Contents
Country Overview
Lebanon is a Mediterranean country of Western Asia whose coastal cities, mountains and Beqaa Valley connect the Levant with wider regional trading networks. The state has a parliamentary republic shaped by a complex religious power-sharing system. Lebanese society is multilingual and maintains extensive international diaspora links, while banking distress, currency depreciation, displacement and armed conflict have complicated economic and institutional recovery since 2019. The national population is estimated rather than measured through a recent census; its current borders and security environment demand careful sourcing.
CapitalBeirutNational political and commercial center [2]
2025 GDPUS$34.5 billionIMF WEO April 2026 estimate [4]
PresidentJoseph AounIn office since January 2025 [6]
2024 goods exportsUS$3.847 billionWTO trade profile; Lebanon is not a WTO member [9]
UNESCO World Heritage7 propertiesIncludes Mount Amel Castles, inscribed 2026 [10]
Data and status note: The last official comprehensive population census was held in 1932. The World Bank estimates 5,849,421 residents for 2025; this figure should not be represented as a recent national census or as an estimate of citizens alone. The IMF 2025 GDP estimate of US$34.5 billion uses a different vintage from World Bank national-account figures. WTO trade totals below are for 2024 and the profile explicitly identifies Lebanon as not yet a WTO member. In March 2026 parliament extended its mandate to May 2028. UNHCR active records do not equal the total Syrian population in Lebanon.
Identity & State Formation
- Official state name
- Lebanese Republic (Al-Jumhūriyya al-Lubnāniyya). [1] [2]
- Short name
- Lebanon; Lubnān in Arabic. [1]
- Capital
- Beirut, national seat of government and major Mediterranean port. [2]
- UN region
- Western Asia under UN M49; commonly included in the Levant. [1]
- Government type
- Parliamentary republic with an institutional confessional power-sharing structure. [14] [7]
- Independence day
- 22 November, commemorating independence in 1943. [14]
- Independence context
- Modern Lebanon emerged from French Mandate administration during World War II. [14]
- Mandate predecessor
- The French Mandate governed the territory following the collapse of Ottoman power. [14]
- National Pact
- Unwritten 1943 political understanding allocated leading state offices across religious communities. [14]
- Constitutional origin
- Constitution first promulgated in 1926 and subsequently amended. [14]
- Taif Agreement
- 1989 agreement contributed to ending civil war and restructuring confessional power balances. [14]
- Civil war period
- Lebanese Civil War lasted from 1975 to 1990. [14]
- Official language
- Arabic; Lebanese Arabic is prominent in ordinary conversation. [13] [14]
- French-language legacy
- French remains influential in schools, business and legal-cultural networks. [14]
- English-language use
- English is widely used in commerce, higher education and tourism. [14]
- National currency
- Lebanese pound (LBP), also known as the lira. [2]
- Monetary terminology
- The pound and lira refer to the same Lebanese national unit. [2]
- ISO alpha-2
- LB. [1]
- ISO alpha-3
- LBN. [1]
- ISO numeric code
- 422. [1]
- Telephone code
- +961. [2]
- Country internet suffix
- .lb. [2]
- Local standard time
- UTC+02:00 in winter and UTC+03:00 in summer. [2]
- Flag
- Red-white-red horizontal bands with a green cedar centered in the white field. [14]
- Cedar emblem
- Cedar tree symbolizes Lebanon and appears on the national flag. [10]
- Religious legal context
- Personal-status matters are frequently regulated through recognized religious jurisdictions. [13] [14]
- Institutional diversity
- Distinct communities exercise recognized public roles within national institutions. [13] [14]
- National identity
- Levantine, Mediterranean and Arab networks inform the country's historical identity. [14]
- Sovereignty
- Internationally recognized sovereign state; significant external security issues persist. [19] [16]
- Country nickname
- Land of the Cedars, referencing the endemic cedar forests and national emblem. [10]
Geography & Population
- Total surface area
