Lebanon

Location

• Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
• smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Beirut	1,916,100	Capital
Ra’s Bayrūt	1,251,739
Tripoli	229,398
Sidon	163,554
Tyre	135,204
Aley	130,000
Nabatîyé et Tahta	120,000
Habboûch	98,433
Jounieh	96,315
Zahlé	78,145

Size

• 4,015 square miles
• 10,400 square kilometers
• about one-third the size of Maryland

History

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.

Climate

Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Languages

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenianmajor-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.)note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized

Government

parliamentary democratic republic

• Constitution: history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926amendment 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• 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
• 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
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025)head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025)cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and the National Assemblyelection/appointment process: president indirectly elected by a qualified majority of two-thirds of Parliament members in the first round and, if needed, a two-thirds quorum of members by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assemblymost recent election date: 9 January 2025election results: 2025: Joseph AOUN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - 99 of 1282016: Michel AWN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; the president elected in its 46th attempt on 31 October 2016expected date of next election: 2031
• 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 termssubordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized tribunals, religious courts; military courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Nuwwab)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 128 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 4 yearsmost recent election date: 5/15/2022parties elected and seats per party: Strong Republic (19); Strong Lebanon (18); Development and Liberation (15); Loyalty to the Resistance (15); Independent Deputies (9); Democratic Gathering (8); Independents (20); Other (24)percentage of women in chamber: 6.3%expected date of next election: May 2026note 1: Lebanon’s constitution states that the Parliament cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant note 2: seats are apportioned evenly between Christians and Muslims

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• 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
• Budget: revenues: $12.73 billion (2021 est.)expenditures: $11.853 billion (2021 est.)note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
• Industries: banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating
• Agricultural Products: potatoes, milk, tomatoes, apples, oranges, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, chicken, lemons/limes, wheat (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 66.4% (2022 est.)arable land: 13.6% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 13.7% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 39.1% (2022 est.)forest: 14.1% (2022 est.)other: 19.5% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, gold, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: Switzerland 12%, China 11%, Greece 9%, Turkey 8%, Italy 6% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: jewelry, cars, diamonds, scrap iron, gold (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: UAE 26%, Egypt 7%, Turkey 5%, Iraq 5%, USA 4% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports