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Demographics of Lebanon

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Demographics of Lebanon
Population pyramid of Lebanon in 2020
Population5,469,612 (July 2020 est.),[1] including 910,256 Syrians, 170,000 Palestinians, and 5,700 Iraqis (110th)
Density741 people per.sq.km (2017 est.)
Growth rate-6.68% (2020 est.)
Birth rate13.6 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Death rate5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Life expectancy78.3 years (2020 est.)
 • male77.8 years (2020 est.)
 • female79.8 years (2020 est.)
Fertility rate1.72 children born/woman (SRS 2015)
Infant mortality rate0.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)
Net migration rate-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years23.32% (male 728,025/female 694,453) (2018 est.)
15–64 years69.65% (male 2,139,885/female 2,108,917) (2018 est.)
65 and over7.03% (male 185,780/female 243,015) (2018 est.)
Sex ratio
Total1 male/female (2017 est.)
At birth1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Under 151.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15–64 years1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
65 and over0.79 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Nationality
NationalityLebanese
Major ethnicArab (95%)[2]
Minor ethnic
Language
OfficialArabic[3]
SpokenLebanese Arabic, English, French[3]
Minority languages include Armenian and Aramaic
Demographics of Lebanon
Indicator Rank Measure
Economy
GDP (PPP) per capita 66th $19,500
Unemployment rate ↓ 21st 20.89%*
CO2 emissions 78th 3.05t†
Electricity consumption 77th 49.72GWh
Economic Freedom 95th 2.98
Politics
Human Development Index 80th 0.757
Political freedom Partly 4
Corruption (A higher score means less (perceived) corruption.) ↓ 134th 2.5
Press freedom 45th 74.00
Society
Literacy Rate 43rd 96.7%
Number of Internet users 59th 4,545,007 users
E-readiness 14th 7.16±
Ease of Doing Business 24th Unknown
Health
Life Expectancy 59th 77.0
Birth rate 113th 15.6‡
Fertility rate 157th 1.77††
Infant mortality 127th 14.39‡‡
Death rate 157th 7.5‡
HIV/AIDS rate 127th 0.10%
Notes
* including several non-sovereign entities
↓ indicates rank is in reverse order (e.g. 1st is lowest)
† per capita
± score out of 10
‡ per 1000 people
†† per woman
‡‡ per 1000 live births

This is a demography of the population of Lebanon including population density, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

About 95% of the population of Lebanon is either Muslim or Christian, split across various sects and denominations. Because religious balance is a sensitive political issue, a national census has not been conducted since 1932, before the founding of the modern Lebanese state. Consequently, there is an absence of accurate data on the relative percentages of the population of the major religions and groups.[4]

The absence of data and comprehensive statistics also concerns all other demographic studies unrelated to religious balance, due to the all but total inactivity of the concerned public agencies. The only recent (post-war) statistics available are estimates based on studies made by private organizations.[citation needed]

The biggest study made after the independence on the Lebanese Population was made by the Central Administration of Statistics (in French: "Administration Centrale de la Statistique") under the direction of Robert Kasparian and Grégoire Haddad's Social Movement: "L'enquête par sondage sur la population active au Liban en 1970" (in English: "The survey on the active population in Lebanon in 1970"). It was conducted on a sample of 130,000 individuals.[5]

There are between 10 and 15 million[6][7][8] Lebanese and descendants of Lebanese worldwide, mostly Christians, compared with the internal population of Lebanon of around 4.6 million citizens, in 2020.[9]

Ethnic groups

[edit]
Main article: Lebanese people
Ethnic groups in Lebanon by share of population (%) (1950–2020)
Year Lebanese Arab Armenians Syrian Arab Iraqis Palestinians Assyrians Circassians Levantine Syrian Turkmen Greek Kurds Persians Ethiopians Filipinos South Asians Other Africans Other
1950 84.55% 4.87% 0.53% 0.33% 7.05% 0.21% 0.60% 0.51% 0.10% 0.33% 0.21% 0.15% 0.10% 0.05% 0.05% 0.03% 0.33%
1960 83.70% 4.92% 0.63% 0.35% 7.62% 0.24% 0.61% 0.52% 0.11% 0.32% 0.22% 0.16% 0.11% 0.05% 0.05% 0.04% 0.35%
1970 82.84% 4.97% 0.71% 0.41% 8.13% 0.27% 0.62% 0.54% 0.12% 0.34% 0.24% 0.17% 0.11% 0.06% 0.06% 0.04% 0.37%
1980 81.30% 5.03% 0.81% 0.54% 8.98% 0.30% 0.65% 0.56% 0.15% 0.34% 0.25% 0.18% 0.12% 0.07% 0.07% 0.05% 0.60%
1990 79.97% 5.07% 0.92% 0.63% 9.84% 0.31% 0.70% 0.58% 0.20% 0.36% 0.27% 0.19% 0.12% 0.08% 0.08% 0.06% 0.62%
2000 75.80% 5.11% 1.57% 0.89% 10.13% 0.35% 0.85% 0.60% 0.50% 0.38% 0.29% 0.20% 0.13% 0.10% 0.10% 0.10% 2.90%
2010 71.38% 5.15% 3.56% 1.49% 10.09% 0.36% 1.00% 0.63% 1.00% 0.40% 0.50% 0.21% 0.14% 0.15% 0.15% 0.15% 3.64%
2020 50.30% 5.19% 22.06% 2.01% 10.02% 0.50% 1.50% 0.65% 1.25% 0.42% 0.75% 0.22% 0.15% 0.25% 0.25% 0.20% 4.28%

[10]

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (1950)

  Lebanese Arab (84.55%)
  Armenians (4.87%)
  Syrian Arab (0.53%)
  Iraqis (0.33%)
  Palestinians (7.05%)
  Assyrians (0.21%)
  Circassians (0.60%)
  Levantine (0.51%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.10%)
  Greek (0.33%)
  Kurds (0.21%)
  Persians (0.15%)
  Ethiopians (0.10%)
  Filipinos (0.05%)
  South Asians (0.05%)
  Other Africans (0.03%)
  Other (0.33%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (1960)

  Lebanese Arab (83.70%)
  Armenians (4.92%)
  Syrian Arab (0.63%)
  Iraqis (0.35%)
  Palestinians (7.62%)
  Assyrians (0.24%)
  Circassians (0.61%)
  Levantine (0.52%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.11%)
  Greek (0.32%)
  Kurds (0.22%)
  Persians (0.16%)
  Ethiopians (0.11%)
  Filipinos (0.05%)
  South Asians (0.05%)
  Other Africans (0.04%)
  Other (0.35%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (1970)

  Lebanese Arab (82.84%)
  Armenians (4.97%)
  Syrian Arab (0.71%)
  Iraqis (0.41%)
  Palestinians (8.13%)
  Assyrians (0.27%)
  Circassians (0.62%)
  Levantine (0.54%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.12%)
  Greek (0.34%)
  Kurds (0.24%)
  Persians (0.17%)
  Ethiopians (0.11%)
  Filipinos (0.06%)
  South Asians (0.06%)
  Other Africans (0.04%)
  Other (0.37%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (1980)

  Lebanese Arab (81.30%)
  Armenians (5.03%)
  Syrian Arab (0.81%)
  Iraqis (0.54%)
  Palestinians (8.98%)
  Assyrians (0.30%)
  Circassians (0.65%)
  Levantine (0.56%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.15%)
  Greek (0.34%)
  Kurds (0.25%)
  Persians (0.18%)
  Ethiopians (0.12%)
  Filipinos (0.07%)
  South Asians (0.07%)
  Other Africans (0.05%)
  Other (0.60%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (1990)

  Lebanese Arab (79.97%)
  Armenians (5.07%)
  Syrian Arab (0.92%)
  Iraqis (0.63%)
  Palestinians (9.84%)
  Assyrians (0.31%)
  Circassians (0.70%)
  Levantine (0.58%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.20%)
  Greek (0.36%)
  Kurds (0.27%)
  Persians (0.19%)
  Ethiopians (0.12%)
  Filipinos (0.08%)
  South Asians (0.08%)
  Other Africans (0.06%)
  Other (0.62%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (2000)

  Lebanese Arab (75.80%)
  Armenians (5.11%)
  Syrian Arab (1.57%)
  Iraqis (0.89%)
  Palestinians (10.13%)
  Assyrians (0.35%)
  Circassians (0.85%)
  Levantine (0.60%)
  Syrian Turkmen (0.50%)
  Greek (0.38%)
  Kurds (0.29%)
  Persians (0.20%)
  Ethiopians (0.13%)
  Filipinos (0.10%)
  South Asians (0.10%)
  Other Africans (0.10%)
  Other (2.90%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (2010)

  Lebanese Arab (71.38%)
  Armenians (5.15%)
  Syrian Arab (3.56%)
  Iraqis (1.49%)
  Palestinians (10.09%)
  Assyrians (0.36%)
  Circassians (1.00%)
  Levantine (0.63%)
  Syrian Turkmen (1.00%)
  Greek (0.40%)
  Kurds (0.50%)
  Persians (0.21%)
  Ethiopians (0.14%)
  Filipinos (0.15%)
  South Asians (0.15%)
  Other Africans (0.15%)
  Other (3.64%)

Ethnic groups in Lebanon (2020)

  Lebanese Arab (50.30%)
  Armenians (5.19%)
  Syrian Arab (22.06%)
  Iraqis (2.01%)
  Palestinians (10.02%)
  Assyrians (0.50%)
  Circassians (1.50%)
  Levantine (0.65%)
  Syrian Turkmen (1.25%)
  Greek (0.42%)
  Kurds (0.75%)
  Persians (0.22%)
  Ethiopians (0.15%)
  Filipinos (0.25%)
  South Asians (0.25%)
  Other Africans (0.20%)
  Other (4.28%)

