Area: 10,452 sq km (4036 sq miles).

Population: 3,700,000 (2003).

Population Density: 344 per sq km.

Capital: Beirut.

Population: 1,171,000 (2003).

GEOGRAPHY: Lebanon lies to the east of the Mediterranean, sharing borders to the north and east with the Syrian Arab Republic, and to the south with Israel/Palestinian Territory. It is a mountainous country and between the two mountain ranges of Jebel Lubnan (Mount Lebanon), Mount Hermon and the Anti-Lebanon range lies the fertile Bekaa Valley. Approximately half of the country lies at an altitude of over 900m (3000ft). Into this small country is packed such a variety of scenery that there are few places to equal it in beauty and choice. The famous cedar trees grow high in the mountains, while the lower slopes bear grapes, apricots, plums, peaches, figs, olives and barley, often on terraces painstakingly cut out from the mountainsides. On the coastal plain, citrus fruit, bananas and vegetables are cultivated, with radishes and beans grown in tiny patches.

Government: Republic. Head of State: President Emil Jamil Lahoud since 1998. His term of presidency was set to end in November 2004 but was controversially extended by another term (lasting three years) when the constitution was amended to allow Lahoud to remain in office. Head of Government: Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri since 2000.

Language: The official language is Arabic, followed by French as the second language; English is widely spoken. Armenian is spoken by a small percentage of the population.

Religion: Islam and Christianity are the main religions. Islam (predominantly Shi’ite) accounts for approximately 40 per cent of the population’s beliefs. Christian denominations, mainly Greek Orthodox, Maronite, Armenian and Protestant account for another 40 per cent. Other religions account for the remaining 20 per cent (including a very small Jewish community).

Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from April to September).

Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 961. Outgoing international code: 00. Cellular phones are widely used and are available for hire to visitors.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 network in use. Network providers are Faldete (website: www.faldete.com.lb) and MTC (website: www.mtc.com.lb).

Fax: International facilities available. Faxes can be sent from centrales (state telephone bureaux) in major towns and from most hotels (which often add 25 per cent to the official rates).

Internet: The main ISPs are Cyberia (website: www.thisiscyberia.com), IDM (website: www.idm.net.lb) and Terranet (website: www.terra.net.lb). There are Internet cafes in Beirut, Tripoli and most major towns.

Post: Post to Europe usually takes two to four days, and between four to seven days to the USA.

Press: There are more than 30 daily newspapers published in Arabic, Armenian and French and over 100 publications appear on a weekly or monthly basis. Beirut Times and The Daily Star are published in English and there are several English-language weeklies, primarily Monday Morning. The best-selling Arabic dailies are Al Anwar, Al Dyar, Al Liwa’, An Nahar and Al Safir. The most important daily in French is L'Orient-le Jour.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.