc
8 March Coalition:
Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih BERRI, leader of Amal Movement]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN]; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc [Mohammad RA'AD] (includes Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]); Nasserite Popular Movement [Usama SAAD]; Popular Bloc [Elias SKAFF]; Syrian Ba'th Party [Sayez SHUKR]; Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]; Tashnaq [Hovig MEKHITIRIAN]
Independent:
Democratic Gathering Bloc [Walid JUNBLATT, leader of Progressive Socialist Party]; Metn Bloc [Michel MURR]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Maronite Church [Patriarch Nasrallah SFAYR]
other:
note - most sects retain militias and a number of militant groups operate in Palestinian refugee camps
International organization participation:
ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine CHEDID
chancery:
2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-6300
FAX:
[1] (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general:
Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Maura CONNELLY
embassy:
Awkar, Lebanon (Awkar facing the Municipality)
mailing address:
P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070
telephone:
[961] (4) 542600, 543600
FAX:
[961] (4) 544136
Flag description:
three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band; the red bands symbolize blood shed for liberation, the white band denotes peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity
National anthem:
name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!)
lyrics/music:
Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
note:
adopted 1927; the anthem was chosen following a nationwide competition
- Please bookmark this page (add it to your favorites).