Ethnic identity revolves increasingly around aspects of cultural self-identification more than descent. To an extent, religious affiliation has also become a substitute in some respects for ethnic affiliation.[11] Generally, the cultural and linguistic heritage of the People of Lebanon is a blend of both indigenous elements and the foreign cultures that have come to rule the land and its people over the course of thousands of years. Moreover, in a 2013 interview, the lead investigator, Pierre Zalloua, pointed out that genetic variation preceded religious variation and divisions: "Lebanon already had well-differentiated communities with their own genetic peculiarities, but not significant differences, and religions came as layers of paint on top. There is no distinct pattern that shows that one community carries significantly more Phoenician than another".[12]

Religious groups

[edit]
Main article: Religion in Lebanon
See also: Freedom of religion in Lebanon
Three Lebanese women in 1873.

The Lebanese Christians make up one of the oldest groups of Christians in the world. The Maronite Christians belong to the West Syriac Rite. Their Liturgical language is the Syriac-Aramaic language.[13][14]

The sectarian system

[edit]

Lebanon's religious divisions are extremely complicated, and the country is made up by a multitude of religious groupings. The ecclesiastical and demographic patterns of the sects and denominations are complex. Divisions and rivalries between groups date back as far as 15 centuries, and still are a factor today. The pattern of settlement has changed little since the 7th century, but instances of civil strife and ethnic cleansing, most recently during the Lebanese Civil War, has brought some important changes to the religious map of the country. (See also History of Lebanon.)

Lebanon has by far the largest proportion of Christians of any Middle Eastern country, but both Christians and Muslims are sub-divided into many splinter sects and denominations. Population statistics are highly controversial. The various denominations and sects each have vested interests in inflating their own numbers. Shias, Sunnis, Maronites and Eastern Orthodox (the four largest denominations) all often claim that their particular religious affiliation holds a majority in the country, adding up to over 150% of the total population, even before counting the other denominations. One of the rare things that most Lebanese religious leaders will agree on is to avoid a new general census, for fear that it could trigger a new round of denominational conflict.[citation needed] The last official census was performed in 1932.

Religion has traditionally been of overriding importance in defining the Lebanese population. Dividing state power between the religious denominations and sects, and granting religious authorities judicial power, dates back to Ottoman times (the millet system). The practice was reinforced during French mandate, when Christian groups were granted privileges. This system of government, while partly intended as a compromise between sectarian demands, has caused tensions that still dominate Lebanese politics to this day.

The Christian population majority is believed to have ended in the early 1970s, but government leaders would agree to no change in the political power balance. This led to Muslim demands for increased representation, and the constant sectarian tension slid into violent conflict in 1958 (prompting U.S. intervention) and again in the grueling Lebanese Civil War, in 1975–90.

Natural Growth Rate in Lebanon throughout years

The balance of power has been slightly adjusted in the 1943 National Pact, an informal agreement struck at independence, in which positions of power were divided according to the 1932 census. The Sunni elite was then accorded more power, but Maronites continued to dominate the system. The sectarian balance was again adjusted towards the Muslim side but simultaneously further reinforced and legitimized. Shia Muslims (by now the second largest sect) then gained additional representation in the state apparatus, and the obligatory Christian-Muslim representation in Parliament was downgraded from a 6:5 to a 1:1 ratio. Christians of various denominations were then generally thought to constitute about 40% of the population, although often Muslim leaders would cite lower numbers, and some Christians would claim that they still held a majority of the population.

18 recognized religious groups

[edit]
An estimate of the area distribution of Lebanon's main religious groups
Distribution of Lebanon's religious groups according to 2009 municipal election data

The present Lebanese Constitution officially acknowledges 18 religious groups (see below). These have the right to handle family law according to their courts and traditions, and they are the basic players in Lebanon's complex sectarian politics.

Religious population statistics

[edit]
Note: stateless Palestinians and Syrians are not included in the statistics below since they do not hold Lebanese citizenship. The numbers only include the present population of Lebanon, and not the Lebanese diaspora.

The 1932 census stated that Christians made up 50% of the resident population. Maronites, the largest among the Christian denomination and then largely in control of the state apparatus, accounted for 29% of the total resident population.

The total population of Lebanon was reported to be 1,411,000 in 1956.[15] The largest communities were Maronites (424,000), Sunni Muslims (286,000), Shiite Muslims (250,000), Greek Orthodox (149,000), Greek Catholics (91,000), Druzes (88,000), Armenian Orthodox (64,000), Armenian Catholics (15,000), Protestants (14,000), Jews (7,000), Syriac Catholics (6,000), Syriac Orthodox (5,000), Latins (4,000) and Nestorian Chaldeans (1,000).[15]

A 2010 study conducted by Statistics Lebanon, a Beirut-based research firm, cited by the United States Department of State found that Lebanon's population of approximately 4.3 million was estimated to be:[16]

There is also a very small number of other religious minorities such as, Baháʼís, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Mormons.[16]

In 2022, the CIA World Factbook specified that of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations), 67.8% are Muslims (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, with smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), 32.4% are Christians (mostly Maronites, and Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholics, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic, Assyrian Church of the East, Syriac Orthodox, Chaldean Catholic, Syriac Catholic), and 4.5% are Druze.[17]

Census of 1932[18]
Residents Emigrants before 30/08/1924 Emigrants after 30/08/1924
paying taxes does not pay paying taxes does not pay
Sunni 178,100 2,653 9,840 1,089 3,623
Shi'i 155,035 2,977 4,543 1,770 2,220
Druze 53,334 2,067 3,205 1,183 2,295
Maronite 227,800 31,697 58,457 11,434 21,809
Greek Catholic 46,709 7,190 16,544 1,855 4,038
Greek Orthodox 77,312 12,547 31,521 3,922 9,041
Protestant 6,869 607 1,575 174 575
Armenian Orthodox 26,102 1 60 191 1,718
Armenian Catholic 5,890 9 50 20 375
Syriac Orthodox 2,723 6 34 3 54
Syriac Catholic 2,803 9 196 6 101
Jews 3,588 6 214 7 188
Chaldean Orthodox 190 0 0 0 0
Chaldean Catholic 548 0 6 0 19
Miscellaneous 6,393 212 758 59 234
Total 793,396 59,981 127,003 21,713 46,290
Foreigners 61.297

Muslims

[edit]
A map of religious and ethnic communities of Syria and Lebanon (1935)

According to the CIA World Factbook,[17] in 2021 the Muslim population was estimated at 60% within Lebanese territory and 20% of the over 4 million[6][7][8] Lebanese diaspora population. In 2012 a more detailed breakdown of the size of each Muslim sect in Lebanon was made:

Christians

[edit]
Religion map of Lebanon by municipality according to municipal elections data.

According to the CIA World Factbook,[17] in 2021, the Christian population in Lebanon was estimated at 44%. In 2012 a more detailed breakdown of the size of each Christian sect in Lebanon was made:

Druze

[edit]

The Druze constitute 5%[17] of the population and are almost entirely concentrated in Aley and Chouf in southern Mount Lebanon, and in the Hasbaya and Rashaya districts.[19] Even though the faith originally developed out of Isma'ili Shia Islam, most Druze do not identify as Muslims,[31][32] and do not accept the five pillars of Islam.[33]

Other religions

[edit]

Other religions account for only an estimated 0.3% of the population mainly foreign temporary workers, according to the CIA World Factbook. There was a large and vibrant Jewish population, traditionally centered in Beirut who fled to Israel in the 1940s and 1950s.

Diaspora

[edit]
Prominent Lebanese Figures
وجوه من لبنان
Prominent Lebanese people and people of Lebanese descent.
Main article: Lebanese diaspora

Apart from the four and a half million citizens of Lebanon proper, there is a sizeable Lebanese diaspora. There are more Lebanese people living outside of Lebanon (over 4 million[6][7][8]), than within (4.6 million citizens plus 1.5 million refugees). The majority of the diaspora population consists of Lebanese Christians; however, there are some who are Muslim. They trace their origin to several waves of Christian emigration, starting with the exodus that followed the 1860 Lebanon conflict in Ottoman Syria.

Under the current Lebanese nationality law, diaspora Lebanese do not have an automatic right of return to Lebanon. Due to varying degrees of assimilation and high degree of interethnic marriages, most diaspora Lebanese have not passed on the Arabic language to their children, while still maintaining a Lebanese ethnic identity.

Many Lebanese families are economically and politically prominent in several Latin American countries (in 2007 Mexican Carlos Slim Helú, son of Lebanese immigrants, was determined to be the wealthiest man in the World by Fortune Magazine), and make up a substantial portion of the Lebanese American community in the United States. The largest Lebanese diaspora is located in Brazil, where about 6–7 million people have Lebanese descent (see Lebanese Brazilian). In Argentina, there is also a large Lebanese diaspora of approximately 1.5 million people having Lebanese descent. (see Lebanese Argentine). In Canada, there is also a large Lebanese diaspora of approximately 250,000-500,000 people having Lebanese descent. (see Lebanese Canadians).

There are also sizable populations in West Africa, particularly Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Senegal.

The large size of Lebanon's diaspora may be partly explained by the historical and cultural tradition of seafaring and traveling, which stretches back to Lebanon's ancient Phoenician origins and its role as a "gateway" of relations between Europe and the Middle East. It has been commonplace for Lebanese citizens to emigrate in search of economic prosperity. Furthermore, on several occasions in the last two centuries the Lebanese population has endured periods of ethnic cleansing and displacement (for example, 1840–60 and 1975–90). These factors have contributed to the geographical mobility of the Lebanese people.

