Autonomy, Locus of Control, And Entrepreneurial Orientation of Lebanese Expatriates Worldwide‪.‬

Introduction Lebanon is one rare representative democracy within the Middle East. This small 4,000-square-mile coastal mountain stretch along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean has accommodated a population varying between 3 and 4 million inhabitants over the last century. At the onset of the 20th century Lebanon's population consisted of a slight Christian majority. A century and many wars later, Islam accounts for more than half of the population. However, the cultural mix of this diverse population appears to be uniform over geography and steady in time. Foreign influence in domestic institutions is intricate and intense. Almost every world power has a stake in Lebanese affairs, through socio-cultural and educational diffusion. Official language in the country is Arabic. However, English and French are main vectors of education. Other commonly used languages include Armenian, Syriac, Kurdish, in addition to main European languages such as Spanish and Italian. Most prominent religious confessional institutions include the Maronite Catholics, the Orthodox, and Armenian Christians, while the main Islamic communities include the Sunni, Shia, and Druze, in addition to a dozen other minority communities of all religious faiths. Yet the diversity of Lebanon's culture seems to have no or little effect on the pioneering spirit of Lebanese migrants worldwide. World wars as well as domestic feuds have fuelled a steady stream of migration worldwide, so that there are many times more Lebanese natives outside Lebanon than in their own homeland. Early destinations include North America, and Europe. More recent destinations include Australia, South America, Africa, and the Arabian Gulf.