- 10,452 square kilometers according to World Bank/UN statistical presentation. [17] [2]
- Land area
- Approximately 10,230 square kilometers, which differs from total surface area. [17]
- Location
- Eastern Mediterranean coast of the Levant. [1] [2]
- Land neighbors
- Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. [16] [2]
- Maritime frontage
- Western boundary faces the Mediterranean Sea. [2]
- Major mountain system
- Mount Lebanon range runs parallel to the coast. [10]
- Eastern highlands
- Anti-Lebanon range stands near the Syrian border. [2]
- Beqaa Valley
- Interior agricultural basin between mountain systems. [17]
- Major river
- Litani flows within Lebanese territory toward the Mediterranean. [16]
- Other river
- Nahr al-Kalb and other coastal rivers drain mountain watersheds. [10]
- High point
- Qurnat as Sawda, about 3,088 meters above sea level. [2]
- Main urban center
- Greater Beirut is the primary metropolitan and commercial concentration. [2]
- Other coastal centers
- Tripoli, Sidon (Saida), Tyre (Sour) and Jounieh. [10]
- Key interior communities
- Zahle and Baalbek are important centers in the Beqaa. [10]
- Mediterranean climate
- Generally wet winters and hot dry summers near the coast. [17]
- Mountain climate
- Higher elevations receive winter snowfall and colder temperatures. [10]
- Land-use contrast
- Coastal urbanization, mountain forests and agricultural valleys coexist. [17] [10]
- Forest heritage
- Cedars of God forest is part of a UNESCO World Heritage inscription. [10]
- Population estimate
- World Bank 2025 estimate: 5,849,421 people. [3]
- Census warning
- No comprehensive official population census since 1932. [13]
- Population denominators
- Resident, citizen, refugee and diaspora totals measure different groups. [3] [8]
- Displacement and migration
- Armed conflict and economic conditions reshape where people reside. [8] [5]
- UNHCR active records
- 854,633 active Syrian refugee records as of September 30, 2026. [8]
- Refugee-record interpretation
- Active records do not equal every Syrian national residing in Lebanon. [8]
- Internal displacement
- UNHCR portal cites IOM October 2026 displacement tracking; figures change rapidly. [8]
- Palestinian refugee history
- Longstanding communities are served by distinct UNRWA arrangements. [13]
- Governorates
- Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, Akkar, Baalbek-Hermel, Beqaa, South and Nabatieh. [14]
- Geographic vulnerability
- Landslides, earthquakes, wildfires and coastal environmental pressure are hazards. [17] [18]
- Water management
- Seasonal rains, reservoirs, groundwater and distribution losses complicate water access. [18]
- Environmental pressures
- Urban waste, coastal pollution, resource extraction and energy shortages are challenges. [18]
- Coastal landscape
- Historic ports link mountain hinterlands to Eastern Mediterranean shipping. [10]
- Land geography
- Small land area means concentrated urban development and infrastructure networks. [17]
Population and humanitarian reference points
These figures cover different populations and must not be added together. Active refugee records are not a census of all Syrians. [3] [8] [13] [4]
| Indicator | Reference date | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated resident population | World Bank 2025 | 5,849,421 |
| Most recent official census | 1932 | No modern national census |
| UNHCR active Syrian records | 30 September 2026 | 854,633 |
| IMF population used in estimates | 2025 | 5.85 million |
Economy & International Trade
- Currency in economic reporting
- Lebanese pound (LBP); US-dollar pricing is also widespread in practice. [2] [4]
- 2025 nominal GDP
- IMF April 2026 estimate: US$34.5 billion. [4]
- GDP source caution
- World Bank and IMF series may differ by latest revision, exchange-rate treatment and base-year methodology. [3] [4]
- 2025 population in IMF
- 5.85 million, rounded. [4]
- 2025 real GDP change
- World Bank August 2026 monitor estimates growth of 4.2%. [5]
- 2026 real GDP outlook
- World Bank August 2026 projects a contraction of 6.4%. [5]
- 2026 outlook interpretation
- Forecast, not completed-year national accounts. [5]
- 2025 IMF inflation
- Average consumer-price inflation estimated at 14.6%. [4]
- 2026 conflict inflation