While under Syrian occupation, Beirut passed legislation which prevented second-generation Lebanese of the diaspora from automatically obtaining Lebanese citizenship. This has reinforced the émigré status of many diaspora Lebanese. There is currently a campaign by those Lebanese of the diaspora who already have Lebanese citizenship to attain the vote from abroad, which has been successfully passed in the Lebanese parliament and will be effective as of 2013 which is the next parliamentary elections. If suffrage was to be extended to these 1.2[citation needed] million Lebanese émigré citizens, it would have a significant political effect, since as many as 82% of them are believed to be Christian.[citation needed]

Lebanese Civil War refugees and displaced persons

[edit]
See also: Lebanese Civil War

With no official figures available, it is estimated that 600,000–900,000 persons fled the country during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–90). Although some have since returned, this permanently disturbed Lebanese population growth and greatly complicated demographic statistics.

Another result of the war was a large number of internally displaced persons. This especially affected the southern Shia community, as Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1978, 1982, and 1996 prompted waves of mass emigration, in addition to the continual strain of occupation and fighting between Israel and Hezbollah (mainly 1982 to 2000).

Many Shias from Southern Lebanon resettled in the suburbs south of Beirut. After the war, the pace of Christian emigration accelerated, as many Christians felt discriminated against in a Lebanon under increasingly oppressive Syrian occupation.

According to a UNDP study, as much as 10% of the Lebanese had a disability in 1990.[34] Other studies have pointed to the fact that this portion of society is highly marginalized due to the lack of educational and governmental support of their advancement.[34]

Languages

[edit]
Main article: Languages of Lebanon

Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of the country, but the Lebanese dialect of Levantine Arabic is used in conversations. French and English are taught in many schools from a young age. Among the Armenian ethnic minority in Lebanon, the Armenian language is taught and spoken within the Armenian community.

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

[edit]
US Census Statistics
Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

  • Population:
Total population: 6,100,075 (July 2018 est.)
Lebanese nationals: 4,680,212 (July 2018 est.)
Syrian refugees: 944,613 (April 2019 est.) registered at the UNHCR (down from 1,077,000 in June 2014)
Palestinian refugees: 175,555 (2018 est.)
Iraqi refugees: 5,695 (2017 est.)

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.)
  • Median age:
Total: 31.3 years
Male: 30.7 years
Female: 31.9 years (2018 est.)
  • Population growth rate:
1.04% (2005 est.)
0.96% (2011 est.)
−3.13% (2018 est.)
  • Net migration rate:
−4.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
−40.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Life expectancy at birth in Lebanon
  • Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
  • Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.9 years
male: 76.6 years
female: 79.3 years (2018 est.)

Vital statistics

[edit]

Notable events in demography of Lebanon:

UN estimates

[edit]

The website Our World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the United Nations.[35]

