Data at glance of Lebanon - average on period

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.

Environment

Area: 10,400 sq km km2

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

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

Ethnic characteristics

Groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

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.)

Government

Capital: Beirut

Government type: parliamentary democratic republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025)

Head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025)

Legislative branch

Description: National Assembly (Majlis Al-Nuwwab) - unicameral

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

GDP by sector: Agriculture: 1% (2023 est.), Industry: 2.1% (2023 est.), Services: 42.4% (2023 est.)

Trade

Export partners: UAE 26%, Egypt 7%, Turkey 5%, Iraq 5%, USA 4% (2023)

Export commodities: jewelry, cars, diamonds, scrap iron, gold (2023)

Import partners: Switzerland 12%, China 11%, Greece 9%, Turkey 8%, Italy 6% (2023)

Import commodities: refined petroleum, gold, cars, packaged medicine, garments (2023)

Geography

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

Defence

Military expenditure: 2022: 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)