2018 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2018 Archive (Wayback Machine)

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Countries

268

Data Records

69,324

Lebanon

2018 Edition · 319 data fields

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Introduction

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.

Geography

Area

land: 10,230 sq km
total: 10,400 sq km
water: 170 sq km

Area Comparative

about one-third the size of Maryland

Climate

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

Coastline

225 km

Elevation

elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea
mean elevation: 1,250 m
note: 3088 highest point: Qornet es Saouda

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

Environment International Agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation

Geographic Coordinates

33 50 N, 35 50 E

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

Irrigated Land

1,040 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

border countries (2): Israel 81 km, Syria 403 km
total: 484 km

Land Use

arable land: 11.9% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 12.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 39.1% (2011 est.)
agricultural land: 63.3% (2011 est.)
forest: 13.4% (2011 est.)
other: 23.3% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map References

Middle East

Maritime Claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural Hazards

earthquakes; dust storms, sandstorms

Natural Resources

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

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

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

People and Society

Age Structure

0-14 years: 23.32% (male 728,025 /female 694,453)
15-24 years: 16.04% (male 500,592 /female 477,784)
25-54 years: 45.27% (male 1,398,087 /female 1,363,386)
55-64 years: 8.34% (male 241,206 /female 267,747)
65 years and over: 7.03% (male 185,780 /female 243,015) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

14.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

54.5% (2009)

Death Rate

5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio: 12 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 8.3 (2015 est.)
total dependency ratio: 47.3 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 35.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99% of population

unimproved: urban: 1% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 1% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2013)

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

Health Expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

<.1% (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<100 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

2,200 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Life Expectancy At Birth

female: 79.3 years (2018 est.)
male: 76.6 years (2018 est.)
total population: 77.9 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
female: 91.8% (2015 est.)
male: 96% (2015 est.)
total population: 93.9% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

2.385 million BEIRUT (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

15 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female: 31.9 years (2018 est.)
male: 30.7 years
total: 31.3 years

Nationality

adjective: Lebanese
noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

-20.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

32% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.38 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

Population

6,100,075 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-3.13% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 57.7% (28.7% Sunni, 28.4% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 36.2% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2017 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

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)

total: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)

total: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female: 11 years (2014)
male: 12 years (2014)
total: 11 years (2014)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.72 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization: 0.75% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
urban population: 88.6% of total population (2018)

Government

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

Capital

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates: 33 52 N, 35 30 E
name: Beirut
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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; 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 (2019)
history: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
conventional short form: Lebanon
etymology: derives from the Semitic root "lbn" meaning "white" and refers to snow-capped Mount Lebanon
former: Greater Lebanon
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
local short form: Lubnan

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth H. RICHARD (since 17 May 2016)
embassy: Awkar, Lebanon (Awkar facing the Municipality)
FAX: [961] (4) 544136
mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; from US: US Embassy Beirut, 6070 Beirut Place, Washington, DC 20521-6070
telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
chief of mission: Ambassador Gabriel ISSA (since 24 January 2018)
consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, Los Angeles
FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300

Executive Branch

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and National Assembly
chief of state: President Michel AWN (since 31 October 2016)
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
elections/appointments: 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 and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister - Designate Saad al-HARIRI (since 18 December 2016); Deputy Prime Minister Ghassan HASBANI (since 18 December 2016)
note: the Government of Lebanon entered caretaker status in May 2018

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

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

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

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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)

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

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

Legislative Branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Nuwab in Arabic or Assemblee Nationale in French (128 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); in 2017, the Assembly changed the electoral system from majoritarian to proporional representation
election results: percent of vote by coalition - NA; seats by coalition - Amal-Hizballah 35, FPM 24, Future Movement 19, LF 13, PSP 9, Azm Movement 4, other 11, independent 13; composition - men 124, women 4, percent of women 3.1%
elections: last held on on 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2022)
note: Lebanon’s constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant

National Anthem

lyrics/music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!)
note: adopted 1927; chosen following a nationwide competition

National Holiday

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

National Symbol S

cedar tree; national colors: red, white, green

Political Parties And Leaders

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 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]Tashnag or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]

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

Economy

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

expenditures: 15.38 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 11.62 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-6.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

10% (31 December 2017)

10% (31 December 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

8.29% (31 December 2017 est.)

8.35% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$12.37 billion (2017 est.)

-$11.18 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$39.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$36.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Economy Overview

Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, complex customs procedures, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and inadequate intellectual property rights protection. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism.The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern banking hub. Following the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily, mostly from domestic banks, which saddled the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled, including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007, following the July 2006 war. The "CEDRE" investment event hosted by France in April 2018 again rallied the international community to assist Lebanon with concessional financing and some grants for capital infrastructure improvements, conditioned upon long-delayed structural economic reforms in fiscal management, electricity tariffs, and transparent public procurement, among many others.The Syria conflict cut off one of Lebanon's major markets and a transport corridor through the Levant. The influx of nearly one million registered and an estimated 300,000 unregistered Syrian refugees has increased social tensions and heightened competition for low-skill jobs and public services. Lebanon continues to face several long-term structural weaknesses that predate the Syria crisis, notably, weak infrastructure, poor service delivery, institutionalized corruption, and bureaucratic over-regulation. Chronic fiscal deficits have increased Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP ratio, the third highest in the world; most of the debt is held internally by Lebanese banks. These factors combined to slow economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-17, after four years of averaging 8% growth. Weak economic growth limits tax revenues, while the largest government expenditures remain debt servicing, salaries for government workers, and transfers to the electricity sector. These limitations constrain other government spending, limiting its ability to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, electricity, and transportation. In early 2018, the Lebanese government signed long-awaited contract agreements with an international consortium for petroleum exploration and production as part of the country’s first offshore licensing round. Exploration is expected to begin in 2019.

Exchange Rates

Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar -

1,507.5 (2017 est.)

1,507.5 (2016 est.)

1,507.5 (2015 est.)

1,507.5 (2014 est.)

1,507.5 (2013 est.)

Exports

$3.524 billion (2017 est.)

$3.689 billion (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

jewelry, base metals, chemicals, consumer goods, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports Partners

China 13%, UAE 9.9%, South Africa 7.5%, Saudi Arabia 6.5%, Syria 6.5%, Iraq 5.8%, Turkey 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services: 23.6% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 13.3% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 87.6% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -46.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture: 3.9% (2017 est.)
industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)
services: 83% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$54.18 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$19,600 (2017 est.); $19,500 (2016 est.); $19,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$88.25 billion (2017 est.); $86.94 billion (2016 est.); $85.45 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

1.5% (2017 est.)

1.7% (2016 est.)

0.2% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

-0.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

0.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

4.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA

Imports

$18.34 billion (2017 est.)

$17.71 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports Partners

China 10.2%, Italy 8.9%, Greece 7%, Germany 6.6%, US 6.3%, Turkey 4.5%, Egypt 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

-21.1% (2017 est.)

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

4.5% (2017 est.)

-0.8% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

2.166 million (2016 est.)
note: excludes as many as 1 million foreign workers and refugees

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture: 39% NA (2009 est.)
industry: NA
services: NA

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$11.22 billion (30 December 2014 est.)

$10.54 billion (30 December 2013 est.)

$10.42 billion (28 December 2012 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

28.6% (2004 est.)

Public Debt

146.8% of GDP (2017 est.); 145.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
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

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$55.42 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$54.04 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$7.047 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.739 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$13.46 billion (2016)

$12.69 billion (2015)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$61.02 billion (2016)

$58.46 billion (2015)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$108.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$104 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$7.047 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$6.739 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

9.7% (2007)

Energy

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (2017 est.)
total: 1.3 million (2017 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 (2007)

Internet Country Code

.lb

Internet Users

percent of population: 76.1% (July 2016 est.)
total: 4,747,542 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic: fixed-line 17 per 100 and 79 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2017)
general assessment: new landlines and fibre-optic networks installed along with faster DSL in 2017; two mobile-cellular networks provide good service,with 4G LTE services; preparing for 5G service; future improvements to fibre-optic infrastructure for total nation coverage in 2020 (2017)
international: country code - 961; submarine cable links to Cyprus, Egypt, and Syria; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean); coaxial cable to Syria (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (July 2016 est.)
total subscriptions: 1,816,262 (July 2016 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 79 (July 2016 est.)
total subscriptions: 4,890,534 (July 2016 est.)