- World Bank projects 17.5% inflation in its August 2026 report. [5]
- Debt burden
- World Bank describes public debt as unsustainable and restructuring unfinished in August 2026. [5]
- Banking system challenge
- Depositor losses, impaired banks and incomplete restructuring remain central economic concerns. [5]
- Post-2019 crisis
- Sharp currency depreciation, poverty and financial distress followed the 2019 financial collapse. [18]
- 2025 fiscal balance
- World Bank reports a government overall surplus of 3.9% of GDP. [5]
- 2026 conflict disruption
- Damage, displacement and tourism disruption interrupted the 2025 rebound. [5]
- Merchandise export value
- US$3.8473 billion, WTO trade profile for 2024. [9]
- Merchandise import value
- US$17.1926 billion, WTO trade profile for 2024. [9]
- 2024 goods-trade balance
- Approximately minus US$13.35 billion on the WTO data. [9]
- Largest 2024 export destination
- United Arab Emirates, 26.9% of merchandise exports. [9]
- Largest 2024 import bloc
- European Union, 30.9% of merchandise imports. [9]
- Other 2024 export markets
- EU, United States, Egypt, Iraq and Türkiye are significant destinations. [9]
- Major import categories
- Refined fuels, gold and pharmaceutical goods appear prominently in the trade series. [9]
- Export industries
- Jewelry, agro-food products, industrial manufactures and other goods contribute to trade. [9]
- World Trade Organization status
- Lebanon is not a WTO member in the cited WTO trade profile; accession differs from membership. [9]
- EU merchandise link
- EU–Lebanon goods trade was approximately €6.1 billion in 2025 under the EU reporting series. [15]
- Trade-source distinction
- EU 2025 bilateral statistics differ in year and coverage from WTO 2024 national totals. [15] [9]
- Tourism industry
- Heritage sites, hospitality and diaspora travel have been important sources of demand. [5] [10]
- Tourism exposure
- War and instability can abruptly depress visitor spending. [5]
- Remittance networks
- Large Lebanese diaspora contributes cross-border financial and household transfers. [18]
- Agricultural output
- Fruits, vegetables, olives and grapes are produced in varied microclimates. [17]
- Industry concentration
- Food processing, building materials, chemicals, printing and other manufactures operate alongside services. [9] [18]
- Electricity constraints
- Supply shortages and private generators impose heavy costs on households and enterprises. [18]
- Reconstruction priorities
- Housing, public infrastructure and banking reform are central to recovery. [5]
- Economic measurement caution
- Exchange-rate assumptions strongly affect dollar GDP comparisons during currency stress. [4] [3]
Macroeconomic benchmarks
GDP series and projections come from different institutions and vintages. The 2026 change is a forecast. [4] [5]
| Indicator | Reference | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | IMF 2025 estimate | US$34.5 billion |
| Real GDP growth | World Bank 2025 estimate | +4.2% |
| Real GDP change | World Bank 2026 projection | −6.4% |
| Average consumer inflation | IMF 2025 estimate | 14.6% |
| Inflation outlook | World Bank 2026 forecast | 17.5% |
WTO merchandise trade
Trade values are WTO-published UN Comtrade totals, not service exports or remittances. [9]
| Indicator | Year | US$ billion |
|---|---|---|
| Goods exports | 2024 | 3.8473 |
| Goods imports | 2024 | 17.1926 |
| Approximate goods-trade balance | 2024 | −13.3453 |
Merchandise export markets
WTO partner shares relate to 2024 goods exports only. [9]
| Market | Year | Share of exports |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 2024 | 26.9% |
| European Union | 2024 | 15.3% |
| United States | 2024 | 5.9% |
| Egypt | 2024 | 5.6% |
| Iraq | 2024 | 5.3% |
People & Society
- Major language
- Arabic, including colloquial Lebanese varieties. [13]
- Other commonly used languages
- French and English feature prominently in education and public life. [14]
- Religion and society
- Muslims, Christians, Druze and smaller communities form a plural religious landscape. [13]
- Religious data caution
- No modern official census supports a precise current sect-by-sect population distribution. [13]
- Muslim communities
- Sunni, Twelver Shia and smaller traditions are represented. [13]
- Christian communities
- Maronite Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholics and Armenian churches are among prominent groups. [13]
- Druze community
- Druze are a longstanding recognized Lebanese religious community. [13]
- Palestinian communities
- Refugee communities have longstanding roots in several cities and camps. [13]
- Syrian displacement
- Refugee records and return movements have changed during the 2026 conflict. [8]
- Diaspora
- Lebanese-origin communities live across the Americas, Africa, Europe and Gulf. [14]
- Arabic script
- Arabic is normally written in an Arabic-derived writing system. [13]
- Multilingual media
- Broadcast, print and online media publish in Arabic and other languages. [14]
- Education system
- Public, private and religious educational institutions coexist. [18]
- Higher education
- American University of Beirut and Lebanese University are among major institutions. [18]
- Health service structure
- Public and private medical facilities have faced pressures from economic crisis and conflict. [5]
- Social protection
- Refugee assistance and vulnerable-household programs operate amid fiscal strain. [8] [5]
- Culinary traditions
- Mezze, kibbeh, tabbouleh, hummus and man’ouché are prominent foods. [12]
- UNESCO culinary inscription
- Al-Man’ouché was inscribed on the Representative List in 2023. [12]
- Oral poetry
- Al-Zajal, recited or sung poetry, was inscribed in 2014. [12]
- Calligraphy heritage
- Lebanon participates in the multinational Arabic-calligraphy inscription of 2021. [12]
- UNESCO intangible total
- Three elements are listed for Lebanon in the UNESCO intangible heritage database. [12]
- Cedar tradition
- Cedar imagery is widely associated with mountain landscapes, religion and nationality. [10]
- Traditional crafts
- Stoneworking, textiles, crafts and culinary practices link local history with current livelihoods. [10] [12]
- Religious holidays
- Ramadan, Eid, Christmas, Easter and community-specific celebrations are observed. [13]
- Public commemorations
- Independence Day is observed in November. [14]
- Contemporary arts
- Music, film, publishing and art scenes historically concentrated in Beirut. [14]
- Gender and representation
- Participation varies by institutional rules and socioeconomic conditions. [14]
- Urbanization
- Greater Beirut is a major hub for tertiary education, business and migration. [2]
- Conflict and schooling
- Displacement and damage can interrupt school attendance and health-care access. [5]
- Socioeconomic inequality
- Income, wealth, residence status and deposit access affect households differently. [5]
- Religious freedom framework
- Lebanon recognizes numerous religious groups under its political and personal-status arrangements. [13]
- Historic towns
- Byblos, Tyre and Tripoli preserve significant urban and archaeological heritage. [10]
UNESCO intangible cultural heritage
UNESCO intangible listings are distinct from World Heritage properties. [12]
| Element | Inscription year | List |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Zajal, recited or sung poetry | 2014 | Representative |
| Arabic calligraphy | 2021 | Representative (multinational) |
| Al-Man’ouché culinary practice | 2023 | Representative |
Government & Institutions
- Head of state
- President Joseph Aoun, elected January 2025. [6]
- Head of government
- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, appointed in 2025. [6]
- Government formation
- Prime minister leads Council of Ministers in a parliamentary republic. [6] [14]
- Parliament name
- Chamber of Deputies or National Assembly. [7]
- Legislative chamber
- Unicameral parliament. [7]
- Statutory legislature size
- 128 deputies. [7]
- Parliamentary election baseline
- Last general parliamentary election held in May 2022. [7]
- Scheduled 2026 election
- Previously announced May 2026 parliamentary vote was postponed. [7]
- Mandate extension
- Parliament legislated extension until May 31, 2028, in March 2026. [7]
- Election implications
- The 2026 postponement supersedes older references to an imminent 2026 parliamentary vote. [7]
- Constitution
- The 1926 Constitution, as amended, forms the legal framework. [14]
