Culture
Major languages include Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Lebanon
AsiaLand of Contrasts
Lebanon defies simple categorization. Test your assumptions about Lebanon.
Lebanon defies simple categorization. It ranks #18 in population density, yet surprisingly lags in education spending. Test your assumptions about Lebanon.
33.8, 35.8 - Asia
Area
10K km²
Pop.
5.36M
Stats
123
Reality brief
Lebanon is a country in Asia with a population of 5.36M and an area of 10,452 km². Life expectancy is 77.8 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
Population Density
564.37 /km²#18globally
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Life Expectancy
77.8 years#68globally
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Internet Users (%)
84%#97globally
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
University Enrollment Rate
54.4%#70globally
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Lebanon
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Identity
Formal name: Lebanese Republic.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Lebanon's Byblos has been inhabited since Neolithic times and is tied to the Phoenician alphabet.
Cities
Cities in Lebanon
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Government Debt (% GDP)
146.8% of GDP#4globallyTop stat
Central government debt as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Inflation Rate
45.2%#10globallyTop stat
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
Smoking Rate
34.3%#16globallyTop stat
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
Urban Population (%)
90.7%#33globallyTop stat
The percentage of people living in cities and urban areas.
Military Spending
2.6% of GDP#39globally
Military expenditure as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Keeps suicide rate unusually low
#1800.70 per 100kSuicide Rate
Suicide mortality rate per 100,000 people, from World Bank Open Data.
Only ranks #179 in education spending (% gdp)
#1791.2% of GDPEducation Spending (% GDP)
Government education spending as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Only ranks #177 in women in parliament (%)
#1776.3%Women in Parliament (%)
The percentage of parliament seats held by women.
Only ranks #192 in gdp growth rate
#192-0.76%GDP Growth Rate
The annual percentage change in the country's GDP.
Only ranks #120 in railway length
#120401 kmRailway Length
Total railway length from CIA World Factbook.
Compared with the region
How Lebanon Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Lebanon
Asia avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $12,574.83
- Region avg
- $34,339.76
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Lebanon$12,574.83
Asia$34,339.76
World$31,844.55
-61% below worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 77.8 years
- Region avg
- 75.3 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Lebanon77.8 years
Asia75.3 years
World73.7 years
+6% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.75
- Region avg
- 0.75
- World avg
- 0.74
Lebanon0.75
Asia0.75
World0.74
+2% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 84%
- Region avg
- 75.77%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Lebanon84%
Asia75.77%
World70.29%
+20% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Lebanon
Country briefing
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.
Read the full Factbook note
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.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria
- 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
- Natural Resources
- limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms
- Size Comparison
- about one-third the size of Maryland
People & Culture4 facts
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%
- Major Cities
- 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023)
Government & History10 facts
- Government Type
- parliamentary democratic republic
- Capital
- Beirut
- Capital Coordinates
- 33 52 N, 35 30 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Lebanese Republic
- Name Origin
- derives from the Semitic root lbn, meaning "white," and probably refers to the country's snow-capped mountains
- Independence
- 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
- National Symbols
- cedar tree
- National Anthem
- "Kulluna lil-watan" (All of Us, For Our Country!)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 6 (all cultural)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- 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
- 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)
- 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)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2026)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 52.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 31% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 15.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- 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)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #4
Government Debt (% GDP)
Inflation Rate
Unemployment Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
GDP (Nominal)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
High-Tech Exports (%)
GDP Growth Rate
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #16
Smoking Rate
Obesity Rate
Life Expectancy
Doctors (per 1,000)
Infant Mortality
Child Mortality
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Health Spending (% GDP)
Suicide Rate
Demographics12 statsBest: #18
Population Density
Urban Population (%)
Fertility Rate
Birth Rate
Youth Population (%)
Elderly Population (%)
Dependency Ratio
Population
Teen Birth Rate
Median Age
Death Rate
Land Area
Military & Defense2 statsBest: #39
Society & Equality2 statsBest: #48
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #61
Highest Elevation
3.1K m#61
Lowest Elevation
0 m#125
Coastline Length
225 km#136
Land Border Length
484 km#142
Environment9 statsBest: #65
Electricity Access (%)
Irrigated Land
1.0K km²#88
Total CO2 Emissions
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
CO2 Per Capita
Forest Coverage (%)
Forest Area
Renewable Energy (%)
Protected Land (%)
Education & Future3 statsBest: #70
Lifestyle4 statsBest: #73
Energy1 statsBest: #90
Electric Generating Capacity
5.16M kW#90
Technology3 statsBest: #97
Infrastructure3 statsBest: #120
Keep exploring
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Lebanon
#18 in Population Density
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Top 10% globally
564.37 /km²
Frequently Asked Questions about Lebanon
What is the population of Lebanon?
Lebanon has a population of 5.36M, ranking #122 globally by population.
What continent is Lebanon in?
Lebanon is located in Asia. It has an area of 10,452 km².
What is the life expectancy in Lebanon?
Life expectancy in Lebanon is 77.8 years, ranking #68 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Lebanon?
Lebanon's GDP per capita (PPP) is $12,574.83, ranking #128 globally.
What is Lebanon known for in global statistics?
Lebanon ranks particularly high in Population Density (#18), Life Expectancy (#68), Life Expectancy (#78).
What is Lebanon's Human Development Index?
Lebanon has an HDI of 0.752, ranking #102 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Lebanon?
Lebanon has a population density of 564.4 people per km², ranking #18 globally.