All About Iraq and Lebanon

Iraq, in an area once home to some of the earliest civilisations, became a battleground for
competing forces after the US-led ousting of President Saddam Hussein in 2003.
The Shia-led governments that have held power since then have struggled to maintain order, and
the country has enjoyed only brief periods of respite from high levels of sectarian violence.
Violence and sabotage hinder the revival of an economy shattered by decades of conflict and sanctions.
Iraq has the world's third largest reserves of crude oil.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionSome of Iraq's conflicts have been fought on religious
lines
At a glance
Politics: Iraq became a battleground for forces vying for power after the US-led invasion of 2003,
and governments have struggled to hold the country together since US forces left in 2011
Security: Sunni attacks on Shias through 2013 erupted into full-scale insurrection the following
year
Economy: Violence and sabotage hinder the revival of an economy shattered by decades of
conflict and sanctions; Iraq has the world's third largest reserves of crude oil but attacks,
corruption and smuggling have crippled exports
FACTS
Republic of Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
Population 33.7 million
Area 438,317 sq km (169,235 sq miles)
Major languages Arabic, Kurdish
Major religion Islam
Life expectancy 68 years (men), 73 years (women)
Currency Iraqi dinar
UN, World Bank
Getty Images
LEADERS
President: Fuad Masum
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Veteran Iraqi politician Fuad Masum was overwhelmingly elected by parliament in July 2014.
He is the second ethnic Kurdish president of Iraq, succeeding Jalal Talabani.
Prime Minister: Haider al-Abadi

A veteran politician from the Shia State of Law party, Mr al-Abadi was deputy speaker of
parliament when President Masum asked him to form a government in the summer of 2014.
Mr al-Abadi heads a cabinet with Sunni and Kurdish support, something which the previous
government lacked.
Improved relations between the central government and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan
Regional Government made possible the signing of a deal in December 2014 on sharing Iraq's oil
wealth and military resources.
It was hoped this would help build the consensus needed to enable the country to face the
common threat represented by the armed Islamic State group, which by the end of 2014 had
advanced into northern and central Iraq.
However, his administration has been dogged by accusations of corruption and the charge that
the allocation of posts according to sectarian quotas takes precedence over competence.
Iraq profile - home

Country profiles - home
Country profile compiled by BBC Monitoring
Profile of Iraqi Kurdistan
The majority Shia population, which had been excluded from power, was initially jubilant at the
2003 campaign to remove the dictator Saddam Hussein.
But optimism gradually gave way to despair as insurgent groups - mainly drawn from embittered
Sunnis, dismissed army officers and supporters of the former regime - began an increasingly
bloody campaign of bomb attacks.
The insurgents - with al-Qaeda in Iraq among the most violent - targeted civilians as well as
security forces, at times killing hundreds of people in one day.
The conflict acquired a marked sectarian aspect in 2006-7 when Shia militant groups struck back
with a campaign of kidnappings and killings.
The transfer of power to an interim government in June 2004 and, seven months later, the first
multi-party elections in 50 years, which brought an overwhelmingly Shia-dominated coalition to
power, failed to stem the violence.
By 2008, however, a "surge" in US troop levels to confront the rebels, the co-opting of moderate
Sunni tribesmen in the struggle against militants, and an improving Iraqi army succeeded in
turning the situation around.
In June 2009 US troops withdrew from Iraq's towns and cities, and the last remaining US forces
left the country at the end of 2011. But the Shia-led government of Nouri al-Maliki failed to
unite Iraq's various communities and from 2013 faced a rapidly-rising tide of extreme Sunni
rebellion in Anbar Province.
By early 2014, Sunni rebels led by the extreme jihadist group calling itself Islamic State (IS) had
established strongholds in the mainly Sunni Anbar Province.
Army resistance quickly melted away, and within months, IS fighters had begun to move into
central and northern Iraq, threatening the unity of the state.
A US-led coalition of regional and Western powers responded with a campaign of air strikes, as
the Iraqi government attempted to counter the group.
After elections in 2014, the Shia-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was
replaced with the less divisive figure of Haider al-Abadi and a new broad-based government
including Sunni Arabs and Kurds in September 2014.
Cradle of civilisation
Image copyrightAFPImage captionIraq is home to

several ancient sites, such as the Ziggurat of Ur, a temple thought to be 4,000 years old
Straddling the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and stretching from the Gulf to the Anti-Taurus
Mountains, modern Iraq occupies roughly what was once ancient Mesopotamia, one of the
cradles of human civilisation.
In the early Middle Ages, Iraq was the heartland of the Islamic Empire, but a brutal Mongol
invasion in the 13th century destroyed its importance. Part of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th
century, it came under British control after World War I, gaining independence in 1932.
The British-installed monarchy was toppled in 1958, and a coup in 1968 brought the Arab
nationalist Ba'ath (Renaissance) party to power. Oil made the country rich and, when Saddam
Hussein became president in 1979, petroleum made up 95% of its foreign exchange earnings.
But the 1980-88 war with Iran and the 1991 Gulf War, sparked by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait,
together with the subsequent imposition of international sanctions, had a devastating effect on its
economy and society.
What remained of the economy was largely shattered by the 2003 invasion and the subsequent
violence. Attacks by insurgents on Iraq's oil infrastructure cost the country billions of dollars in
lost revenues.
In the north, the Kurdish community has managed to create an autonomous region of its own,
and is pushing for greater territory and more powers.
The area threatened to hold a referendum on independence after the seizure of northern Iraq by
IS militants in 2014, but backed down after the creation of more broad-based government in
Baghdad.
TIMELINE
Some key dates in Iraq's history:
1534-1918 - Ottoman rule.
1917 - Britain seizes control, creates state of Iraq.
1932 - Independence, followed by coups.
1979 - Saddam Hussein becomes president.
1980-1988 - Iran-Iraq war.
1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait, putting it on a collision course with the international community.
1991 - Iraq subjected to sanctions, weapons inspections and no-fly zones.
2003 - US-led coalition invades, starting years of guerrilla warfare and instability.
2014 - The armed Islamic State group emerges as a major force in the region and seizes large
parts of Iraq.
Iraq timeline - the short version

1534-1918 - Ottoman rule.
1917 - Britain seizes control, creates state of Iraq.
1932 - Independence, followed by coups.
1979 - Saddam Hussein becomes president.
1980-1988 - Iran-Iraq war.
1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait, putting it on a collision course with the international community.
1991 - Iraq subjected to sanctions, weapons inspections and no-fly zones.
2003 - US-led coalition invades, starting years of guerrilla warfare and instability.
A chronology of key events:

1534 - 1918 - Region is part of the Ottoman Empire.
1917 - Britain seizes Baghdad during First World War.
1920 - League of Nations approves British mandate in Iraq, prompting nationwide revolt.
1921 - Britain appoints Faysal, son of Hussein Bin Ali, the Sherif of Mecca, as king.
Independence
1932 - Mandate ends, Iraq becomes independent. Britain retains military bases.
1941 - Britain re-occupies Iraq after pro-Axis coup during Second World War.
1958 - The monarchy is overthrown in a left-wing military coup led by Abd-al-Karim Qasim and
Abd-al-Salam Muhammad Arif. Iraq leaves the pro-British Baghdad Pact.
1963 - Prime Minister Qasim is ousted in a coup led by the Arab Socialist Baath Party. Arif
becomes president.
1963 - The Baathist government is overthrown by Arif and a group of officers.
Baathists sieze power
1968 - A Baathist led-coup puts Ahmad Hasan al-Bakr in power.
1972 - Iraq nationalises the Iraq Petroleum Company.
Iran-Iraq war
Image copyrightAP
Almost one million people died in the conflict; exchanges of war dead continued for years
The Iran-Iraq war: 25 years on
1980: Iraq bombs Iran as hostilities increase
1974 - Iraq grants limited autonomy to Kurdish region.

1979 - Saddam Hussein succeeds Al-Bakr as president.
1980 - The pro-Iranian Dawah Party claims responsibility for an attack on Deputy Prime
Minister Tariq Aziz at Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad.
Iran-Iraq war
1980-1988 - Iran-Iraq war results in stalemate.
1981 June - Israeli air raid destroys Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak near Baghdad.
1988 March - Iraq attacks Kurdish town of Halabjah with poison gas, killing thousands.
First US-Iraq war

1990 - Iraq invades Kuwait, prompting what becomes known as the first Gulf War. A massive
US-led military campaign forces Iraq to withdraw in February 1991.
1991 April - Iraq subjected to weapons inspection programme.
1991 Mid-March/early April - Southern Shia and northern Kurdish populations - encouraged by
Iraq's defeat in Kuwait - rebel, prompting a brutal crackdown.
1991 Gulf War
Image copyrightAFP
Iraq's army was crushed in 1991 Gulf War that followed the invasion of Kuwait
1991 April - UN-approved haven established in northern Iraq to protect the Kurds. Iraq ordered
to end all military activity in the area.
1992 August - A no-fly zone, which Iraqi planes are not allowed to enter, is set up in southern
Iraq, south of latitude 32 degrees north.
1993 June - US forces launch a cruise missile attack on Iraqi intelligence headquarters in
Baghdad in retaliation for the attempted assassination of US President George Bush in Kuwait in
April.
Oil-for-food
1995 April - UN allows partial resumption of Iraq's oil exports to buy food and medicine in an
oil-for-food programme.
1995 October - Saddam Hussein wins a referendum allowing him to remain president for another
seven years.
1996 August - After call for aid from Kurdistan Democratic Party, Iraqi forces launch offensive
into northern no-fly zone and capture Irbil.
1996 September - US extends northern limit of southern no-fly zone to latitude 33 degrees north,
just south of Baghdad.
1998 October - Iraq ends cooperation with UN Special Commission to Oversee the Destruction
of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Operation Desert Fox

1998 December - US and British Operation Desert Fox bombing campaign aims to destroy Iraq's
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programmes.
1999 February - Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr, spiritual leader of the Shia
community, is assassinated in Najaf.
Saddam's fall
Image copyrightAFP
Saddam Hussein's ouster by US forces prompted jubilation among many Iraqis

Saddam 'sure he would survive'
Iraq war shows limits of US power
2001 February - Britain, US carry out bombing raids to try to disable Iraq's air defence network.
2002 September - US President George W Bush tells UN Iraq poses "grave and gathering
danger".
British Prime Minister Tony Blair publishes later-discredited dossier on Iraq's military capability.
2002 November - UN weapons inspectors return to Iraq backed by a UN resolution which
threatens serious consequences if Iraq is in "material breach" of its terms.
Saddam ousted
2003 March - US-led invasion topples Saddam Hussein's government, marks start of years of
violent conflict with different groups competing for power.
2003 July - US-appointed Governing Council meets for first time. Commander of US forces says
his troops face low-intensity guerrilla-style war.
Saddam's sons Uday and Qusay killed in gun battle in Mosul.
Insurgency intensifies
2003 August - Suicide truck bomb wrecks UN headquarters in Baghdad, killing UN envoy
Sergio Vieira de Mello.
Car bomb in Najaf kills 125 including Shia leader Ayatollah Mohammed Baqr al-Hakim.
2003 December - Saddam Hussein captured in Tikrit.
2004 March - Suicide bombers attack Shia festival-goers in Karbala and Baghdad, killing 140
people.
2004 April-May - Shia militias loyal to radical cleric Moqtada Sadr take on coalition forces.
Hundreds are reported killed in fighting during the month-long US military siege of the Sunni
Muslim city of Falluja.
Photographic evidence emerges of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US troops.
Sovereignty and elections

2004 June - US hands sovereignty to interim government headed by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
2004 August - Fighting in Najaf between US forces and Shia militia of radical cleric Moqtada
Sadr.
2004 November - Major US-led offensive against insurgents in Falluja.
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Image copyrightAPImage captionUnder

Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaeda became one of the most brutal insurgent
groups
Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi made Al-Qaeda in Iraq the most feared insurgent
group
How Zarqawi was found and killed
2005 January - Some 8 million vote in elections for a Transitional National Assembly.
2005 February - At least 114 people are killed by a car bomb in Hilla, south of Baghdad, in the
worst single such incident since the US-led invasion.
2005 April - Amid escalating violence, parliament selects Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as
president. Ibrahim Jaafari, a Shia, is named as prime minister.
2005 May onwards - Surge in car bombings, bomb explosions and shootings: government puts
civilian death toll for May at 672, up from 364 in April.
2005 June - Massoud Barzani is sworn in as regional president of Iraqi Kurdistan.
2005 August - Draft constitution is endorsed by Shia and Kurdish negotiators, but not by Sunni
representatives.
2005 October - Voters approve a new constitution, which aims to create an Islamic federal
democracy.
2005 December - Iraqis vote for the first, full-term government and parliament since the US-led
invasion.
Sectarian violence
2006 February onwards - A bomb attack on an important Shia shrine in Samarra unleashes a
wave of sectarian violence in which hundreds of people are killed.
2006 22 April - Newly re-elected President Talabani asks Shia compromise candidate Nouri al-
Maliki to form a new government, ending months of deadlock.
Bombings
Image copyrightAFP
Thousands of Iraqis have been killed in sectarian suicide and car bomb attacks
Iraq Body Count: War dead figures
Guide: Armed groups in Iraq
Up to 200 killed in Baghdad bombs
2006 May and June - An average of more than 100 civilians per day are killed in violence in Iraq,
the UN says.
2006 7 June - Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is killed in an air strike.
2006 November - Iraq and Syria restore diplomatic relations after nearly a quarter century.
More than 200 die in car bombings in the mostly Shia area of Sadr City in Baghdad, in the worst
attack on the capital since the US-led invasion of 2003.
Saddam executed
2006 December - Saddam Hussein is executed for crimes against humanity.
2007 January - US President Bush announces a new Iraq strategy; thousands more US troops
will be dispatched to shore up security in Baghdad.
UN says more than 34,000 civilians were killed in violence during 2006; the figure surpasses
official Iraqi estimates threefold.
2007 February - A bomb in Baghdad's Sadriya market kills more than 130 people. It is the worst
single bombing since 2003.
2007 April - Bombings in Baghdad kill nearly 200 people in one day.
2007 August - Truck and car bombs hit two villages of Yazidi Kurds, killing at least 250 people -
the deadliest attack since 2003.
Kurdish and Shia leaders form an alliance to support Prime Minister Maliki's government but fail
to bring in Sunni leaders.
Shia holy sites
Image copyrightAFPImage captionShrine of the

Imam Ali, one of Shia Islam's holiest places
Shrine of the Imam Ali, one of Shia Islam's holiest places

Karbala and Najaf: Shia holy cities
Turkish raids
2007 September - Controversy over private security contractors after Blackwater security guards
allegedly fire at civilians in Baghdad, killing 17.
2007 October - The number of violent civilian and military deaths continues to drop, as does the
frequency of rocket attacks.
2007 December - Britain hands over security of Basra province to Iraqi forces, effectively
marking the end of nearly five years of British control of southern Iraq.
2008 January - Parliament passes legislation allowing former officials from Saddam Hussein's
Baath party to return to public life.
2008 March - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits.
Prime Minister Maliki orders crackdown on militia in Basra, sparking pitched battles with
Moqtada Sadr's Mehdi Army. Hundreds are killed.
2008 September - US forces hand over control of the western province of Anbar - once an
insurgent and Al-Qaeda stronghold - to the Iraqi government. It is the first Sunni province to be
returned to to the Shia-led government.
Security pact approved

2008 November - Parliament approves a security pact with the United States under which all US
troops are due to leave the country by the end of 2011.
Moqtada al-Sadr
Image copyrightAFP
Radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr announced he was withdrawing from politics in 2014 but
has since resumed his political activities
Iraqi fears of new Sadrist power
Sadr followers push for reform
Profile: Moqtada Sadr
2009 January - Iraq takes control of security in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone and assumes
more powers over foreign troops based in the country. 2009 June - US troops withdraw from
towns and cities in Iraq, six years after the invasion, having formally handed over security duties
to new Iraqi forces.
New political groupings