- Taif changes
- Postwar amendments altered Christian–Muslim parliamentary allocation and cabinet balance. [14]
- Parliamentary seat balance
- Seats are divided equally among Christian and Muslim categories under the post-Taif system. [14]
- Confessional presidency
- By settled political convention the president is a Maronite Christian. [14]
- Confessional premiership
- By convention the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim. [14]
- Confessional speakership
- By convention the parliamentary speaker is a Shia Muslim. [14]
- Executive sharing
- Presidential, premiership and cabinet authorities interact within the constitutional order. [14]
- Speaker
- Nabih Berri has long served as Speaker of Parliament. [14] [7] [20]
- Political party landscape
- Parties and blocs include religious, ideological and regional networks. [14]
- Election rules
- Parliamentary electoral process involves districts and confessional seat allocations. [7] [14]
- Cabinet
- Council of Ministers is central to national policy and executive implementation. [6] [14]
- Justice system
- Civil courts coexist with sect-specific personal-status authorities. [13]
- Local administration
- Eight governorates, with subdivisions into districts and municipalities. [14]
- Municipal administration
- Local governments serve urban and rural communities with uneven fiscal capacity. [18]
- Central Bank
- Banque du Liban manages monetary functions in a distressed banking environment. [5]
- Public procurement and reform
- Anti-corruption, banking transparency and fiscal capacity are active reform themes. [5]
- Rights landscape
- Political competition and freedom of expression coexist with institutional and security constraints. [14]
- Civilian-military relations
- Lebanese Armed Forces are a national security institution distinct from non-state armed actors. [14] [16]
- Hezbollah
- Armed political organization influential in Lebanon; military activities and disarmament are major issues. [14] [16]
- External border security
- Southern border security involves national forces and the UNIFIL mission. [16]
- National legislative status
- No fresh elected parliament had replaced the 2022 chamber by this editorial cutoff. [7]
International Profile
- United Nations membership
- Lebanon is a founding UN member, admitted October 24, 1945. [2] [19]
- UN statistical subregion
- Western Asia. [1]
- Arab League
- Member of the regional organization of Arab states. [14]
- Francophone institutions
- Lebanon participates in francophone diplomatic and cultural cooperation. [14]
- Mediterranean partnerships
- Participates in European–Mediterranean regional frameworks. [15]
- European Union relationship
- Trade and financial relations closely link Lebanon with Europe. [15]
- Relations with Syria
- Shared land border, demographic displacement and historic economic linkages. [14] [8]
- Relations with Israel
- Relations are shaped by armed conflict and unsettled border issues. [16]
- UNIFIL mission
- UN force operates in southern Lebanon under Security Council mandates. [16]
- Blue Line
- UN-identified line is a withdrawal line and not a formally negotiated international border. [16]
- 2026 conflict
- Renewed fighting in 2026 damaged infrastructure and displaced civilians. [5] [8]
- US relationship
- Security assistance and economic diplomacy form part of bilateral relations. [14]
- Gulf ties
- Gulf states are important markets for workers, tourism and merchandise trade. [9] [14]
- Humanitarian coordination
- UNHCR and partner agencies coordinate assistance for refugees and displaced people. [8]
- Refugee return measurement
- Returns and registrations change frequently; operational data require as-of dates. [8]
- WTO institutional status
- Lebanese Republic profile explicitly states Lebanon is not a WTO member. [9]
- Merchandise partners
- UAE and EU are leading export destinations in 2024 WTO series. [9]
- World Heritage Convention
- Lebanon ratified the convention in February 1983. [10]
- World Heritage properties
- Seven inscribed cultural properties as of November 2026. [10]
- 2026 inscription
- Mount Amel Castles added to the World Heritage List in July 2026. [11]
- World Heritage in Danger
