Map of Lebanon | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 10,400 km²
Land: 10,230 km²
Water: 170 km²
Comparative: about one-third the size of Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 484 km
Border countries: (2) Israel 81 km; Syria 403 km

Coastline: 225 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Elevation
Highest point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 1,250 m

Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 63.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 11.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 12.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 39.1% (2018 est.)
Forest: 13.4% (2018 est.)
Other: 23.3% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,040 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 900 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 700 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 4.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms

Geography
Note: smallest country in continental Asia; Nahr el Litani is the only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity


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Population
Distribution: the majority of the people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, and of these most live in and around the capital, Beirut; favorable growing conditions in the Bekaa Valley, on the southeastern side of the Lebanon Mountains, have attracted farmers and thus the area exhibits a smaller population density: 5,331,203 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 0.64% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 27.4% (2011 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
Note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendants of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Major-language samples:

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.21% (male 524,172/female 500,185)
15-64 years: 71.69% (male 1,929,150/female 1,892,806)
65 years and over: 9.1% (2023 est.) (male 208,436/female 276,454)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 59.3
Youth dependency ratio: 44
Elderly dependency ratio: 15.3
Potential support ratio: 6.5 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 35.8 years (2023 est.)
Male: 35.1 years
Female: 36.4 years

Population growth rate: 0.64% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 12.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: the majority of the people live on or near the Mediterranean coast, and of these most live in and around the capital, Beirut; favorable growing conditions in the Bekaa Valley, on the southeastern side of the Lebanon Mountains, have attracted farmers and thus the area exhibits a smaller population density

Urbanization
Urban population: 89.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -1.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil deterioration, erosion; desertification; species loss; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills; waste-water management
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 24.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 24.8 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 3.37 megatons (2020 est.)

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: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79 years (2023 est.)
Male: 77.6 years
Female: 80.5 years

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure: 8% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density: 2.21 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 32% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 1.14 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 38.2% (2020 est.)
Male: 47.5% (2020 est.)
Female: 28.9% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.4% (2021) NA

Education expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.1%
Male: 96.9%
Female: 93.3% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 11 years (2014)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 29.6% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 30.8%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 26.7%


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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 refers to snow-capped Mount Lebanon

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Beirut
Geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: derived from the Canaanite or Phoenician word "ber'ot," meaning "the wells" or "fountain," which referred to the site's accessible water table

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution
History: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926
Amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 2004

Legal system: mixed legal 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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: president (vacant)
Head of government: Caretaker Prime Minister Najib MIQATI (since 20 September 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and Parliament
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament with two-thirds majority vote in the first round and if needed absolute majority vote in a second round for a 6-year term (eligible for non-consecutive terms); last held on 31 October 2016 (presidential election ongoing as of mid-May 2023); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with Parliament; deputy prime minister determined during cabinet formation
Election results:

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Lebanese Parliament or Majlis al-Nuwab in Arabic, Chambre des députés in French (128 seats; members directly elected in multi-member constituencies by open list proportional representation vote, apportioned evenly between Christian and Muslims; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 15 May 2022 (next to be held in May 2,026)
Election results: percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by party/coalition - FPM 16, LF 14, Amal Movement 13, Hezbollah 13, PSP 9, FM (candidates did not run in 2022; members ran as independents) 8, Kata’ib Party 4, other 30, independent 21; composition - men 120, women 8, percent of women 6.3%; note -a dozen of the elected deputies are from groups pushing for reform with origins in the recent protest movements against the established elite and have formed a group called the "Forces of Change"
Note: Lebanon’s constitution states the Lebanese Parliament cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Wael HACHEM, Counselor (since 15 March 2021)
In the us chancery: 2,560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-6,300
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 939-6,324
In the us email address and website:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothy C. SHEA (since 11 March 2020)
From the us embassy: Awkar-Facing the Municipality, Main Street, Beirut
From the us mailing address: 6,070 Beirut Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,070
From the us telephone: [961] (04) 543-600
From the us FAX: [961] (4) 544-019
From the us email address and website:

Flag description: three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in the white band; the red bands symbolize blood shed for liberation, the white band denotes peace, the snow of the mountains, and purity; the green cedar tree is the symbol of Lebanon and represents eternity, steadiness, happiness, and prosperity

National symbols: cedar tree; national colors: red, white, green

National anthem
Name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!)
Lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
Note: adopted 1927; chosen following a nationwide competition

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview: upper middle-income Middle Eastern economy; economic activity hurt by economic depression, COVID-19, and port explosion; hyperinflation and sharp poverty increases; banks have ceased lending; new financing facility helping with recovery

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 87.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 13.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)
Industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 83% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: potatoes, milk, tomatoes, apples, oranges, olives, wheat, cucumbers, poultry, lemons

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

Industrial production growth rate: -6.85% (2021 est.)

Labor force: 1.719 million (2021 est.)
Note: excludes as many as 1 million foreign workers and refugees

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 29.6% (2021 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 30.8%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 26.7%

Population below poverty line: 27.4% (2011 est.)

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 31.8 (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $11.061 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $16.574 billion (2019 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: -6.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 8.9% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Public debt:
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

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Partners: Switzerland 27%, United Arab Emirates 15%, South Korea 11%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Kuwait 6% (2019)
Commodities: gold, diamonds, scrap iron, wood furniture, grapes, jewelry, cars (2021)

Imports:
Partners: United Arab Emirates 11%, China 10%, Italy 8%, Greece 8%, Turkey 7%, United States 6% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, jewelry, gold (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 3.768 million kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 18,715,620,000 kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
Imports: 900 million kWh (2019 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.219 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 94.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Coal
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 268,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 268,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 168,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 151,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 25.838 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 563,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 25.275 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 53.528 million Btu/person (2019 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 875,480 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4.3 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 77 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 7 TV stations, 1 of which is state owned; more than 30 radio stations, 1 of which is state owned; satellite and cable TV services available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible through partner stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .lb
Users total: 4.872 million (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 87% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 432,070 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2020 est.)


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Military expenditures:

Military and security forces:
Note 1: 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
Note 2: the Parliamentary Police Force reports to the speaker of parliament and has responsibility for protecting parliament premises and the speaker’s residence; both the Internal Security Forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces provide units to the Parliamentary Police Force

Military service age and obligation: 17-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2023)
Note: women were allowed to volunteer for military service in the 1980s; as of 2023, they comprised about 5% of the active duty military

Space program

Terrorist groups
Terrorist groups: Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; Asbat al-Ansar; HAMAS; Hizballah; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Nusrah Front (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham); Palestine Liberation Front; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP); PFLP-General Command
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in terrorist organizations


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,981,937 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 56.57 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OD

Airports: 8 (2021)
With paved runways: 5
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
With unpaved runways: 3
With unpaved runways note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Heliports: 1 (2021)

Pipelines: 88 km gas (2013)

Railways
Total: 401 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 319 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 82 km (2017) 1.050-m gauge
Note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006

Roadways
Total: 21,705 km (2017)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 49 (2022)
By type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 32, oil tanker 1, other 14

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Beirut, Tripoli
Container ports teus: Beirut (1,229,100) (2019)


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Disputes international: Lebanon-Syria: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; in March 2021, Syria signed a contract with a Russian company for oil and gas exploration in a maritime area Lebanon claims as its own based on a 2011 map sent to the UN

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 487,000 (Palestinian refugees) (2022); 789,842 (Syria) (2023)
IDPs: 7,000 (2020)
Stateless persons: undetermined (2016); note - tens of thousands of persons are stateless in Lebanon, including many Palestinian refugees and their descendants, Syrian Kurds denaturalized in Syria in 1962, children born to Lebanese women married to foreign or stateless men; most babies born to Syrian refugees, and Lebanese children whose births are unregistered

Illicit drugs: source country for amphetamine tablets destined for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Libya and Sudan; source for captagon