LEBANONMina Moscatelli

GEOGRAPHY

Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Mediterranean climate: mild to cool temperatures wet winters with hot, dry summers mountains experience heavy winter snows

GENERAL INFORMATION

Total Population: 4,143,101 (2011) Male to Female ratio of total Population:0.96

male(s)/female Religious and Ethnic Groups:

Muslim 59.7%, Christian 39%, other 1.3% Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official) French, English, Armenian

EDUCATION

Percent of Budget Spent on Education: (from 2009) 1.8% of GDP

Literacy: (from 2003) total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2%

HEALTH

Infant Mortality Rates: (2011) total: 15.85 deaths/1,000 live births

Life Expectancy: total population: 75.01 years male: 73.48 years female: 76.62 years

GOVERNMENT Government Type: Republic Current Leader: Michel Suleiman (president)

Najib Makati (Prime Minister) Stability: Better but hard to say how stable

The agreement to vote for a president put an end to the awful civil wars from 1975-1990

Government has been very unstable throughout history but is fairly stable now Civil Wars from 1975-1981 and again from 1985-1989 Also many conflicts with Israel including wars

throughout 1975-1981 time period and in 2006 where bombed like crazy

Michel Suleiman seen as very unifying Michel Suleiman is seen as very respected and

delivering the government from political chaos

ECONOMICS Income per capita: $14,400 (2010) Industries: banking, tourism, food processing,

wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Exports jewelry, base metals, chemicals, miscellaneous

consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Imports petroleum products, cars, medicinal products,

clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES Yes, Lebanon is an ally of the United States: we have a bilateral

relationship (Meaning Lebanon is very important to US) Lebanon and US have had good relationship

Have helped them with lots of funding Intervened in war times and when in need of help Very interested in helping Lebanon and it’s people

US wants to create a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Lebanon Overall could help in Middle East with comprehensive peace in the Middle East Plus we want Lebanon to be stable and independent

1975-1981 Lebanon suffered major civil war problems and from 1982-1984 the US intervened 1983, US, Lebanon, and Israel signed agreement, but this didn’t last long

The U.S. government gave $1 billion in additional public debt to the Lebanese population in 2006 and 2007 after being bombed by Israel

United States also has assisted the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU) Budget support Student scholarships

In 1993 US resumed the International Military Education and Training program Reinforces civilian control in military

It is very important to the US to maintain a good relationship with Lebanon

SHARIA

Sharia is not the main source of legislation in Lebanon

Lebanon has mixed jurisdiction systems based on residual colonial legal systems and supplemented with sharia French civil law greatly influenced development of

Lebanese legal and judiciary systems Hudud (Koranic) offences, have their specific

penalties for particular crimes, such as adultery is punished by stoning, the consumption of alcohol by lashing, and theft by the amputation of limbs. Lebanon does not use these punishments in their

judicial system today

HUMAN RIGHTS Torture

There are reports that security forces abuse detainees Beatings Suspension by arms tied behind the back Some reportedly beaten, handcuffed, blindfolded, and forced to lie face down on

the ground Government acknowledged that violent abuse usually occurred during

interrogation when suspects had no attorney This abuse occurred despite laws that prevented judges from accepting any

confessions that came out under tortuous ways

Minorities Discrimination against Palestinians

there are 350,000 non-citizen Palestinian refugees in Lebanon not allowed to own property even need a special permit to leave their refugee camps denied access to the Lebanese healthcare system 2010, government removed work restrictions from Palestinians, enabling them to

apply for work permits and work in the private sector Lebanese Parliament is divided on granting Palestinian rights

Improving Civil Rights for Palestinians VS. concerns for messing up mainly Muslim cultured population

Homosexuals Sexual intercourse used to be considered a crime (prison sentence varied but was

up to a year) today no longer against the law and there are many organizations for gay rights

HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUED Women

Considered equal to men under civil rights but that’s not really followed out

Living in a man’s world Fewer rights than men and unfair compared to men’s

rights For example, Adultery- one month to a year for male

but 3 months to 2 years for females Don’t play a big role in politics, when it comes down to

it politics are male dominate all over the world, but one step at a time it becomes more natural for women

Due Process Unreasonable arrests are fairly common Some prisoners are held for long periods of time

without trials or charges Human Right Violations are pretty common in Lebanon

CURRENT EVENT Government and Relationships with Israel and the

Hezbollah Government of Lebanon has been in and out of stability

with many civil wars Lebanon and Israel have had lots of conflict Hezbollah is considered a terrorist group which was

established by Palestinians Although Hezbollah is not affiliated with Lebanon Hezbollah basically forced Lebanon and Israel into conflict All started in 60’s and 70’s Palestinians fled to Lebanon where Hezbollah was

established Hezbollah continuously made small attacks on Israel from

boarder This began a huge conflict between Lebanon and Israel

that lasted a long time Better now but conflict and small attacks still continue

and Hezbollah holds places in government US is very curious to see where government going

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Khalaf, Mona Chemali. "UNHCR | Refworld | Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa 2010 - Lebanon." UNHCR Welcome. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,FREEHOU,,LBN,4b99012177,0.html>.

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