The adult literacy rate in 1990 was 80.3%. As in other countries of the Arab world, there are two types of Arabic in Lebanon in a diglossic relation: Modern Standard Arabic, which is used in formal contexts, in the media, and in writing, and Levantine Arabic (South Levantine Spoken Arabic) dialects, which are used for spoken and everyday communication. The official language of Lebanon is Arabic, which is also the native language of the large majority of itsģ.7 million inhabitants. Since the end of the civil war, the political system has addressed the representation of the interests of different ethnic and religious groups – including Sunni and Shia Muslims, Druze, and various Christian sects – in the country. From 1975 until 1991, the country suffered from a civil war, which also involved the neighboring countries, Israel and Syria, and the Palestinian Liberation Organization. After the end of the Ottoman Empire, Lebanon was under French mandate from 1920 until it gained independence in 1943. Since the Middle Ages, Lebanon has acquired a reputation for comparatively tolerant politics and has become home to a number of smaller religious and ethnic groups of the area. Arabic was introduced into Lebanon with the Arab conquest in 634–636 A.D. Recorded history in Lebanon goes back almost 5000 years to the times of the Phoenician seafaring traders. Lebanon: Language Situation Editorial Team ! 2006 Elsevier Ltd.
