8 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.28 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups-Alawite or
Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally
recognized Christian groups-4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1
Protestant), Judaism NEGL%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian widely
understood

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 90.8%
female: 82.2% (1997 est.)

@Lebanon:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan

Data code: LE

Government type: republic

National 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)
head of government: Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI (since 22 October
1992)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the
members of the National Assembly; the current Cabinet was formed in
1996
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
term; election last held 24 November 1989 (next to be held NA 1998);
note-in 1995, the National Assembly amended the constitution to extend
the president's term by three years; 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: Ilyas HARAWI elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwa