Lebanese Republic
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Lebanon opens embassy in Syria for first time
Mar 16, 2009 12:01 EDT
Lebanon opens first embassy in neighboring Syria in sign of improving relations. Lebanon on Monday opened an embassy in Syria, sealing the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the long-feuding rivals for the first time since they gained independence from France in the 1940s.
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Facts from the Wikipedia page:
| Republic of Lebanon
اَلْجُمْهُورِيَّة اَللُّبْنَانِيَّة (Arabic)
al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah République libanaise (French) | ||||||
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| Anthem: Lebanese National Anthem | ||||||
 Location of Lebanon
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| Capital (and largest city) | Beirut 33°54′N 35°32′E / 33.9°N 35.533°E | |||||
| Official languages | Arabic, French (conditional)1 | |||||
| Spoken languages | Arabic (Lebanese dialect), French, English, Armenian | |||||
| Ethnic groups | 95% Arab2, 4% Armenian, 1% other[1] | |||||
| Demonym | Lebanese | |||||
| Government | Confessionalist, parliamentary republic[2] | |||||
| - | President | Michel Suleiman | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Saad Hariri | ||||
| - | Speaker of Parliament | Nabih Berri | ||||
| Independence | from France | |||||
| - | Declared | 26 November 1941 | ||||
| - | Recognized | 22 November 1943 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 10,452 km2 (166th) 4,035 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 1.6 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2009 estimate | 4,234,000[3] (124th) | ||||
| - | Density | 404/km2 (25th) 1,046/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2009 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $53.818 billion[4] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $13,952[4] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2009 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $32.660 billion[4] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $8,467[4] | ||||
| HDI (2009) | ▲ 0.803[5] (high) (83rd) | |||||
| Currency | Lebanese pound (LBP) | |||||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .lb | |||||
| Calling code | 961[6] | |||||
| 1 | ^ Article 11 of the Constitution of Lebanon states that "Arabic is the official national language. A law shall determine the cases in which the French language is to be used."[2] | |||||
| 2 | ^ Lebanese ethnicity is a mixture of Phoenician, Greek, Armenian, and Arab elements.[7] Many Christian Lebanese do not identify as Arab, and prefer to be called Phoenician.[1]. | |||||