2009 July - New opposition forces make strong gains in elections to the regional parliament of
Kurdistan, but the governing KDP and PUK alliance retains a reduced majority. Masoud Barzani
(KDP) is re-elected in the presidential election.
2009 October - Two car bombs near the Green Zone in Baghdad kill at least 155 people, in Iraq's
deadliest attack since April 2007.
2009 December - The al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq claims responsibility for suicide
bombings in Baghdad that kill at least 127 people, as well as attacks in August and October that
killed 240 people.
Tension flares with Tehran as Iranian troops briefly occupy an oilfield in Iraqi territory.
2010 January - Controversy as candidates with alleged links to Baath Party are banned from
March parliamentary polls. A court later lifts the ban, prompting a delay in campaigning.
"Chemical" Ali Hassan al-Majid, a key figure in Saddam Hussein's government, is executed.
Inconclusive elections
2010 March - Parliamentary elections. Nine months pass before a new government is approved.
Fractious politics
Image copyrightAFP
A complex political landscape came into being after the fall of Saddam Hussein
Guide to political groups in Iraq
2010 August - Seven years after the US-led invasion, the last US combat brigade leaves Iraq.
2010 October - Church in Baghdad seized by militants. More than 50 people are killed in what is
described as the worst single disaster to hit Iraq's Christians in modern times.
2010 November/December - Parliament reconvenes after long delay, re-appoints Jalal Talabani
as president and Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister. A new government includes all major
factions.
2011 January - Radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr returns after four years of self-imposed exile in
Iran.
2011 February - Oil exports from Iraqi Kurdistan resume, amid a lengthy dispute between the
region and the central government over contracts with foreign firms.
US pull out
2011 December - US completes troop pull-out.
Unity government faces disarray. Arrest warrant issued for vice-president Tariq al-Hashemi, a
leading Sunni politician. Sunni bloc boycotts parliament and cabinet.
2012 - Bomb and gun attacks target Shia areas throughout the year, sparking fears of a new
sectarian conflict.
2012 March - Tight security for Arab League summit in Baghdad. It is the first major summit to
be held in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein. A wave of pre-summit attacks kills scores of
people.
2012 April - Oil exports from Iraqi Kurdistan halted amid row with central government over
contracts with foreign firms.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionIraq
has enjoyed only brief periods of respite from high levels of sectarian violence
2012 September - Fugitive Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi is sentenced to death for murder in
absentia. He fled to Turkey after being accused of running death squads.
2012 November - Iraq cancels a $4.2bn deal to buy arms from Russia because of concerns about
alleged corruption within the Iraqi government. The purchase, signed in October, would have
made Russia the country's second-largest arms supplier after the US. Moscow was the main arms
supplier of to Saddam Hussein.
Violence intensifies
2012 December - President Jalal Talabani suffers a stroke. He undergoes treatment in Germany
and makes some progress through the winter and spring.
Sunni Muslims stage mass rallies across the country over several months, protesting against what
they see as marginalisation by the Shia-led government.
Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage

captionThousands of Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries, including Iraq, to escape civil
war at home
2013 April - Insurgency intensifies, with levels of violence matching those of 2008. By July the
country is described as being yet again in a state of full-blown sectarian war.
2013 July - At least 500 prisoners, mainly senior al-Qaeda members, escape from Taji and Abu
Ghraib jails in a mass breakout.
2013 September - Series of bombings hits Kurdistan capital Irbil in the first such attack since
2007. Islamic State of Iraq says it was responding to alleged Iraqi Kurdish support for Kurds
fighting jihadists in Syria.
2013 October - Government says October is deadliest month since April 2008, with 900 killed.
By the year-end the UN estimates the 2013 death toll of civilians as 7,157 - a dramatic increase
in the previous year's figure of 3,238.
Islamist surge
2014 January - Islamist fighters infiltrate Fallujah and Ramadi after months of mounting
violence in mainly-Sunni Anbar province. Government forces recapture Ramadi but face
entrenched rebels in Fallujah.
2014 April - Prime Minister Al-Maliki's coalition wins a plurality at first parliamentary election
since 2011 withdrawal of US troops, but falls short of a majority.
2014 June-September - Sunni rebels led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant surge out of
Anbar Province to seize Iraq's second city of Mosul and other key towns. Tens of thousands flee
amid atrocities. Kurdish forces, US and Iran assist government in repelling attacks. 2014 July -
Kurdish Region President Massoud Barzani announces plans for an independence referendum
this year, given that Iraq is "effectively partitioned".
Broad government
2014 September - Shia politician Haider al-Abad forms a broad-based government including
Sunni Arabs and Kurds. Kurdish leadership agrees to put independence referendum on hold.
US announces new forward strategy against Islamic State, carries out air raids in support of Iraqi
Army near Baghdad. International conference in Paris, including ten Sunni Arab states but
excluding Iran and Syria, agrees to support strategy.
2014 December - The Iraqi government and the leadership of the Kurdish Region sign a deal on
sharing Iraq's oil wealth and military resources, amid hopes that the agreement will help to
reunite the country in the face of the common threat represented by Islamic State.
2015 March - Islamic State destroys Assyrian archaeological sites of Nimrud and Hatra.
Offensive against Islamic State

2015 April - Government forces regain control of city of Tikrit from Islamic State fighters after
month-long siege.
2015 May - Islamic State captures city of Ramadi, capital of western province of Anbar, in
lightning assault.
2015 July - Iraqi army launches offensive to re-take Anbar province.
2015 August - Parliament approves reforms to cut corruption and sectarian government job
quotas after riots against frequent power cuts.
2015 December - Government forces recapture central Ramadi.
2016 February - Government troops expel last remaining Islamic State fighters from Ramadi
area. Islamic State forces withdraw to Fallujah.
Radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr leads mass demonstration in Baghdad in protest at
government corruption and the slow rate of progress in delivering on promised reforms.
2016 April - Supporters of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr storm parliament building demanding new
government to fight corruption and end allocation of government posts along sectarian lines.
2016 May-June - Army and Shia militias retake Falluja from Islamic State.
2016 October - Start of military operation to seize Mosul from Islamic State. In apparent
response, IS claims several deadly attacks in other cities, including Baghdad.
2016 November - Parliament recognises the Shia Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU) militia as
part of the armed forces with full legal status.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14542954
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14546763
__________
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during the course of
World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages
over the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was
proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was
SADDAM Husayn from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly
eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition
forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security
Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to
allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions over a period
of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn
regime. US forces remained in Iraq under a UNSC mandate through 2009 and under a bilateral security
agreement thereafter, helping to provide security and to train and mentor Iraqi security forces.
In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document,
elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most
cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a
half century. Nearly nine years after the start of the Second Gulf War in Iraq, US military operations there
ended in mid-December 2011. In January 2009 and April 2013, Iraq held elections for provincial councils
in all governorates except for the three comprising the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kirkuk
Governorate. Iraq held a national legislative election in March 2010 - choosing 325 legislators in an
expanded COR - and, after nine months of deadlock, the COR approved the new government in
December 2010. In April 2014, Iraq held a national legislative election and expanded the COR to 328
legislators. Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI dropped his bid for a third term in office, enabling new
Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI, a Shia Muslim from Baghdad, to win legislative approval of his new
cabinet in September 2014. Since 2014, Iraq has been engaged in a military campaign against ISIS to
recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country.
Population:
38,146,025 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Nationality:
noun: Iraqi(s)
adjective: Iraqi
Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15% -20%, Turkmen, Assyrian, Shabak, Yazidi, other 5%
Languages:
Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo -Aramaic),
and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a
majority of the population)
Religions:
Muslim (official) 99% (Shia 55 -60%, Sunni 40%), Christian <.1%, Yazidi <.1%, Sabean
Mandaean <.1%, Baha'i <.1%, Zoroastrian <.1%, Hindu <0.1%, Buddhist <0.1%, Jewish
<0.1%, folk religion <0.1, unafilliated 0.1%, other <0.1%
note: while there has been voluntary relocation of many Christian families to northern Iraq,
recent reporting indicates that the overall Christian population may have dropped by as
much as 50 percent since the fall of the SADDAM Husayn regime in 2003, with many
fleeing to Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon (2010 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
conventional short form: Iraq
local long form: Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq
local short form: Al Iraq/Eraq
etymology: the name probably derives from "Uruk" (Biblical "Erech"), the ancient
Sumerian and Babylonian city on the Euphrates River
Government type:
federal parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Baghdad
geographic coordinates: 33 20 N, 44 24 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular -
parezga (Kurdish)) and 1 region*; Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad
Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah
(Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; B aghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar;
Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Kurdistan Regional Government*; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad
Din; Wasit
Independence:
3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration); note - on
28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi
Interim Government
National holiday:
Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official
national holiday but still observes Re public Day
Constitution:
history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic and the Council of Minsters
collectively, or by one -fifth of the Council of Representatives members; passage requires
at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Council of Representatives, approval by
referendum, and ratification by the president; passage of amendments to articles on citizen
rights and liberties requires a two -thirds majority vote of Council of Representatives
members after two successive electoral terms, approval in a referendum, and ratification
by the president (2016)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction decl aration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Iraq
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Fuad MASUM (since 24 July 2014); Vice Presidents Ayad
ALLAWI (since 9 September 2014), Nuri al -MALIKI (since 8 September 2014), Usama al -
NUJAYFI (since 9 September 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Haydar al -ABADI (since 8 September 2014)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, a pproved by Council of
Representatives
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Council of Representatives (COR) to
serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 April 2014 (next
to be held in April 2018); prime minister nominated by the majority COR bloc and
submission of COR minister nominees for full COR approval; disapproval requires
designation of a new prime minister candidate
election results: Fuad MASUM elected president; Council of Representatives vote - Fuad
MASUM (PUK) 211, Barham SALIH (PUK) 17; Haydar al -ABADI (Da'wa Party) approved
as prime minister
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Council of Representatives or Majlis an -Nuwwab al-Iraqiyy (328
seats; 320 members directly elected in multi -seat constituencies by proportional
representation vote and 8 seats reserved for minorities; members serve 4 -year terms); note
- Iraq's constitution calls for the establishment of an upper house, the Federation Council,
but it has not been instituted
elections: last held on 30 April 2014 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: Council of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats
by coalition/party State of Law Coalition 95, Ahrar Bloc/Sadrist Trend 34,
ISCI/Muwatin 30, KDP 25, United for Reform Coalition/Muttahidun 23, PUK 21,
Nationalism Coalition/Wataniyah 19, other Sunni coalitions/parties 15 , Al-Arabiyah
Coalition 10, Goran 9, other Shia parties/coalitions 9, Fadilah 6, National Reform Trend 6,
Iraq Coalition 5, KIU 4, other 17
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court or FSC (consists of 9 judges); note - court
jurisdiction limited to constitutional issues and disputes between regions or governorates
and the central government; Court of Cassat ion (consists of a court president, 5 vice -
presidents, and at least 24 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Federal Supreme Court and Court of Cassation judges
selected by the president of the republic from nominees selected by the Supreme Judicial
Council (SJC), a 25-member committee of judicial officials that manage the judiciary and
prosecutors; FSC members appointed for life; Court of Cassation judges appointed by the
SJC and confirmed by the Council of Representatives to serve until retirement n ominally
at age 63
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (governorate level); civil courts including first
instance, personal status, labor, and customs; criminal courts including felony,
misdemeanor, investigative, major crimes, juvenile and traffic; religious courts
Source: worldfactbook
________________
Iraq: Country profile
History
Iraq has been home to some of the oldest civilisations in the world. Its fertile flood
plains, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where the site of
ancient Mesopotamia, the so-called cradle of civilisation.
The same area nourished the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, among many
others. The Ottoman Empire occupied Iraq beginning in the 15th century, and finally
relinquished control to the British after World War I.
When the British and French divided the region in the wake of that conflict, modern-
day Iraq was drawn from the Zagros Mountains in the north to the Persian Gulf at its
southeastern tip.
The boundaries ignored ethnic and religious divides, leaving Iraq remarkably diverse.
Among the ethno-sectarian factions are Shia, Sunni, Christians, Kurds, Turkmen and
many others.
Iraq was ruled by the Hashemite monarchy until 1958, when military officers
launched a coup and announced a republican form of government. Another coup in
1963 brought the socialist, Arab nationalist Ba'ath Party to power.
Quick facts on Iraq
Population: 30,399,572 (July

