and brown cedar tree centered in the white band

@Lebanon, Economy

Overview:
Since 1975 civil war has 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.
Following October 1990, however, a tentative peace has enabled the
central government to begin restoring control in Beirut, collect
taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. The
battered economy has also been propped up by a financially sound
banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers.
Family remittances, banking transactions, manufactured and farm
exports, the narcotics trade, and international emergency aid are the
main sources of foreign exchange. In the relatively settled year of
1991, industrial production, agricultural output, and exports showed
substantial gains. The further rebuilding of the war-ravaged country
was delayed in 1992 because of an upturn in political wrangling. In
October 1992, Rafiq HARIRI was appointed Prime Minister. HARIRI, a
wealthy entrepreneur, has announced ambitious plans for Lebanon's
reconstruction which involve a substantial influx of foreign aid and
investment. Progress on restoring basic services is limited. Since
Prime Minister HARIRI's appointment, the most significant improvement
lies in the stabilization of the Lebanese pound, which had gained over
30% in value by yearend 1993. The year 1993 was marked by efforts of
the new administration to encourage domestic and foreign investment
and to obtain additional international assistance.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $6.1 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
4.2% (1992)
National product per capita:
$1,720 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
35% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
35% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$990 million
expenditures:
$1.98 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)
Exports:
$925 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
agricultural products, chemicals, textiles, precious and semiprecious
metals and jewelry, metals and metal products
partners:
Saudi Arabia 21%, Switzerland 9.5%, Jordan 6%, Kuwait 12%, US 5%
Imports:
$4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities:
Consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
partners:
Italy 14%, Franc