Mid-year population (thousands) Live births (thousands) Deaths (thousands) Natural change (thousands) Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Crude migration rate (per 1000) Total fertility rate (TFR) Infant mortality (per 1000 live births) Life expectancy (in years)
1950 1 350 55 17 38 40.8 12.6 28.2 5.81 75.0 61.04
1951 1 388 57 17 39 40.8 12.6 28.2 -0.7 5.80 73.8 61.37
1952 1 428 58 18 41 40.7 12.3 28.4 -0.7 5.80 71.4 61.73
1953 1 469 60 18 42 40.6 12.0 28.6 -0.7 5.80 69.1 62.23
1954 1 512 61 18 44 40.5 11.7 28.8 -0.7 5.81 67.1 62.65
1955 1 556 63 18 45 40.3 11.7 28.6 -0.6 5.81 67.4 62.42
1956 1 602 64 18 46 40.1 11.0 29.0 0 5.81 63.2 63.38
1957 1 649 66 18 48 39.8 10.7 29.2 -0.6 5.81 61.4 63.90
1958 1 697 67 19 48 39.5 11.3 28.2 0 5.81 59.8 62.08
1959 1 747 69 18 51 39.2 10.1 29.2 -0.6 5.82 58.2 64.61
1960 1 798 70 18 52 38.8 9.8 29.0 -0.6 5.82 56.7 64.84
1961 1 853 71 18 53 38.3 9.5 28.8 1.1 5.81 55.4 65.29
1962 1 912 72 18 55 37.9 9.3 28.5 2,1 5.80 54.3 65.40
1963 1 972 74 18 56 37.4 9.1 28.3 2.0 5.78 53.0 65.67
1964 2 030 74 18 57 36.7 8.8 27.8 0.5 5.72 51.9 65.95
1965 2 087 75 18 57 35.9 8.6 27.3 0 5.65 50.9 66.07
1966 2 146 76 18 57 35.2 8.5 26.8 0.9 5.57 50.0 66.16
1967 2 203 76 18 58 34.7 8.2 26.4 -0.5 5.49 49.2 66.52
1968 2 262 77 18 59 34.1 8.1 26.0 0 5.38 48.6 66.61
1969 2 324 78 19 60 33.7 8.0 25.7 0.9 5.28 48.0 66.70
1970 2 382 79 19 61 33.3 7.9 25.5 -1.3 5.17 47.5 66.76
1971 2 442 80 19 61 33.0 7.8 25.2 -0.4 5.04 47.0 66.82
1972 2 506 82 19 63 32.8 7.7 25.1 0.4 4.93 46.5 66.91
1973 2 570 83 19 64 32.4 7.5 25.0 0 4.81 45.9 67.23
1974 2 633 85 20 65 32.2 7.4 24.8 -0.8 4.69 45.3 67.29
1975 2 692 86 30 56 31.9 11.1 20.8 1.1 4.56 45.2 58.13
1976 3 070 87 85 2 31.8 31.2 0.6 122.5 4.42 102.9 33.74
1977 3 458 110 37 73 31.7 10.7 21.0 91.1 4.31 52.8 59.28
1978 3 183 111 37 74 31.5 10.6 20.9 -109.6 4.20 51.7 59.38
1979 2 902 91 31 61 31.4 10.5 20.9 -117.8 4.09 50.6 59.47
1980 2 964 93 31 62 31.4 10.4 21.0 0 4.03 49.4 59.67
1981 3 027 95 31 64 31.5 10.2 21.3 -0.3 3.98 48.2g 59.92
1982 3 070 96 60 36 31.2 19.4 11.8 2.3 3.89 70.1 45.13
1983 3 107 96 31 65 30.8 9.9 20.9 -9.0 3.79 39.9 59.96
1984 3 164 96 31 65 30.4 9.8 20.7 -2.5 3.70 38.6 60.30
1985 3 227 96 31 65 29.8 9.7 20.1 -0.6 3.59 37.4 60.49
1986 3 308 96 31 65 29.3 9.4 19.8 4.8 3.50 35.8 60.97
1987 3 391 98 31 66 28.8 9.3 19.6 5.0 3.43 40.1 61.43
1988 3 457 99 32 68 28.7 9.1 19.5 -0.6 3.40 38.7 61.72
1989 3 526 101 28 73 28.6 8.0 20.7 -1,1 3.39 27.8 64.16
1990 3 594 100 28 72 27.8 7.8 20.0 -1.1 3.30 26.7 64.48
1991 3 667 99 19 80 26.9 5.2 21.7 -1.9 3.19 25.7 71.18
1992 3 745 97 20 78 25.9 5.2 20.7 0 3.08 24.8 71.19
1993 3 819 95 20 75 24.9 5.2 19.7 -0.3 2.97 23.7 71.38
1994 3 888 93 20 73 23.9 5.1 18.9 -1.0 2.87 22.5 71.68
1995 3 960 92 20 72 23.1 5.0 18.2 0 2.78 21.5 72.04
1996 4 034 91 20 72 22.7 4.9 17.7 0.5 2.74 20.6 72.29
1997 4 108 90 20 71 22.0 4.8 17.2 0.7 2.66 19.6 72.78
1998 4 179 90 20 70 21.4 4.8 16.6 0.2 2.60 18.7 72.94
1999 4 250 89 20 69 21.0 4.6 16.3 0.5 2.55 17.9 73.49
2000 4 321 89 20 69 20.5 4.6 15.9 0.5 2.50 17.0 73.93
2001 4 389 89 20 69 20.2 4.5 15.7 -0.2 2.46 15.9 74.37
2002 4 447 88 19 69 19.7 4.3 15.4 -2.5 2.41 14.9 75.06
2003 4 505 86 19 67 19.2 4.2 15.0 -2.0 2.35 13.9 75.59
2004 4 575 85 19 66 18.6 4.2 14.4 0.9 2.27 13.0 75.98
2005 4 643 84 19 64 18.0 4.2 13.9 0.9 2.20 12.0 76.27
2006 4 720 83 20 63 17.7 4.3 13.4 3.0 2.16 11.2 76.08
2007 4 810 83 20 64 17.3 4.1 13.2 5.4 2.11 10.4 77.08
2008 4 888 84 20 64 17.1 14.0 13.1 2.9 2.08 9.7 77.58
2009 4 951 85 20 65 17.2 4.0 13.2 -0.4 2.09 9.2 77.89
2010 4 996 88 20 68 17.6 4.1 13.5 -4.6 2.13 8.7 78.16
2011 5 045 90 21 69 17.9 4.1 13.8 -4.0 2.16 8.4 78.40
2012 5 178 92 21 70 17.9 4.1 13.8 12.2 2.17 8.0 78.63
2013 5 679 95 22 73 17.9 4.2 13.7 75.4 2.17 7.8 78.77
2014 6 274 110 26 84 17.9 4.2 13.7 81.4 2.18 7.5 78.97
2015 6 399 116 28 88 17.8 4.2 13.5 5.8 2.18 7.2 79.23
2016 6 259 111 28 83 17.4 4.3 13.1 -35.6 2.18 6.8 79.51
2017 6 109 105 28 77 16.9 4.5 12.4 -37.2 2.17 6.6 79.65
2018 5 951 99 29 70 16.3 4.7 11.6 -38.3 2.15 6.4 79.73
2019 5 782 93 31 63 15.8 5.2 10.6 -40.1 2.13 6.2 79.24
2020 5 663 88 36 52 15.3 6.3 9.1 -30.2 2.10 6.0 77.80
2021 5 593 84 47 38 14.9 8.3 6.7 -19.3 2.09 5.8 75.05