2011 est.)
Capital: Baghdad, population

5.751 million (2009)
Religion: Shia Muslim, 60-65

per cent; Sunni Muslim, 32-37
per cent; Christian or other, 3
per cent
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish
Literacy rate: 74 per cent (2000

est.)
Source: CIA World Factbook
In 1979, Saddam Hussein came to power as president of Iraq after his

predecessor resigned. A year later, he ordered the invasion of neighbouring Iran over
border disputes.
The attack began a devastating eight-year-long war between the two powers, resulting
in hundreds of thousands of casualties on each side. When the war ended in 1988,
neither side had gained significant territory.
Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990, claiming that the country legitimately belonged to
Iraq. The move led to international outcry, and a United States-led army soon
pushed Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.
The United Nations imposed crippling economic sanctions on Iraq, which remained in
effect until 2003.
After the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, US
President George W Bush and his administration accused Saddam of attempting to
acquire "weapons of mass destruction" and of having ties with al-Qaeda and other
terrorist organisations.
In 2003, US troops invaded Iraq. Already weakened by the long-running

sanctions, Saddam's army quickly collapsed in the face of the invasion.
No weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Saddam was captured in 2003 and
hanged three years later.
Politics and security
Shortly after the US-led invasion, power was consolidated in the Coalition Provisional
Authority (CPA), which was headed by American officials. The CPA, in turn, yielded
way to two interim Iraqi governments.
The current prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, took office in 2006 when the United
Iraqi Alliance won a majority of parliamentary seats in an election marred by a
boycott by Iraq's Sunni minority.
Maliki's State of Law coalition placed second in the next parliamentary elections in
2010, but after months of negotiations it clung to power by forging an alliance with a
predominantly Shia bloc, securing a second term as prime minister for Maliki.
The Iraqi constitution allows for semi-autonomous regional governments. The

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)governs the three northern governorates of
Dahuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. The KRG has its own president and parliament, as
well as its own security forces.
Security in Iraq deteriorated quickly after the US invasion. Many disaffected Sunnis
took up arms against the occupation and a Shia militia led by anti-American cleric
Moqtada al-Sadr fought US and Iraqi forces. The fighting reached its peak in 2006,
when roughly 25,000 Iraqi civilians were killed.
The security situation has improved in recent years, although Iraq still endures dozens
of attacks each week. Violence has increasingly targeted politicians, members of the
security forces, and others affiliated with the government.
An agreement between Iraq and the US stipulates that all American military personnel
will leave the country by Decmeber 31.
Religion and ethnicity
Iraq is one of four Muslim countries, along with Iran, Azerbaijan and Bahrain, in
which Shia Muslims comprise a majority of the population. Iraq had been led by
Sunnis, however, from the time of its independence until the US invasion in 2003.
During his reign, Saddam launched brutal attacks against Iraq's Shia and Kurds. After
an uprising in southern Iraq following the First Gulf War, Iraqi forces killed tens of
thousands of Shia and drained the marshes where many Shia lived. Since 2003, Shia
have played a much more prominent role in Iraqi politics.
Today, Shia form the majority in Iraq's south, Kurds predominate in the northeast, and
Sunnis in the centre of the country. Widespread distrust prevails among the three
groups.
Oil economy
Iraq has the worlds third-largest reserves of oil, but decades of war and sanctions,
coupled with widespread corruption, have kept that natural wealth from translating
into widespread prosperity.
The economy is nonetheless dominated by the petroleum sector, which produced

