Lebanon

Lebanon is a middle-income country with a population of just over 4 million. No official government census has been conducted in Lebanon since 1932, when Lebanon was still under French mandate, because of the precarious political structure [Page 905]of Lebanese politics, which is based on proportional representation of the Lebanese sects. The country is home to the most concentrated mix of religious sects (totaling 18) living in close proximity in the Arab region. Lebanon inherited a dependent capitalist economy from the French mandate in 1942, with the Beirut-based bourgeoisie at its helm. The traditional backbone of the economy has been the services and banking sector, accounting for over 70 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008, according to the World Bank. Until 1974, Lebanon ...