- Mount Amel Castles simultaneously listed as in danger in 2026. [11]
- Baalbek
- Roman monumental sanctuary listed as World Heritage in 1984. [10]
- Anjar
- Umayyad-period urban and architectural site listed in 1984. [10]
- Byblos
- Historic settlement and port listed in 1984. [10]
- Tyre
- Historic Phoenician city listed in 1984. [10]
- Qadisha/Cedars
- Holy Valley and forest of the Cedars of God listed in 1998. [10]
- Tripoli Fair
- Rachid Karami International Fair listed in 2023. [10]
- Tentative heritage sites
- Tentative sites must not be counted as inscribed properties. [10]
- Intangible heritage
- UNESCO maintains a separate list from the World Heritage Convention. [12]
- Climate and rebuilding
- International financing and reconstruction cooperation remain major diplomatic priorities. [5]
UNESCO World Heritage inscriptions
UNESCO World Heritage includes seven inscribed cultural properties; intangible heritage and tentative sites are separate. [10] [11]
| Property | Year | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Anjar | 1984 | Cultural |
| Baalbek | 1984 | Cultural |
| Byblos | 1984 | Cultural |
| Tyre | 1984 | Cultural |
| Ouadi Qadisha and Cedars of God | 1998 | Cultural |
| Rachid Karami International Fair–Tripoli | 2023 | Cultural |
| Mount Amel Castles | 2026 | Cultural; listed in danger |
Sources and Methodology
Figures identify original institutions, years and scopes. The 1932 national census is not interchangeable with 2025 international resident estimates. The August 2026 World Bank economic outlook is a projection subject to conflict conditions; the IMF 2025 GDP figure is a separate statistical series. UNHCR active registration and IOM mobility tracking are operational rather than national-census data. WTO merchandise trade is 2024 despite the 2026 editorial cutoff. UNESCO heritage lists are cited separately for World Heritage and intangible heritage.
Editorial cutoff: November 6, 2026 (Pacific Time). All stated population counts, prices, elections, and legal statuses have specific reference dates or qualifications. This page should be updated following major new statistical releases or changes of government.
- UN Statistics Division — M49 classification — regional classification and codes.
- United Nations Data — Lebanon — 2025 demographic estimates, area and currency.
- World Bank — Lebanon indicators — 2025 population and available socioeconomic indicators.
- IMF DataMapper — Lebanon — April 2026 WEO 2025 GDP, inflation and external indicators.
- World Bank — Summer 2026 Lebanon Economic Monitor — 2025 rebound and August 2026 conflict-related outlook.
- Australian DFAT — Lebanon Heads of Government — president, prime minister and cabinet portfolio identification.
- Inter-Parliamentary Union — Lebanon National Assembly — 128-seat parliament and March 2026 mandate extension.
- UNHCR — Lebanon operational data portal — September 2026 active records and 2026 displaced-population datasets.
- WTO — Lebanese Republic trade profile — 2024 merchandise exports, imports, products and partners; non-member status.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Lebanon — seven World Heritage properties and tentative list.
- UNESCO — 2026 endangered World Heritage inscriptions — July 2026 inscription and danger listing for Mount Amel Castles.
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — Lebanon — three registered intangible heritage elements.
- US State Department — Lebanon religious freedom report — religious communities, 1932 census and population uncertainty.
- US Congressional Research Service — Lebanon — civil war, confessional system and postwar institutions.
- European Commission — EU trade relations with Lebanon — 2025 Lebanon–European Union merchandise trade.
- United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon — UN peacekeeping presence and Blue Line setting.
- World Bank — Lebanon surface area — surface area 10,452 square kilometers.
- World Bank — Lebanon Economic Monitor series — economic history, reform and reconstruction context.
- United Nations — Member States — founding UN membership and Charter institutions.
- Daily Beirut — November 5, 2026 Speaker report — contemporary verification of parliamentary speaker.