Lebanon
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. From it the French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920, and it gained independence in 1943. Lebanon subsequently experienced periods of political turmoil interspersed with prosperity built on its position as a regional center for finance and trade. The country's 1975-90 civil war, which resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities, was followed by years of social and political instability, and sectarianism remains a key element of Lebanese political life. The Israeli defense forces, which occupied parts of Lebanon during the civil war, did not completely withdraw until 2000. Neighboring Syria influenced Lebanon's foreign and domestic policies while its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005, but its influence diminished significantly after 2005. Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees fled to Lebanon after the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. Hizballah -- a major Lebanese political party, militia, and US-designated foreign terrorist organization -- and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal and fought a brief war in 2006. After HAMAS attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, the intensity and frequency of these cross-border attacks increased substantially into a cycle of hostilities, mostly limited to the border areas as of January 2024. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved. Lebanon's prosperity has significantly diminished since the beginning of the country's economic crisis in 2019, which has crippled its economy, shut down its previously lucrative banking sector, reduced the value of its currency, and caused many Lebanese to emigrate in search of better prospects.
Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
225 km
Geography - note
smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary
Irrigated land
1,040 sq km (2012)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources
Terrain
narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
1.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
5.1% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
52.4% (2019 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 50 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 38.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 11.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 8.7 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 8.6% national budget (2025 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
1.07 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
10.1% of GDP (2021) 15.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 92% (2019 est.) male: 94.8% (2019 est.) female: 89.5% (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
15 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Nationality
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
32% (2016)
Physician density
2.68 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Population distribution
the majority of people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, particularly in and around the capital of Beirut
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 11 years (2023 est.) male: 12 years female: 11 years (2014)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 34.1% (2025 est.) male: 43.8% (2025 est.) female: 25.4% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.04 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 15% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double-width), and red (bottom), with a green cedar tree centered on the white band
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
8 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Aakkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa (Bekaa), Beyrouth (Beirut), Liban-Nord (North Lebanon), Liban-Sud (South Lebanon), Mont-Liban (Mount Lebanon), Nabatiye
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Lebanon dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
Constitution
history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic and introduced as a government bill to the National Assembly or proposed by at least 10 members of the Assembly and agreed upon by two thirds of its members; if proposed by the National Assembly, review and approval by two-thirds majority of the Cabinet is required; if approved, the proposal is next submitted to the Cabinet for drafting as an amendment; Cabinet approval requires at least two-thirds majority, followed by submission to the National Assembly for discussion and vote; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of a required two-thirds quorum of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president
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 probably refers to the country's snow-capped mountains
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
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) judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by Supreme Judicial Council, a 10-member body headed by the chief justice, and includes other judicial officials; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the Council of Ministers and 5 by parliament; members serve 5-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts
Legal system
mixed system of civil law based on the French civil code, Ottoman legal tradition, and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 6 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Anjar; Baalbek; Byblos; Tyre; Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab); Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli
Political parties
Al-Ahbash (Association of Islamic Charitable Projects) or AICP Amal Movement ("Hope Movement") Azm Movement Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon Free Patriotic Movement or FPM Future Movement Bloc or FM Hizballah Islamic Action Front or IAF Kata'ib Party Lebanese Democratic Party Lebanese Forces or LF Marada Movement Progressive Socialist Party or PSP Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Suffrage
21 years of age; authorized for all men and women regardless of religion; excludes persons convicted of felonies and other crimes or those imprisoned; excludes all military and security service personnel regardless of rank
Economic Overview
lower middle-income Middle Eastern economy; hyperinflation and sharp poverty increases; banks have ceased lending; economic contraction, destroyed infrastructure, and reduced consumer demand resulting from Israel-Hezbollah conflict
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Import Profile
Top Import Partners
Major Import Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$5.643 billion (2023 est.) -$7.265 billion (2022 est.) -$4.556 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$41.936 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 89,500 (2024 est.) 13,875.625 (2023 est.) 1,507.5 (2022 est.) 1,507.5 (2021 est.) 1,507.5 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
0.1% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
45.2% (2024 est.) 221.3% (2023 est.) 171.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Public debt
146.8% of GDP (2017 est.) note: data cover central government debt and exclude debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment
Remittances
33.3% of GDP (2023 est.) 30.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 27.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$33.301 billion (2024 est.) $27.49 billion (2023 est.) $32.513 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
5.7% (of GDP) (2021 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) note: the commander of the LAF is also the head of the Army; the LAF patrols external borders, while official border checkpoints are under the authority of Directorate for General Security
the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025)
the primary responsibilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are defense against external attack, border security, protecting the country’s territorial waters, and assisting with internal security and development projects the LAF’s domestic security responsibilities include countering narcotics trafficking and smuggling, managing protests, conducting search and rescue, and intervening to prevent violence between rival political factions; in recent years, the military has faced a financial crisis as government debt and national economic difficulties have undercut its ability to train and fully pay and supply personnel; the UN, as well as individual countries such as France, Qatar, and the US have provided financial assistance the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the southern part of the country since 1978; it has approximately 10,500 personnel assigned and includes a maritime task force; the terrorist group Hizballah maintains thousands of fighters and militia in Lebanon, primarily in the south (see Terrorist Organizations in References) (2025)
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026)