Registered births and deaths

[edit]
[36][37] Average population Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate (per 1000) Crude death rate (per 1000) Natural change (per 1000) Total fertility rate (TFR)
1990 70,903 13,263 57,640
1991 82,742 15,773 66,969
1992 94,607 18,042 76,565
1993 90,947 24,223 66,724
1994 90,712 18,421 72,291
1995 91,196 19,230 71,966
1996 86,997 19,962 67,035
1997 85,018 19,884 65,134
1998 84,250 20,097 64,153
1999 85,955 19,813 66,142
2000 87,795 19,435 68,360
2001 83,693 17,568 66,125
2002 76,405 17,294 59,111
2003 71,702 17,187 54,515
2004 73,900 17,774 56,126 1.75
2005 73,973 18,012 55,961
2006 72,790 18,787 54,003
2007 3,759,137 80,896 21,092 59,804 21.5 5.6 15.9
2008 84,823 21,048 63,775 22.3 5.5 16.8
2009 90,388 22,260 68,128 23.4 5.8 17.6
2010 95,218 22,926 72,292 23.2 5.4 17.8
2011 98,491 24,731 73,760 25.4 6.0 19.6 1.60
2012 94,826 25,731 69,095 23.3 5.8 17.5
2013 96,178 24,351 71,827 23.2 6.1 17.1
2014 104,851 25,625 79,226 23.0 6.5 16.5
2015 98,164 25,468 72,696 22.3 6.6 15.7
2016 97,372 25,600 71,772 23.1 6.4 16.7
2017 103,931 26,953 76,978 23.5 6.7 16.9 1.8
2018 3,864,000 115,229 26,829 88,400 23.2 6.5 16.7
2019 3,910,000 120,839 30,355 90,484 22.0 6.4 15.6
2020 3,944,000 93,520 29,097 64,423 18.9 6.8 12.1
2021 3,966,000 86,613 35,621 50,992
2022 3,989,000 80,616 30,062 50,554
2023 83,819 26,945 56,874

Immigrants and ethnic groups

[edit]

There are substantial numbers of immigrants from other Arab countries (mainly Palestine, Syria, Iraq) and non-Arab-speaking Muslim countries. Also, recent years have seen an influx of people from Ethiopia[38] and South East Asian countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Sri Lanka,[39] as well as smaller numbers of other immigrant minorities, including Colombians and Brazilians (many of Lebanese descent themselves). Most of these are employed as guest workers in the same fashion as Syrians and Palestinians, and entered the country to search for employment in the post-war reconstruction of Lebanon. Apart from the Palestinians, there are approximately 180,000 stateless persons in Lebanon.

Armenians

[edit]
Armenian Church in north Beirut
Main article: Armenians in Lebanon

Armenians have lived in Lebanon for centuries. According to Minority Rights Group International, there are 156,000 Armenians in Lebanon, around 4% of the population. Prior to the Lebanese Civil War, the number was higher, but the community lost a portion of its population to emigration.

French and Italians

[edit]
Main articles: French people in Lebanon and Italians in Lebanon
See also: France–Lebanon relations

During the French Mandate of Lebanon, there was a fairly large French minority and a tiny Italian minority. Most of the French and Italian settlers left after Lebanese independence in 1943 and only 22,000 French Lebanese and 4,300 Italian Lebanese continue to live in Lebanon. The most important legacy of the French Mandate is the frequent use and knowledge of the French language by most of the educated Lebanese people, and Beirut is still known as the "Paris of the Middle East".

Palestinians

[edit]
Main article: Palestinians in Lebanon

Around 175,555 Palestinian refugees were registered in Lebanon with the UNRWA in 2014, who are refugees or descendants of refugees from the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Some 53% live in 12 Palestine refugee camps, who "suffer from serious problems" such as poverty and overcrowding.[40] Some of these may have emigrated during the civil war, but there are no reliable figures available. There are also a number of Palestinians who are not registered as UNRWA refugees, because they left earlier than 1948 or were not in need of material assistance. The exact number of Palestinians remain a subject of great dispute and the Lebanese government will not provide an estimate. A figure of 400,000 Palestinian refugees would mean that Palestinians constitute less than 7% of the resident population of Lebanon.

