Basic Country Facts

Government Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Lebanon conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: none Data code: LE Type of government: republic Capital: Beirut Administrative divisions: 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Biqa', Al Janub, Ash Shamal, Bayrut, Jabal Lubnan 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 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 Suffrage: 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education Executive branch: chief of state: President Ilyas HARAWI (since 24 November 1989) was elected for a six-year term by the National Assembly and in 1995 the National Assembly amended the constitution to extend his term by three years; note - 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 head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI (since 22 October 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Michel al-MURR (since NA) were appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly cabinet: Cabinet was chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet was formed in 1995 Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Arabic - Majlis Alnuwab French - Assembl: elections last held in the summer of 1992 (next to be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (128 total, one-half Christian and one-half Muslim) independents 128 Judicial branch: four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases) 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 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, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Riyad TABBARAH chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard H. JONES embassy: Antelias, Beirut mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Beirut; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (1) 402200, 403300, 406650, 406651, 426183, 417774, 889926 FAX: [961] (1) 407112 Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band