2019 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)

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Countries

267

Data Records

66,981

Lebanon

2019 Edition · 311 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

Highest Point: Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m
Lowest Point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Mean Elevation: 1,250 m

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: Israel 81 km, Syria 403 km
Total: 484 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land: 63.3% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Arable Land: 11.9% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Crops: 12.3% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture: 39.1% (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

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)

Current Health Expenditure

8% (2016)

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 Rural: 99% of population
Improved Total: 99% of population
Improved Urban: 99% of population
Unimproved Rural: 1% of population
Unimproved Total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 1% of population

Education Expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2013)

Ethnic Groups

Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

2,500 (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female: 79.3 years
Male: 76.6 years
Total Population: 77.9 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Female: 91.8% (2015)
Male: 96%
Total Population: 93.9%

Major Urban Areas Population

2.407 million BEIRUT (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female: 31.9 years
Male: 30.7 years
Total: 31.3 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: Lebanese
Noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

-40.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

32% (2016)

Physicians Density

2.27 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

6,100,075 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-3.13% (2018 est.)

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.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Total: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Urban: 80.7% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Rural: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Total: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 19.3% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female: 11 years (2014)
Male: 12 years
Total: 11 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15 24 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25 54 Years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55 64 Years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 Years And Over: 0.76 male(s)/female
At Birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total Population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 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: 88.8% of total population (2019)

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; 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 2004 (2019)
History: drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926

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), Main Street
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 appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; deputy prime minister determined during cabinet formation
Head Of Government: Prime Minister-designate Hassan DIAB (since 19 December 2019)

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 – 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 (Mikati-led) 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%
Elections: last held on 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2022)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music: Rachid NAKHLE/Wadih SABRA
Name: "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

National Symbol S

cedar tree; national colors: red, white, green

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]

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

31 December 2016: 10%
31 December 2017: 10%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016: 8.35%
31 December 2017: 8.29%

Current Account Balance

2016: -$11.18 billion
2017: -$12.37 billion

Debt External

31 December 2016: $36.6 billion
31 December 2017: $39.3 billion

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

2013: 1,507.5
2014: 1,507.5
2015: 1,507.5
2016: 1,507.5
2017: 1,507.5
Currency: Lebanese pounds (LBP) per US dollar -

Exports

2016: $3.689 billion
2017: $3.524 billion

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.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015: $19,300
2016: $19,500
2017: $19,600

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015: $85.45 billion
2016: $86.94 billion
2017: $88.25 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015: 0.2%
2016: 1.7%
2017: 1.5%

Gross National Saving

2015: 4.5% of GDP
2016: 0.7% of GDP
2017: -0.7% of GDP

Imports

2016: $17.71 billion
2017: $18.34 billion

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

2016: -0.8%
2017: 4.5%

Labor Force

2.166 million (2016 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture: 39% NA (2009 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

28 December 2012: $10.42 billion
30 December 2013: $10.54 billion
30 December 2014: $11.22 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

28.6% (2004 est.)

Public Debt

2016: 145.5% of GDP
2017: 146.8% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016: $54.04 billion
31 December 2017: $55.42 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016: $6.739 billion
31 December 2017: $7.047 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

2015: $12.69 billion
2016: $13.46 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

2015: $58.46 billion
2016: $61.02 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016: $104 billion
31 December 2017: $108.2 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016: $6.739 billion
31 December 2017: $7.047 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

21.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2007: 9.7%

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 21 (2017 est.)
Total: 1.3 million

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

Internet Users

Percent Of Population: 76.1% (July 2016 est.)
Total: 4,747,542

Telephone System

Domestic: fixed-line 17 per 100 and 79 per 100 for mobile-cellular subscriptions (2018)
General Assessment: new landlines and fiber-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 fiber-optic infrastructure for total nation coverage in 2020 (2018)
International: country code - 961; landing points for the IMEWE, BERYTAR AND CADMOS submarine cable links to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 17 (July 2016 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 1,816,262

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 79 (July 2016 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 4,890,534

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 40, oil tanker 1, other 12 (2018)
Total: 55

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)
Standard Gauge: 319 km 1.435-m gauge (2017)
Total: 401 km (2017)

Roadways

21,705 km (2017)

Military and Security

Military And Security Forces

Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: Lebanese Internal Security Forces Directorate (includes Mobile Gendarmerie) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014: 4.75% of GDP
2015: 4.53% of GDP
2016: 5.17% of GDP
2017: 4.6% of GDP
2018: 4.99% of GDP

Military Note

the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) has operated in the country since 1978, originally under UNSCRs 425 and 426 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area; following the July-August 2006 war, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1701 enhancing UNIFIL and deciding that in addition to the original mandate, it would, among other things, monitor the cessation of hostilities; accompany and support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as they deploy throughout the south of Lebanon; and extend its assistance to help ensure humanitarian access to civilian populations and the voluntary and safe return of displaced persons; UNIFIL had about 10,250 personnel deployed in the country as of September 2019 (2019)

Military Service Age And Obligation

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

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 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

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) (2018)
Refugees Country Of Origin: 916,113 (Syria), 475,075 (Palestinian refugees) (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

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 Jerusalem area(s) of operation: recruits youths in Palestinian refugee camps (2018)
Al Nusrah Front Al Qa Ida: aim(s): bolster networks in Lebanon and, ultimately, establish a regional Islamic caliphate area(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 (2018)
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force Irgc Qf: aim(s): support Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement to advance Shia agenda through funding, training, and weapons area(s) of operations: Beirut, Bekaa Valley, southern Lebanon (2019)
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 capital area(s) of operation: maintains a recruitment and training presence in many refugee camps (2018)
Pflp General Command Pflp Gc: aim(s): enhance recruitment and operational networks in Lebanon area(s) of operation: recruits young men living in Palestinian refugee camps, including camps in the Bekaa Valley (2018)
Popular Front For The Liberation Of Palestine Pflp: aim(s): enhance its recruitment network in Lebanon and, ultimately, establish a secular, Marxist Palestinian state area(s) of operation: recruits youths residing in the country's Palestinian refugee camps (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 East area(s) of operation: headquartered in the Ayn al-Hilwah Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in the south (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 region area(s) of operation: headquartered in the Ayn al-Hilwah Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon in the south (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 regime area(s) of operation: headquartered in Beirut with a significant presence in the Bekaa Valley and Southern Lebanon note: remains the most capable armed group in the country, enjoying support among many Lebanese Shia and some Christians; receives considerable support from Iran (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 sharia area(s) of operation: operational primarily in the east along the border with Syria; also maintains a presence in Ayn al-Hilweh refugee camp (2018)