Transportation

Airports

8 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
total: 5 (2017)
under 914 m: 1 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
total: 3 (2013)
under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

OD (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 39, oil tanker 1, other 12 (2017)
total: 54 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 53,902,026 mt-km (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,583,274 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21 (2015)
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2015)

Pipelines

88 km gas (2013)

Ports And Terminals

container port(s) (TEUs): Beirut (1,305,038) (2017)
major seaport(s): Beirut, Tripoli

Railways

narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m gauge (2017)
note: rail system is still unusable due to damage sustained from fighting in the 1980s and in 2006
standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)
total: 401 km (2017)

Roadways

total: 6,970 km (includes 170 km of expressways) (2005)

Military and Security

Military Branches

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Lebanese Army (Al Jaysh al Lubnani), Lebanese Navy (Al Quwwat al Bahiriyya al Lubnaniya), Lebanese Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Lubnaniya) (2018)

Military Expenditures

2.91% of GDP (2017)

2.96% of GDP (2016)

2.79% of GDP (2015)

Military Service Age And Obligation

17-30 years of age for voluntary military service; 18-24 years of age for officer candidates; no conscription (2013)

Transnational Issues

Disputes International

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

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

IDPs: 11,000 (2007 Lebanese security forces' destruction of Palestinian refugee camp) (2017)
refugees (country of origin): 5,695 (Iraq), 463,664 (Palestinian refugees) (2017), 950,334 (Syria) (2018)
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

Trafficking In Persons

current situation: Lebanon is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and a transit point for Eastern European women and children subjected to sex trafficking in other Middle Eastern countries; women and girls from South and Southeast Asia and an increasing number from East and West Africa are recruited by agencies to work in domestic service but are subject to conditions of forced labor; under Lebanon’s artiste visa program, women from Eastern Europe, North Africa, and the Dominican Republic enter Lebanon to work in the adult entertainment industry but are often forced into the sex trade; Lebanese children are reportedly forced into street begging and commercial sexual exploitation, with small numbers of Lebanese girls sex trafficked in other Arab countries; Syrian refugees are vulnerable to forced labor and prostitution
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Lebanon does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Lebanon was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were uneven; the number of convicted traffickers increased, but judges lack of familiarity with anti-trafficking law meant that many offenders were not brought to justice; the government relied heavily on an NGO to identify and provide service to trafficking victims; and its lack of thoroughly implemented victim identification procedures resulted in victims continuing to be arrested, detained, and deported for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2015)

Terrorism

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade (AAMB): aim(s): bolster its recruitment presence in Lebanon and, ultimately, establish a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalemarea(s) of operation: recruits youths in Palestinian refugee camps (April 2018)
al-Nusrah Front/al-Qa'ida: aim(s): bolster networks in Lebanon and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphatearea(s) of operation: in the east in the Bekaa Valley and along the Lebanon-Syria border; targets Lebanese Government institutions, security forces, and Lebanese civilians (April 2018)
Palestine Liberation Front (PLF): aim(s): enhance its networks in Lebanon and, ultimately, destroy the state of Israel to establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capitalarea(s) of operation: maintains a recruitment and training presence in many refugee camps (April 2018)
PFLP-General Command (PFLP-GC): aim(s): enhance recruitment and operational networks in Lebanonarea(s) of operation: recruits young men living in Palestinian refugee camps, including camps in the Bekaa Valley (April 2018)
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP): aim(s): enhance its recruitment network in Lebanon and, ultimately, establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian statearea(s) of operation: recruits youths residing in the country's Palestinian refugee camps (April 2018)

Terrorist Groups Home Based

Abdallah Azzam Brigades (AAB): aim(s): enhance its networks in Lebanon to combat Shia Muslim influence in the country; seeks to disrupt Israel's economy and its efforts to establish security; attack Western interests in the Middle Eastarea(s) of operation: headquartered in the Ayn al-Hilwah Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in the south (April 2018)
Asbat al-Ansar (AAA): aim(s): overthrow the Lebanese Government, rid Lebanon of Western influences, destroy the state of Israel to seize Jerusalem and, ultimately, establish an Islamic state in the Levant regionarea(s) of operation: headquartered in the Ayn al-Hilwah Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in the southnote: essentially defunct, assessed to have a few dozen members as of 2017 (April 2018)
Hizballah: aim(s): accrue military resources and political power and defend its position of strength in Lebanon; destroy the state of Israel; counter the West; provide paramilitary support to Syrian President Bashar al-ASAD's regimearea(s) of operation: headquartered in Beirut with a significant presence in the Bekaa Valley and Southern Lebanonnote: remains the most capable armed group in the country, enjoying support among many Lebanese Shia and some Christians; receives considerable support from Iran (April 2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) network in Lebanon: aim(s): replace the Lebanese Government with an Islamic state and implement ISIS's strict interpretation of shariaarea(s) of operation: operational primarily in the east along the border with Syria; also maintains a presence in Ayn al-Hilweh refugee camp (April 2018)