People

Population: 3,449,578 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 531,171; female 511,522) 15-64 years: 64% (male 1,036,728; female 1,150,847) 65 years and over: 6% (male 100,682; female 118,628) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.62% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 22.74 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 32.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.35 years male: 67.82 years female : 73 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 55%, Levantine 40%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions: Christian and Muslim. Christian (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 6 Catholic, 4 Orthodox , 1 Protestant), Islam (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Judaism.

Languages: Lebanese (spoken), Arabic (official), French (official), English, Armenian,

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.4% male: 94.7% female: 90.3% (1995 est.)