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1.1 LEBANON'S GEOGRAPHY 1
Located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea between the
North Latitudes 33o 03' 38" and 34o 41' 35" and East Longitude 35o
06' 22" and 36o 37' 22", Lebanon covers an area of 10,425 km2, with
an average width of 48 km and average length of 220 km.
In spite of its limited area, the Lebanese territory is dominated by
two mountain ranges that run parallel to the sea (NNE-SSW) as well
as to each other. The western range (Mount Lebanon) overlooks the
narrow coastal plain and is separated from the eastern chain (the
Anti-Lebanon) by the Bekaa Valley. This structure presents a variety
of contrasting features, thus individualizing five major
geomorphological regions with different ranges of altitude, slope
and width.
- The Coastal Zone including the shoreline, the coastal plain and
the western chain foothills;
- The Mount Lebanon middle and high elevation zones;
- The Bekaa Plain (also called the Bekaa Valley);
- The Anti-Lebanon (including Jabal Al-Sheikh, also called Mount
Hermon);
- The Southern Plateau (including Lebanese Upper Galilee and Jabal
Amel).
Another component of the Lebanese physical environment is to be
given a special attention: the river system. With the exception of
the Litani and the Assi, the Lebanese rivers run perpendicular to
the general direction of the above-mentioned mountains. Added to the
steep relief and the local lithology, the result is the formation of
deeply incised valleys with particular climate conditions and
specific riverbank vegetation.
(1) Abi-Saleh, B. & Safi, S. Liban-La rescherche phytoecologique:
premiers resultats et perspectives. Ecologia Mediterranean, 1990,
XVI: 365-3770
1.2 LEBANON'S CLIMATE
Characterized by a maximum rainfall during winter and an aestival
period of drought, the Lebanese climate is classified as typically
Mediterranean. It presents, however, some specific aspects resulting
from the country's location and physiography. The general direction
of the above-mentioned mountain ranges is perpendicular to the
atmospheric circulation path from the core of the country. Added to
the singular configuration of the relief, this results in the
individualisation of six Bioclimatic levels: arid, semi-arid,
sub-humid, humid, prehumid and oromediterranean, all the more
remarkable by their variability over short distances.
1.3 LEBANON'S VEGETATION
Botanical and ecological approaches bring out the specificity of the
Lebanese terrestrial ecosystems. The distribution of the Lebanese
vegetation is characterized by: its general features (floristic
ensembles), its geobotanical localization (vegetation levels), its
floristic composition and its dynamics (series of vegetation). A
special emphasis is to be laid on the territorial extensions of
these subdivisions2 . The Mediterranean Ensemble spreads all over
the western part of Mount Lebanon, the eastern regions of the same
chain to the south of the Beirut parallel, as well as the western
face of the Hermon. On the other hand, the Presteppic Mediterranean
Ensemble covers the eastern slopes of Mount Lebanon in its northern
part, and the northern part of Anti-Lebanon. In terms of vegetation
structure, the stage of evolution, the Lebanese terrestrial
ecosystems are classified as forest, shrub land (garrigue) or
grassland. The latest estimates of the Lebanese Ministry of
Agriculture, concerning the distribution area of these ecosystems,
give the following figures: 119,774 ha are occupied by forests
(including woods) while 527,790 ha are stated as rangelands. These
values represent, respectively, 11.46% and 50.5% of the total
surface of the country.
(2) Abi-Saleh, B. & Safi, S. Carte de la vegetation du Liban au
1/200 000 + Notice explicative. Ecologia Mediterranean, 1988, XVI
(1/2): 123-142
1.4 POLITICAL REGIME OF LEBANON
Lebanon is a republic of democratic and parliamentary regime. The
people form the source of authority and the power of sovereignty
which are exercised through the state institutions. The Lebanese
regime is organized on the basis of defined authority. Namely,
- Separation of powers between the legislative, judicial and
executive authorities
- Coordination and cooperation between legislative and executive
authorities, and
- Accountability of the government before the parliament.
- A brief summary on each of the legislative and executive authority
is given below.
1.4.1 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
Art. 16 of the Constitution enacts that legislative authority shall
be vested in one sole corps comprising the House of Deputies.
However, election of deputies, their number and legal terms are
determined by an electoral law. Accordingly, the parliament consists
of 128 deputies: that is 64 seats for Christians and 64 seats for
Muslims. Seats in the parliament are further distributed
geographically. Thus the Governate of Beirut has 19 seats, the
Governate of the north 28 seats, Mount Lebanon 35 seats, Bekaa 23
seats and South Lebanon 23 seats.
1.4.2 EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY
The Executive Corps consists of the President of the Republic and
the Council of Ministers.
President of the Republic: He is the Head of State symbolizing the
unity of the nation. He is entrusted with such great tasks as seeing
to the respect of the Constitution's enactment, the preservation of
Lebanon's independence, its unity and the integrity of its
territorial boundaries.
The Council of Ministers.
The cabinet consists of premier and Ministers and, constitutionally,
religious denominations should be fairly represented in the
formation of the cabinet. That is, it should be composed of an equal
number of Christian Ministers and Moslem Ministers with due
observance of the distribution of the main portfolios in a sort of
equilibrium between the main sects.
1.4.3 ORGANIZATION OF PUBLIC DEPARTMENTS
At present, Lebanon enjoys the existence of 26 ministries. Namely,
Ministries of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, Public
Works, National Defense, National Education, Public Health, Economy
and Trade, Agriculture, Posts and Telecommunications, Labor,
Information, Hydraulic and Electric Resources, Tourism, Housing and
Cooperatives, and Oils. As from 1993, the following ministries have
been operation: Ministries of Emigrants, Displaced Citizens, Culture
and Higher Education, Vocational and Technical Education, Transport
and Traffic, Municipal and Rural Affairs, Social Affairs,
Environment, Industry, and Ministry of State for Administrative
Reforms.
The Ministry of Planning was deformed in 1977 and replaced by the
Council of Development and Reconstruction (CDR) as a public
institution enjoying the legal entity and financial and
administrative autonomy. CDR is connected to the cabinet directly,
and charged with the setup of plans for development and programs for
reconstruction. Financing is ensured through internal and / or
external funding.
1.4.4 INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF MINISTRIES
The Minister is the Head of the Department who is supposed to ensure
the application of laws and regulations and the preservation of the
State's interest. Each ministry shall consist of one Directorate
General or more, divisible into sections and services. The Director
General is the direct supervisor of all the ministry's staff and he
is supposed to administer the department with its various sections,
divisions and services.
Public departments in Lebanon are subject to the control of various
institutions like the Civil Service Board, Central Inspection Board,
Disciplinary Board and the Cours de Comptabilite. This besides the
overall control exercised by the Ministry of Finance in the course
of controlling legality of financial transactions of all ministries
and departments of State. |