about 2.6 million barrels of oil per day over the last year. Iraqs oil output accounts for
roughly 90 per cent of the government budget.
Oil has become a contentious political issue because the government has yet to finish
a long-awaited hydrocarbons law.
Agriculture accounts for slightly more than 10 per cent of the countrys gross
domestic product.
Most Iraqis depend on the public sector which provides more than 50 per cent of the
countrys jobs, a figure which has grown markedly since the 2003 invasion.
Unemployment hovers around the 20 per cent mark, with higher levels among Iraqi
youth. Poverty is widespread, and basic services are sorely lacking. Electricity
production has not kept up with consumption, for example, leading to hours-long
blackouts for many Iraqis, particularly during the brutally hot summer months.
Source: Al Jazeera
(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/2011/12/2011124121054690602.html)
_______
LEBANON
Lebanon country profile
6 November 2016
With its high literacy rate and traditional mercantile culture, Lebanon has traditionally been an
important commercial hub for the Middle East.
It has also often been at the centre of Middle Eastern conflicts, despite its small size, because of its
borders with Syria and Israel and its uniquely complex communal make-up.
Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druze are the main population groups in a country that has
been a refuge for the region's minorities for centuries.
FACTS
The Lebanese Republic
Capital: Beirut
Population 4.3 million
Area 10,452 sq km (4,036 sq miles)
Major language Arabic
Major religions Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy 71 years (men), 75 years (women)
UN, World Bank
LEADERS
President: Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun was elected by parliament in October 2016, ending a political stalemate which had
left the country without a head of state since May 2014.
He is the founder of the mainly Maronite Christian political party, the Free Patriotic Movement
(FPM). He was army commander-in-chief from 1984 until 1989 and was appointed prime
minister of the interim military government in 1988.
He launched an unsuccessful "liberation war" against the presence of Syrian forces in 1989 and
fled to France in 1990. When Syrian troops left in 2005, he returned to form an alliance with pro-
Syrian parties.
Prime minister: Saad Hariri
Saad Hariri - a Sunni Muslim leader and businessman - was nominated to form a government by
President Aoun in November 2016.
He previously held the post between 2009 and 2011, after which he lived outside the country
citing safety concerns.
Following the assassination of his father and former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, he
entered politics and founded the Future Current political party.
He was born in Saudi Arabia in 1970 and has spent much of his adult life there. His construction
company, Saudi Oger, is based in Saudi Arabia and Mr Hariri is considered one of Lebanon's
richest individuals.
TIMELINE
Some key dates in Lebanon's history:
1516-1918 - Lebanon is part of the Ottoman Empire.
1920 - The League of Nations grants the mandate for Lebanon and Syria to France, which
creates the State of Greater Lebanon out of the provinces of Mount Lebanon, north Lebanon,
south Lebanon and the Bekaa.
1926 - Lebanese Representative Council approves a constitution and the unified Lebanese
Republic under the French mandate is declared.
1944 - France agrees to transfer power to the Lebanese government on 1 January.
1975-1990 - Lebanese civil war
1992 - After the first elections since 1972, wealthy businessman Rafik Hariri becomes prime
minister.
2000 - Israel pulls out of south Lebanon
2005 - Former prime minister Rafik Hariri is killed by a car bomb in Beirut, sparking anti-Syrian
rallies and a political crisis.
A chronology of key events:
1516-1918 - Lebanon part of the Ottoman Empire.
1920 September - The League of Nations grants the mandate for Lebanon and Syria to France,
which creates the State of Greater Lebanon out of the provinces of Mount Lebanon, north
Lebanon, south Lebanon and the Bekaa.
1926 May - Lebanese Representative Council approves a constitution and the unified Lebanese
Republic under the French mandate is declared.
1943 March - The foundations of the state are set out in an unwritten National Covenant which
uses the 1932 census to distribute seats in parliament on a ratio of six-to-five in favour of
Christians. This is later extended to other public offices. The president is to be a Maronite
Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies a Shia
Muslim.
Independence
1944 - France agrees to transfer power to the Lebanese government on 1 January.
1958 - Faced with increasing opposition which develops into a civil war, President Camille
Chamoune asks the US to send troops to preserve Lebanon's independence. The US sends
marines.
1967 June - Lebanon plays no active role in the Arab-Israeli war but is to be affected by its
aftermath when Palestinians use Lebanon as a base for attacks on Israel.
Civil War
1975 April - Phalangist gunmen ambush a bus in the Ayn-al-Rummanah district of Beirut, killing
27 of its mainly Palestinian passengers. The Phalangists claim that guerrillas had previously
attacked a church in the same district. These clashes start the civil war.
1976 June - Syrian troops enter Lebanon to restore peace but also to curb the Palestinians,
thousands of whom are killed in a siege of the Tel al-Zaatar camp by Syrian-allied Christian
militias in Beirut. Arab states approve of the Syrian presence as an Arab Deterrent Force in
October.
1978 - In reprisal for a Palestinian attack, Israel launches a major invasion of southern Lebanon.
It withdraws from all but a narrow border strip, which it hands over not to the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) but to its proxy South Lebanon Army mainly Christian
militia.
Israel invades
1982 June - Following the attempted assassination of the Israeli ambassador to Britain by a
Palestinian splinter group, Israel launches a full-scale invasion of Lebanon.
1982 September - Pro-Israeli president-elect Bachir Gemayel is assassinated. Israel occupies
West Beirut, where the Phalangist militia kills thousands of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila
camps. Bachir's elder brother Amine is elected president. Mainly US, French and Italian
peacekeeping force arrives in Beirut.
Israeli invasions and withdrawal
1978: First Israeli invasion

1982: Second Israeli invasion
1985: Israel pulls back to self-declared security zone
May 2000: Israel pulls out of south Lebanon
1983 - Suicide attack on US embassy kills 63 people in April, and another in October on the
headquarters of the peacekeepers kills 241 US and 58 French troops. US troops withdraw in
1984.
1985 - Most Israeli troops withdraw apart from the SLA "security zone" in the south.
Two governments, one country

1988 - Outgoing President Amine Gemayel appoints an interim military government under
Maronite Commander-in-Chief Michel Aoun in East Beirut when presidential elections fail to
produce a successor. Prime Minister Selim el-Hoss forms a mainly Muslim rival administration
in West Beirut.
1989 - Parliament meets in Taif, Saudi Arabia, to endorse a Charter of National Reconciliation
transfeering much of the authority of the president to the cabinet and boosting the number of
Muslim MPs.
Civil war ends

1990 October - The Syrian air force attacks the Presidential Palace at Baabda and Aoun flees.
This formally ends the civil war.
Rafik Hariri
Image copyrightAFP
Ex-PM Hariri was killed by a car bomb in 2005, which prompted another upheaval in Lebanese
politics
1991 - The National Assembly orders the dissolution of all militias, except for the powerful Shia
group Hezbollah. The South Lebanon Army (SLA) refuses to disband. The Lebanese army
defeats the PLO and takes over the southern port of Sidon. Lebanon profile
1992 - After elections in August and September, the first since 1972, wealthy businessman Rafik
Hariri becomes prime minister.
1996 April - "Operation Grapes of Wrath", in which the Israelis bomb Hezbollah bases in
southern Lebanon, southern Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. UN base at Qana is hit, killing over
100 displaced civilians. Israel-Lebanon Monitoring Group, with members from US, France,
Israel, Lebanon and Syria, set up to monitor truce.
Israeli withdrawal
2000 May - After the collapse of the SLA and the rapid advance of Hezbollah forces, Israel
withdraws its troops from southern Lebanon more than six weeks ahead of its July deadline.
2004 - UN Security Council resolution aimed at Syria demands that foreign troops leave
Lebanon. Syria dismisses the move. Parliament extends President Emile Lahoud's term by three
years. Weeks of political deadlock end with the unexpected departure of Rafik Hariri - who had
at first opposed the extension - as prime minister.
Hariri assassinated
2005 February - Rafik Hariri is killed by a car bomb in Beirut. The attack sparks anti-Syrian
rallies and the resignation of Prime Minister Omar Karami's cabinet. Calls for Syria to withdraw
its troops intensify until its forces leave in April. Assassinations of anti-Syrian figures become a
feature of political life.
Syria quits
Syrian troops entered Lebanon in 1976 to restore peace but were accused of occupying the country.
They withdrew under international pressure in 2005.
2005 June - Anti-Syrian alliance led by Saad Hariri wins control of parliament at elections.
Hariri ally Fouad Siniora becomes prime minister.
2005 September - Four pro-Syrian generals are charged over the assassination of Rafik Hariri.
Hezbollah and Hariri

