Background: Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French demarcated the region of Lebanon in 1920 and granted this area independence in 1943. Since independence, the country has been marked by 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. Sectarianism is a key element of Lebanese political life. Neighboring Syria has historically influenced Lebanon's foreign policy and internal policies, and its military occupied Lebanon from 1976 until 2005. The Lebanon-based Hizballah militia and Israel continued attacks and counterattacks against each other after Syria's withdrawal, and fought a brief war in 2006. Lebanon's borders with Syria and Israel remain unresolved.

Geographic coordinates: 33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 10,400 km²
Land: 10,230 km²
Water: 170 km²
Rank: 168
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
Mean elevation: 1250 m
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 63.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 13.4% (2011 est.)
Other: 23.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 1040 km² (2012)

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

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: 5,469,612 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 118
Growth rate: -6.68% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 236
Below poverty line: 28.6% (2004 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

Religions: Muslim 61.1% (30.6% Sunni, 30.5% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 33.7% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2018 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.75% (male 581,015/female 554,175)
15-24 years: 14.98% (male 417,739/female 401,357)
25-54 years: 46.69% (male 1,296,250/female 1,257,273)
55-64 years: 9.62% (male 250,653/female 275,670)
65 years and over: 7.96% (male 187,001/female 248,479) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 48.4
Youth dependency ratio: 37.2
Elderly dependency ratio: 11.2
Potential support ratio: 8.9 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 33.7 years
Male: 33.1 years
Female: 34.4 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 95

Population growth rate: -6.68% (2020 est.)
Rank: 236

Birth rate: 13.6 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 137

Death rate: 5.4 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 184

Net migration rate: -88.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 227

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: 88.9% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.75% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 2.424 million BEIRUT (capital) (2020)

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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.8 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.2 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.4 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 160

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.3 years
Male: 76.9 years
Female: 79.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 68

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 169

Current health expenditure: 8.2% (2017)

Physicians density: 2.03 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1000 population (2017)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: <.1% (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids: 2,700 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 134
Deaths note: <100 (2019 est.)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 32% (2016)
Rank: 19

Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 154

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)

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

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 1989

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 Michel AWN (since 31 October 2016)
Head of government:  Prime Minister Saad HARIRI (since 22 October 2020)
Cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and National Assembly
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly 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 (next to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; deputy prime minister determined during cabinet formation
Election results: Michel AWN elected president in second round; National Assembly vote - Michel AWN (FPM) 83; note - in the initial election held on 23 April 2014, no candidate received the required two-thirds vote, and subsequent attempts failed because the Assembly lacked the necessary quorum to hold a vote; the president was finally elected in its 46th attempt on 31 October 2016

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab in Arabic or Assemblee Nationale in French (128 seats; members directly elected by listed-based proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); prior to 2017, the electoral system was by majoritarian vote
Elections: last held on 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: percent of vote by coalition - NA; seats by coalition - Strong Lebanon Bloc (Free Patriotic Movement-led) 25; Future Bloc (Future Movement-led) 20; Development and Liberation Bloc (Amal Movement-led) 16; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc (Hizballah-led) 15; Strong Republic Bloc (Lebanese Forces-led) 15; Democratic Gathering (Progressive Socialist Party-led) 9; Independent Centre Bloc 4; National Bloc (Marada Movement-led) 3; Syrian Social Nationalist Party 3; Tashnaq 3; Kata’ib 3; other 8; independent 4;  composition - men 122, women 6, percent of women 4.6%
Note: Lebanon’s constitution states the National Assembly 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: Al-Ahbash or Association of Islamic Charitable Projects [Adnan TARABULSI]Amal Movement [Nabih BERRI]Azm Movement [Najib MIQATI]Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon [Fayiz SHUKR]Free Patriotic Movement or FPM [Gibran BASSIL]Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]Islamic Actions Front [Sheikh Zuhayr al-JU’AYD]Kata'ib Party [Sami GEMAYEL]Lebanese Democratic Party [Talal ARSLAN]Lebanese Forces or LF [Samir JA'JA]Marada Movement [Sulayman FRANJIEH]Progressive Socialist Party or PSP [Walid JUNBLATT]Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party [Sabuh KALPAKIAN]Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Hanna al-NASHIF]Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]

