38. CIA Factbook on Lebanon: Government
Description
This article is from the Lebanon FAQ, by Alaa Dakroub dakroub@leb.net with numerous contributions by others.
38. CIA Factbook on Lebanon: Government
Names:
conventional long form Republic of Lebanon
conventional short form Lebanon
local long form Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form none
Digraph: LE
Type: 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); 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 HARIRI (since 22 October 1992)
cabinet Cabinet; chosen by the president in consultation with the members of
the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly (Arabic - Majlis Alnuwab, French - Assemblee Nationale)
Lebanon's first legislative election in 20 years was held in the summer of
1992; the National Assembly is composed of 128 deputies, one-half Christian
and one-half Muslim; its mandate expires in 1996
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
Member of: ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission Ambassador Riad TABBARAH
chancery 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone (202) 939-6300
FAX (202) 939-6324
consulate(s) general Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission Ambassador Mark HAMBLEY
mailing embassy Antelias, Beirut
address P. O. Box 70-840, PSC 815, Box 2, Beirut; FPO AE 09836-0002
telephone [961] 417774 or 415802 through 415803, 402200, 403300
FAX [961] (1) 407-112
Flag: three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with
a green and brown cedar tree centered in the white band
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