2006 July-August - Israel attacks after Hezbollah kidnaps two Israeli soldiers. Civilian casualties
are high and the damage to civilian infrastructure wide-ranging in 34-day war. UN peacekeeping
force deploys along the southern border, followed by Lebanese army troops for first time in
decades.
2006 November - Ministers from Hezbollah and the Amal movement resign shortly before the
cabinet approves draft UN plans for a tribunal to try suspects in the killing of the former prime
minister Hariri.
2007 May-September - Siege of the Palestinian refugee camp Nahr al-Bared following clashes
between Islamist militants and the military. More than 300 people die and 40,000 residents flee
before the army gains control of the camp.
2007 May - UN Security Council votes to set up a tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of
ex-premier Hariri.
Syrian detente
2008 May - Parliament elects army chief Michel Suleiman as president, ending six-month-long
political deadlock. Gen Suleiman re-reappoints Fouad Siniora as prime minister of national unity
government.
2008 October - Lebanon establishes diplomatic relations with Syria for first time since both
countries gained independence in 1940s.
2009 March-April - International court to try suspected killers of former Prime Minister Hariri
opens in Hague. Former Syrian intelligence officer Mohammed Zuhair al-Siddiq arrested in
connection with killing, and four pro-Syrian Lebanese generals held since 2005 freed after court
rules there is not enough evidence to convict them.
Unity government
2009 June - The pro-Western March 14 alliance wins parliamentary elections and Saad Hariri
forms unity government.
2006 Israeli-Lebanese war
Image copyrightAFP
Israeli and Hezbollah forces were engaged in battle for 34 days across Lebanon and northern Israel.
2010 October - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah calls on Lebanon to boycott UN Hariri
tribunal, saying it is "in league with Israel".
2011 January - Government collapses after Hezbollah and allied ministers resign.
2011 June - Najib Mikati forms cabinet dominated by Hezbollah. The UN's Special Tribunal for
Lebanon issues four arrest warrants over the murder of Rafik Hariri. The accused are members of
Hezbollah, which says it won't allow their arrest.
2012 Summer - The Syrian conflict that began in March 2011 spills over into Lebanon in deadly
clashes between Sunni Muslims and Alawites in Tripoli and Beirut.
2012 October - Security chief Wissam al-Hassan is killed in car bombing. Opposition blames
Syria.
2012 December - Several days of deadly fighting between supporters and opponents of the
Syrian president in Tripoli.
UN praises Lebanese families for having taken in more than a third of the 160,000 Syrian
refugees who have streamed into the country.
Border tensions
2013 March - Syrian warplanes and helicopters fire rockets into northern Lebanon, days after
Damascus warns Beirut to stop militants crossing the border to fight Syrian government forces.
Najib Mikati's government resigns amid tensions over upcoming elections.

2013 April - Sunni Muslim politician Tammam Salam is tasked with forming a new government.
2013 May - At least 10 people die in further sectarian clashes in Tripoli between supporters and
opponents of the Syrian regime.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vows victory in Syria.
Parliament votes to put off elections due in June until November 2014 because of security
concerns over the conflict in Syria.
2013 June - A number of people are killed in clashes between Hezbollah gunmen and Syrian
rebels within Lebanon.
At least 17 Lebanese soldiers are killed in clashes with Sunni militants in the port city of Sidon.
2013 July - European Union lists the military wing of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. This
makes it illegal for Hezbollah sympathisers in Europe to send the group money, and enables the
freezing of the group's assets there.
2013 August - Dozens of people are killed in bomb attacks at two mosques in Tripoli. The twin
attacks, which are linked to tensions over the Syrian conflict, are the deadliest in Lebanon since
the end of the civil war in 1990.
Refugee crisis
2013 September - The United Nations refugee agency says there are at least 700,000 Syrian
refugees in Lebanon.
Syrian civil war
Image copyrightREUTERS
Syria's civil war has fanned sectarian tension in neighbouring Lebanon

2013 November - Double suicide bombing outside Iranian embassy in Beirut kills at least 22
people. It is one of the worst attacks in Shia southern Beirut since the conflict in Syria began.
2013 December - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah says the Saudi intelligence services were
behind the bombings outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut.
Senior Hezbollah commander Hassan Lakkis is shot dead near Beirut. Hezbollah accuses Israel
of assassinating him. Israel denies any involvement.
Former Lebanese minister and opposition figure Mohamad Chatah - a Sunni Muslim who was
also a staunch critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - is killed by a car bomb in central
Beirut.
2014 February - Sunni Muslim politician Tammam Salam finally assembles new power-sharing
cabinet following 10 months of talks.
2014 April - UN announces that number of Syrian refugees registered in Lebanon has surpassed
one million. The accelerating influx means that one in every four people living in Lebanon is
now a refugee from the Syrian conflict.
2014 May - President Suleiman ends his term of office, leaving a power vacuum. Several
attempts are made in parliament over subsequent months to choose a successor.
2014 August - Syrian rebels overrun border town of Arsal. They withdraw after being challenged
by the military but take 30 soldiers and police captive.
2014 September - Prime Minister Salam appeals to world leaders at the UN to help Lebanon face
a ''terrorist onslaught'' and the flood of refugees from Syria.
2014 October - Clashes in Tripoli between the army and Islamist gunmen, in a spill-over of
violence from the Syrian conflict.
2014 November - Parliament extends own term to 2017, citing Syria-related security concerns.
2015 January - Israel launches air strikes on Syrian side of the Golan, killing Hezbollah fighters
and an Iranian general. Several clashes ensue across Israeli-Lebanese border.
2015 January - New restrictions on Syrians entering Lebanon come into effect, further slowing
the flow of people trying to escape the war.
2016 June - Suicide bombings in Al-Qaa, allegedly by Syrian nationals, aggravate already
strained relations between Lebanese and more than 1 million Syrian refugees in the country.
Lebanon profile - Overview

With its high literacy rate and traditional mercantile culture, Lebanon has traditionally been an
important commercial hub for the Middle East.
It has also often been at the centre of Middle Eastern conflicts, despite its small size, because of its
borders with Syria and Israel and its uniquely complex communal make-up.
Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druze are the main population groups in a country that has
been a refuge for the region's minorities for centuries.
After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations put Lebanon under a French mandate until it
declared independence in the Second World War.
Image copyrightGETTY
IMAGESImage captionBeirut has regained some of its reputation as the 'Paris of the East'
Communal tensions
A 1943 unwritten agreement divided parliamentary seats along communal lines as defined in the 1932
census, when the country had a Christian majority. This principle was later extended to other government
institutions, so that the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni and the speaker of
parliament a Shia.
At a glance
Conflicts: Civil war ended in 1990 but Lebanon was embroiled in war with Israel in 2006 over
Hezbollah. Syrian civil war has spilled over border
Politics: Governments remain fragile, and increasingly at the mercy of the Syrian situation
International: UN force in the south polices a Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire; Syria overshadows hopes
for peace
Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring
No census has been taken since 1932, and Muslim groups have demanded that representation should
reflect their increased proportion in the population.
This communal tension has been at the heart of most internal conflict in Lebanon, and neighbouring states
have used it as a pretext to intervene.
Lebanon has also seen several large influxes of Palestinian refugees. They and their descendants make up
as much as a tenth of the country's population, and are almost all housed in shanty towns and enjoy few
legal rights. Their presence, status and actions have been major sources of discord.
Civil war, foreign intervention
From 1975 until the early 1990s Lebanon endured a civil war in which regional players - in particular
Israel, Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organisation - used the country as a battleground for their own
conflicts.
Syrian troops moved in shortly after the war started. Israeli troops invaded in 1978 and again in 1982,
before pulling back to a self-declared "security zone" in the south from which they withdrew in May 2000.
Syria continued to exert considerable political clout in Lebanon even after the withdrawal of its troops in
2005 ended a 29-year military presence.
The withdrawal followed the assassination in Beirut of former prime minister Rafik Hariri. Lebanese
opposition groups accused Syria over the killing, and huge pro- and anti-Syria rallies in Beirut triggered
the fall of the government and the Syrian pullout.
Political parties
March 14 - Pro-western Sunni-based alliance named after mass demonstrations that followed killing
of ex-premier Rafik Hariri
Hezbollah - Pro-Syrian Shia military/political movement that fought Israel in the 2006 war. Leads
alliance of Shia Amal militia and Christian Free Patriotic Movement
The UN has demanded the dismantling of all armed groups in Lebanon, including Palestinian militias and
the military wing of Hezbollah, which controls much of southern Lebanon.
When the Hezbollah militia seized two Israeli soldiers in a raid in July 2006, Israel responded with a 34-
day military offensive and a blockade that wrecked post-civil-war stability.
A year after neighbouring Syria began its descent into civil war in 2011, deadly clashes between Sunni
Muslims and Alawites in Tripoli and Beirut raised fears that the conflict was beginning to spill over the
border and that Lebanon's already fragile political truce could once more collapse into sectarian strife.
The massive influx of people fleeing the Syrian conflict - by April 2014, Syrian refugees were estimated
to make up around a quarter of the population - has placed a severe strain on the country's resources. In
March 2014, the Lebanese foreign minister warned that the refugee crisis was threatening his country's
very existence.
Before the Syrian civil war erupted, there were signs that the revival of Lebanon's tourism industry might
lead the way to economic recovery. In 2010, shortly before the conflict began, tourism accounted for a
fifth of Lebanon's economic output. However, the fighting in Syria and the associated resurgence of
sectarian tensions in Lebanon have severely jolted the country's tourism industry and dented hopes of a
return to the cosmopolitan prosperity of the 1950s and 1960s.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14649284 & http://www.bbc.com/news/world-

