BEIRUT - According to data issued by the Lebanese Central Bank, the number of used Credit and Debit Cards in the country reached 1.5 million at the end of June 2008. This number displays an increase of 2.9% compared to the end of last March as well as an annual increase of 8.9%.

96.6% of the cards belong to Lebanese residents. The Debit Cards used by the Lebanese represent 62.6% followed by Credit Cards with 21.8%, and Charge Cards with 10.3%.

The Debit Cards used by non-residents represent 2.1% and the Credit Cards 0.2%.

The number of ATMs in Lebanon increased by 0.8% in these last four months to reach 1084 machines. Beirut includes 549 ATMs, namely 50.6% of the total number, followed by Mount-Lebanon that contains 236 (21.8%), the North with 110 machines (10.1%), the South with 91 (8.4%), the Bekaa region that includes 81 (7.5%), and Nabatiyeh that contains nothing but 17 (1.6%).

Nowadays, 48 713 outlets are officially authorized to pay by card. This number is increasing by 6.6% compared to last year’s number.

In these last months, the monthly payments of the Lebanese residents by card reached 70 million dollars, displaying an increase of 29% compared to the same period of last year.