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 Gabriel ISSA (since 24 January 2018)
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 consulate: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothy SHEA (since 11 March 2020)
From the us telephone: [961] (04) 543 600
From the us embassy: Awkar-Facing the Municipality, Main Street, Beirut
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6,070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20,521-6,070
From the us FAX: [961] (4) 544,136

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!)
Lyricsmusic: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
Note: adopted 1927; chosen following a nationwide competition

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

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 154

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 73

Gross national saving:
Rank: 181

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: citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

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: -21.1% (2017 est.)
Rank: 201

Labor force: 2.166 million (2016 est.)
Note: excludes as many as 1 million foreign workers and refugees
Rank: 120
By occupation agriculture: 39%
By occupation note: NA (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.7% (2007)
Rank: 144

Population below poverty line: 28.6% (2004 est.)

Budget
Revenues: 11.62 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 15.38 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -6.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 193

Taxes and other revenues: 21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 136

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
Rank: 4

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 144

Current account balance:
Rank: 195

Exports:
Rank: 129
Partners: China 13%, UAE 9.9%, South Africa 7.5%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Syria 6.5%, Iraq 5.8%, Turkey 4.6% (2017)
Commodities: jewelry, base metals, chemicals, consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Imports:
Rank: 89
Commodities: petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals
Partners: China 10.2%, Italy 8.9%, Greece 7%, Germany 6.6%, US 6.3%, Turkey 4.5%, Egypt 4.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 37

Debt external:
Rank: 76

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 17.59 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 82
Consumption: 15.71 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 77
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 157
Imports: 69 million kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 104
Installed generating capacity: 2.346 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 110
Generation sources fossil fuels: 88% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 58
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 126
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 114
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 158

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 161
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 153
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 151
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 156

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 164
Products consumption: 154,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 65
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 170
Products imports: 151,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 41

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 156
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 166
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 137
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 147
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 157

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 23.36 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 83

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 752,547
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12.87 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 82
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3,614,797
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 61.82 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 135

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: 4,769,039
Users percent of population: 78.18% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 85

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 9,395 (2018 est.)
Rank: 171

Military expenditures:
Rank: 9

Military and security forces: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Lebanese Internal Security Forces Directorate (includes Mobile Gendarmerie); Directorate for General Security (DGS); Directorate General for State Security (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 17-25 years of age for voluntary military service (including women); no conscription (2019)

Terrorist groups: Abdallah Azzam Brigades; al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade; Asbat al-Ansar; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Hizballah; al-Nusrah Front (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham); Palestine Liberation Front; PFLP-General Command; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (2019)
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 a title='Appendix-T' href='../appendix/appendix-t.html'>Appendix-T/a>

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
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: OD (2016)

Airports: 8 (2013)
Rank: 160
With paved runways total: 5 (2019)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2013)

Pipelines: 88 km gas (2013)

Railways
Total: 401 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 319 km
Note:
Narrow gauge: 82 km
Rank: 119

Roadways
Total: 21,705 km (2017)
Rank: 111

Merchant marine
Total: 55
By type: bulk carrier 2, container ship 1, general cargo 39, oil tanker 1, other 12 (2019)
Rank: 114

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Beirut, Tripoli
Container port: Beirut (1,305,038) (2017)

Disputes international: lacking a treaty or other documentation describing the boundary, portions of the Lebanon-Syria boundary are unclear with several sections in dispute; since 2000, Lebanon has claimed Shab'a Farms area in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights; the roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon has been in place since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 879,529 (Syria), 476,033 (Palestinian refugees) (2020)
IDPs: 11,000 (2007 Lebanese security forces destruction of Palestinian refugee camp) (2019)
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: Lebanon is a transit country for hashish, cocaine, heroin, and fenethylene; fenethylene, cannabis, hashish, and some opium are produced in the Bekaa Valley; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption; money laundering of drug proceeds fuels concern that extremists are benefiting from drug trafficking