middle-east-14647311
Lebanon: Country profile
By Peter Shadbolt and Eoghan Macguire, for CNN
A delicate peace Lebanon's peace has at times been a fragile one. In 2005, Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri (pictured in the poster) was assassinated by a car bomb in central
Beirut. Huge public demonstrations against Syria led to the withdrawal of all Syrian military
forces in April 2005. The kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah in 2006 led to a 34-
day conflict with Israel that left approximately 1,200 civilians dead, according to the CIA
World Factbook.
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Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Rebuilding the economy Lebanon has been rebuilding its economy and infrastructure
since the end of the civil war in 1990.Between 2006 and 2010 the economy grew at a
supercharged 8% per annum -- thanks primarily to the services sector -- although this
slowed to 1.5% in 2011, according to the CIA World Factbook
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Beirut by night Despite the turmoil of its recent history, Lebanon plays host to some of
the liveliest cities in the Middle East. Beirut (pictured) is famed for its bustling night life and
was known as the Paris of the Middle East. A number of important cultural sites can be
found at Tripoli and Tyre.
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Tourism destination In recent years Lebanon has rebranded itself as a trendy tourist
destination, catering for a wide variety of religious, historic and leisure visitors. The country
has six UNESCO World Heritage sites as well as 300 kilometers of beaches and seashore.
More than 2 million people visited Lebanon in 2010 alone according to a World Bank report.
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Cedar tree symbol Lebanon is one of the few independent states in the world to feature
a tree in its national flag (alongside Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Belize and Fiji). The cedar tree
is an important symbol in the country's history, representing happiness, prosperity and
resilience. It has been adopted by many Lebanese political parties and the country's
national airline, Middle East Airlines.
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Syrian conflict and refugees Internal conflict in neighboring Syria spilled over into
Lebanon earlier this year, prompting fears that renewed factional rivalries could reopen the
wounds of past conflicts.Clashes between political and religious groups who either support
or oppose the Syrian president Bashar al Assad have erupted in both Tripoli and Beirut. As
of August 1, 2012, 33,664 Syrian refugees had crossed into Lebanon, according to the
UNHCR.
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A history in pictures Lebanon gained independence from France in 1943. Located on
the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Syria, the country is one of
the smallest in the Middle East by area. Despite its compact size, Lebanon has played an
important role in regional politics, security and commerce throughout its history.
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Cultural and religious mix The formation of neighbouring Israel in 1948 led to an exodus
of Palestinian refugees into southern Lebanon.The U.N. estimates that of Lebanon's 5
million residents, 455,000 are Palestinian refugees (like those pictured here in Beirut in
1973).According to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Lebanon is home to 18
separate religious sects and several different ethnic groups.
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Civil conflict The civil war broadly pitted Palestinian and pro-Palestinian Muslim militias
against Lebanon's Christian militias, devastating the country in the process.
An estimated 150,000 people were killed during the course of the conflict whilst thousands
more fled the country.
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Outside influence Instability in Lebanon has drawn in soldiers from neighbouring Israel
and Syria at various points in the country's history. In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon in a
push to destroy the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization).Israel kept troops in the south
until 2000. In 2005 Syria withdrew troops that initially arrived in 1976.
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Reconciled political process The Ta'if Accord, signed under the auspices of the Arab
League in 1989, officially ended the civil war in 1990. To balance power among Lebanon's
three main religious groups the presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime
minister is a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament is always a Shia Muslim. Pictured
are the current president Michel Suleiman, (center), prime minister Najib Mikati, (right) and
speaker of the parliament Nabih Berri, (left).
Lebanon could have no more fitting symbol of its tumultuous history than its national
flag.
Emblazoned with a green cedar tree against a white background, framed between two
red bands, an official account states the white represents peace, the red, the blood that
has been spilled in the name of liberation and the tree, survival.
Situated on the eastern-most lip of the Mediterranean basin -- in a region once known
as the Levant -- Lebanon stands at the gateway between Christian Europe and the Arab
Middle East and North Africa.
Throughout its history it has been the scene of bitter struggles.
As far back as 332BC, Alexander the Great -- realizing its importance as a strategic
gateway to the Mediterranean -- led a seven-month siege at Tyre, modern Lebanon's
fourth largest city.
Originally an island city, Alexander spared no effort in taking the Phoenician city state,
constructing a 1km-long causeway to connect the island with the mainland as part of his
invasion plan.
Part of the Ottoman Empire from the early 16th century, Lebanon became a French
mandate after World War I and achieved independence in 1943.
In the 20th century, it suffered violent shifts in its fortunes.
Once known as the "Paris of the East" because of its cosmopolitan nature, Beirut
proudly boasted that it was the only city in the world where you could swim in the
Mediterranean in the morning and then drive to the mountains to go skiing in the
afternoon.
Others compared it with Switzerland as its reputation grew as a financial center in the
1960s.
Until the mid-1970s the country prospered, but conflict between the Christian and
Muslim communities, the influx of Palestinian refugees, and repeated wars in the region
destabilized the country. Civil war erupted in 1975 and did not end until 1990. The first
general elections in 20 years were held in 1992.
The civil war broadly pitted Palestinian and pro-Palestinian Muslim militias against
Lebanon's Christian militias, devastating the country in the process. An estimated
150,000 people were killed and thousands fled the country. The Lebanese diaspora is
thought to be around 14 million, according to the British Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (FCO), with the majority in Brazil and the United States.
The country had an estimated 4,125,247 people in July 2010, according to figures from
the CIA Factbook, although no official census has been taken since 1932 because of
the sensitive political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups.
The country is known to have a "confessional democracy" and refers to a system of
government whereby political and institutional power is distributed proportionally among
religious communities. The presidency is reserved for a Maronite Christian, the prime
minister is a Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament a Shia Muslim.
According to the FCO, Lebanon is home to 18 separate religious sects and several
different ethnic groups.
Key to understanding Lebanon is its fractious and often bloody relationship with its
neighbors, Israel and Syria.
With the formation of Israel in 1948, thousands of Palestinian refugees flooded into
Lebanon altering the country's finely balanced demographic.
According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the international
body set up to ensure the welfare of Palestinian refugees, there are about 400,000
officially registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, or approximately 10% of the
population. Just under half of the refugees continue to live in camps.
In 1982, Israel launched a full-scale invasion of Lebanon to counter the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO). That year the Shia militia group Hezbollah was formed
with the purpose of ridding Lebanon of Israeli influence. Most Israeli troops were
withdrawn by 1985, although Israel remained in the south until 2000 when it dismantled
a 12-mile security buffer zone it had maintained inside Lebanese territory since 1978.
Lebanon's eastern neighbor Syria has also been influential in the country's affairs and
internal politics. Syrian troops arrived in 1976 shortly after the civil war started and did
not leave until 2005. Their withdrawal was precipitated by the assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Many anti-Syrian elements within Lebanon blamed the
assassination on the Syrian government and the pro-Bashar al-Assad Hezbollah, claims
they denied.
Even with ongoing political tensions and spasms of violence, since 2005, Lebanon has
worked hard to emerge from this bitter legacy, reinventing itself as trendy tourist
destination.
Thanks to the rejuvenation of war-torn central Beirut, one of the largest and most
ambitious urban redevelopment projects in the region, Beirut is once more laying claim
to its as title of the "Paris of the East."
But even as the nightspots and cafes begin to repopulate a battered Beirut, the country
remains a hostage to its geopolitical position. According to the U.N. refugee agency, as
of August this year, Lebanon had received more than 30,000 refugees from Syria as
conflict there rages, once again testing the resilience of its people.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/10/world/meast/lebanon-country-profile/index.html
___
Country profile: Lebanon

Lebanon is one of the most politically
contested nations in the region.
Lebanon is one of the smallest countries in the Middle East, yet it is one of the
most politically contested nations in the region largely owing to its
proximity to Israel.
Countries such as Iran, Syria, and the United States have each sought to exert
their influence over Lebanon, where political parties have received support
from Tehran and Damascus or the West.
Prior to that deal, street battles between supporters of the Hezbollah-led

March 8 movement and the Western-backed March 14 parliamentary bloc had
raised the spectre of a return to civil war 18 years after a bloody internecine
conflict had ended.
The country is battling to rebuild after Israel launched a 34-day war in 2006
against Hezbollah, a Shia Muslim political party and armed resistance
movement.
The war devastated swaths of southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of
Beirut, the capital.
The 1975-1990 civil war, Israel's war on Lebanon in 2006 and continuing
political tensions have all contributed to ending Beirut's reign as the "Paris of
the Middle East" the capital was once the main financial hub of the region.
Political infighting
The state of Greater Lebanon was established in 1920 after the League of
Nations granted France a mandate for Lebanon and Syria.
Lebanon declared independence from France 21 years later. The country's

Sunni Muslim and Maronite Christian leadership reached agreement in 1943
on the National Pact, an unwritten deal which divided positions of power on a
confessional basis, according to the 1932 census.
Political power in Lebanon has traditionally been concentrated among a few

prominent families.
The Jumblatts are the leading political family in the Druze community, while
the Gemayels are one of the most politically active Maronite families.
However, comparatively young political organisations such as Hezbollah have

little dynastic tradition.
End of civil war
While the Taif Accord of 1989, which ended the civil war, re-distributed
parliamentary seats evenly between Muslims and Christians, Lebanon has not
held a census since 1932.
In the decades since that population survey the Shia Muslim community,
concentrated in the south, has expanded at a faster rate than any other in
Lebanon.
The Maronites, in particular, have little appetite for holding a new census as
the results could show that they have slipped behind the Shia and Sunni
communities in terms of population and hence loosen their claim to the
prestigious presidential post.
Most of the Shia community in Lebanon lends its support to Hezbollah, one of
the country's youngest political movements. The group formed in 1982 as an
armed resistance movement against Israel's military occupation of Lebanon
(which was aimed at pushing Palestinian fighters out of Lebanon).
The group made its formal entry into the Lebanese political sphere in 1992,
taking part in a general election.
Hezbollah, which has received funds and training from Iran, is also Syria's
biggest ally in Lebanon.
But while the agreement expressly called for Damascus to pull its forces back
to Lebanon's Bekaa valley no more than two years after the ratification of the
accord, Syrian troops and security agents were still in the country by early
2005.
Many Lebanese, particularly those from the Christian and Sunni communities,
had accused Damascus of running an overlordship of Lebanon.
But what forced the end of Syria's physical presence in Lebanon was not a
slow-burning campaign but widespread public anger at the assassination in
February 2005 of Rafiq al-Hariri, a former Lebanese prime minister and
businessman. By April 2005, Syrian troops had left the country.
Two key dates in March 2005 have latterly been used to designate the political
leanings of Lebanese parties in the post-Syrian era.
On March 8, thousands of people turned out in a Hezbollah-organised rally in

southern Beirut to demonstrate support for Syria.
However, a much larger demonstration called by Sunni Muslims, Druze and

Christian parties on March 14 demanded Syria's exit from the country.
Lebanon's political set-up remains fragile. While some parties within the
March 14 bloc remain opposed to a peace deal with Israel, they were critical of
what they called Hezbollah's unilateral decision to launch a cross-border raid
into Israel in July 2006, which led to Israel waging a war against Lebanon.
Hezbollah, which has consistently maintained that its armed wing's actions
against Israel are intended to act as a bulwark against any possibility of a new
occupation by the Jewish state, has in turn accused March 14 of fostering ties
with the West that are inimical to Lebanon's Arab identity.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

(http://www.aljazeera.com/focus/2009/05/20095311115260881.html)
______________________________________________
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the
former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of
Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence
the country has been marked by periods of political turmoil interspersed with
prosperity built on its position as a regi onal center for finance and trade. The
country's 1975-90 civil war that resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was
followed by years of social and political instability. Sectarianism is a key element
of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has historically influenced Lebanon's
foreign policy and internal policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976
until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and
counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in
2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.
Population:
6,237,738 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 1 08
Nationality:
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Lebanese
Ethnic groups:
Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but
rather as descendants of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called
Phoenicians
Languages:
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Religions:
Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite
Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholi c, 6.5% other Christian),
Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and
Mormons
note: 18 religious sects recognized (2012 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan
former: Greater Lebanon
etymology: derives from the Semitic root "lbn" meaning "white" and refers
to snow-capped Mount Lebanon
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Beirut
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michel AWN (since 31 October 2016)
head of government: Prime Minister Saad al-HARIRI (since 18 December
2016); Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan HASBANI (since 18 December 2016)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the
president and National Assembly
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the National
Assembly with two-thirds majority vote in the first round and if needed
absolute majority vote in a second round for a 6 -year term (eligible for non-
consecutive terms); (next to be held in 2022); prime minister and deputy
prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National
Assembly
election results: Michel AW N elected president; National Assembly vote in
second round - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; note - in the initial election held on 23
April 2014, no candidate received the required two-thirds vote, and
subsequent attempts failed because the National Assembly lacked a quorum
to hold a vote; the president was elected in the 46th attempt on 31 October
2016
Legislative branch:
description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al -Nuwab in Arabic or
Assemblee Nationale in French (128 seats; members directly elected in
multi-seat constituencies by majority vote; members serve 4-year terms);
note - seats are apportioned among the Christian and Muslim denominations
note: Lebanons Constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct
regular business until it elects a president when the positio n is vacant
elections: last held on 7 June 2009 (next to be held in May 2017)
election results: percent of vote by coalition - March 8 Coalition 54.7%,
March 14 Coalition 45.3%; seats by coalition - March 14 Coalition 71; March
8 Coalition 57; seats by coalition following 16 July 2012 byelection held to fill
one seat - March 14 Coalition 72, March 8 Coalition 56
Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Supreme Court (organized into 8
chambers, each with a presiding judge and 2 associate judges);
Constitutional Council (consists of 10 members)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/le.html
_________________________________
Background:
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of
the devastating 15-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation
- the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving
Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the
government.
Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of
the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical
Shia organization, retains its weapons.
During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop
deployment, numbering about 16,000 based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley.
Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and
the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if
Accord. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some
Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR
1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its
interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's
presence in Lebanon.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook) via http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/lebanon.htm

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All About Iraq and Lebanon

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Iraq, in an area once home to some of the earliest civilisations, became a battleground for

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He is the second ethnic Kurdish president of Iraq, succeeding Jalal Talabani.

Prime Minister: Haider al-Abadi

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Iraq profile - home

Image copyrightAFPImage captionIraq is home to

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A chronology of key events:

1974 - Iraq grants limited autonomy to Kurdish region.

First US-Iraq war

1991 Gulf War

Operation Desert Fox

Saddam Hussein's ouster by US forces prompted jubilation among many Iraqis

Saddam's sons Uday and Qusay killed in gun battle in Mosul.

Sovereignty and elections

Image copyrightAPImage captionUnder

Shia holy sites

Image copyrightAFPImage captionShrine of the

Shrine of the Imam Ali, one of Shia Islam's holiest places

Security pact approved

New political groupings

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Offensive against Islamic State

Iraq: Country profile

Quick facts on Iraq

Population: 30,399,572 (July

Capital: Baghdad, population

Religion: Shia Muslim, 60-65

Languages: Arabic, Kurdish

Literacy rate: 74 per cent (2000

In 1979, Saddam Hussein came to power as president of Iraq after his

In 2003, US troops invaded Iraq. Already weakened by the long-running

Politics and security

The Iraqi constitution allows for semi-autonomous regional governments. The

The economy is nonetheless dominated by the petroleum sector, which produced

Prime minister: Saad Hariri

Israeli invasions and withdrawal

1978: First Israeli invasion

1985: Israel pulls back to self-declared security zone

May 2000: Israel pulls out of south Lebanon

Two governments, one country

Civil war ends

Hezbollah and Hariri

2006 Israeli-Lebanese war

Najib Mikati's government resigns amid tensions over upcoming elections.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vows victory in Syria.

Syria's civil war has fanned sectarian tension in neighbouring Lebanon

Lebanon profile - Overview

Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14649284 & http://www.bbc.com/news/world-

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Photos: Lebanon: A history in pictures

Country profile: Lebanon

Prior to that deal, street battles between supporters of the Hezbollah-led

Lebanon declared independence from France 21 years later. The country's

Political power in Lebanon has traditionally been concentrated among a few