Palestinians living in Lebanon are considered foreigners and are under the same restrictions on employment applied to other foreigners. Prior to 2010, they were under even more restrictive employment rules which permitted, other than work for the U.N., only the most menial employment. Palestinian refugees, who constitute nearly 6.6% of the country's population, have long been denied basic rights in Lebanon. They are not allowed to attend public schools, own property or pass on inheritances, measures Lebanon says it has adopted to preserve their right to return to their property in what constitutes Israel now.[41]

Their presence is controversial, and resisted by large segments of the Christian population, who argue that the primarily Sunni Muslim Palestinians dilute Christian numbers. Many Shia Muslims also look unfavorably upon the Palestinian presence since the refugee camps have tended to be concentrated in their home areas. The Lebanese Sunnis, however, would be happy to see these Palestinians given the Lebanese nationality, thus increasing the Lebanese Sunni population by well over 10% and tipping the fragile electoral balance much in favor of the Sunnis. Late prime minister Rafiq Hariri —himself a Sunni— had hinted on more than one occasion on the inevitability of granting these refugees Lebanese citizenship. Thus far the refugees lack Lebanese citizenship as well as many rights enjoyed by the rest of the population, and are confined to severely overcrowded refugee camps, in which construction rights are severely constricted.

Palestinians may not work in a large number of professions, such as lawyers and doctors. However, after negotiations between Lebanese authorities and ministers from the Palestinian National Authority some professions for Palestinians were allowed (such as taxi driver and construction worker). The material situation of the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon is difficult, and they are believed to constitute the poorest community in Lebanon, as well as the poorest Palestinian community with the possible exception of Gaza Strip refugees. Their primary sources of income are UNRWA aid and menial labor sought in competition with Syrian guest workers.

The Palestinians are majority Sunni Muslims with a Christian minority, though at some point Christians counted as high as 40% with Muslims at 60%. The numbers of Palestinian Christians has diminished in later years, as many have managed to leave Lebanon.

60,000 Palestinians have received Lebanese citizenship.

Syrians

[edit]
Main article: Syrians in Lebanon
See also: Lebanon–Syria relations

In 1976, the then Syrian president Hafez al-Assad sent troops into Lebanon to fight PLO forces on behalf of Christian militias. This led to escalated fighting until a cease-fire agreement later that year that allowed for the stationing of Syrian troops within Lebanon. The Syrian presence in Lebanon quickly changed sides; soon after they entered Lebanon they had flip-flopped and began to fight the Christian nationalists in Lebanon they allegedly entered the country to protect. The Kateab Party and the Lebanese Forces under Bachir Gemayel strongly resisted the Syrians in Lebanon. In 1989, 40,000 Syrian troops remained in central and eastern Lebanon under the supervision of the Syrian government. Although, the Taif Accord, established in the same year, called for the removal of Syrian troops and transfer of arms to the Lebanese army, the Syrian Army remained in Lebanon until the Lebanese Cedar Revolution in 2005 ended the Syrian occupation of Lebanon.

In 1994, the Lebanese government under the pressure of the Syrian government, gave Lebanese passports to thousands of Syrians.[42]

After the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, Syrians began to flee the country, with many arriving in Lebanon. As of 2013, there were nearly 1.08 million registered[43] Syrian refugees in Lebanon[44] but is estimated that the figure is closer 1.5 million.[45]

Assyrians

[edit]
Main article: Assyrians in Lebanon

There are an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 Iraqi Assyrian refugees in Lebanon. The vast majority of them are undocumented, with a large number having been deported or put in prison.[46] They belong to various denominations, including the Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, and Syriac Catholic Church.

Iraqis

[edit]
Main article: Iraqis in Lebanon

Due to the US-led invasion of Iraq, Lebanon received a mass influx of Iraqi refugees numbering at around 100,000. The vast majority of them are undocumented, with a large number having been deported or put in prison.[46]

Kurds

[edit]
Main article: Kurds in Lebanon

There are an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Kurdish refugees from Turkey and Syria within Lebanese territory. Many of them are undocumented. As of 2012, around 40% of all Kurds in Lebanon do not have Lebanese citizenship.[47]

Turks

[edit]
Main article: Turks in Lebanon

The Turkish people began to migrate to Lebanon once the Ottoman sultan Selim I conquered the region in 1516. Turks were encouraged to stay in Lebanon by being rewarded with land and money.[48] Today the Turkish minority numbers approximately 80,000.[49] Moreover, since the Syrian Civil War, approximately 125,000 to 150,000 Syrian Turkmen refugees arrived in Lebanon, and hence they now outnumber the long established Turkish minority who settled since the Ottoman era.[50][51]

Circassians

[edit]

The Circassians migrated to the Ottoman Empire including Lebanon and neighboring countries in the 18th and 19th century. However, they are mostly located in Akkar Governorate, in which they have come to Berkail since 1754. Today the Circassian minority numbers approximately 100,000.[52][53]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ "Lebanon", The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2024-09-17, retrieved 2024-09-24
  3. ^ a b The Country of Lebanon, Lebanon embassy in the United States
  4. ^ "International Religious Freedom Report – Lebanon". 2001 Report on International Religious Freedom. US Department of State. 26 October 2001. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  5. ^ "Grégoire Haddad et la démographie libanaise". L'Orient-Le Jour. 31 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  6. ^ a b c International Migration and the Lebanese Diaspora. Co-éditions. Presses de l’Ifpo. 3 October 2019. pp. 42–43. ISBN 9782351595497. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  7. ^ a b c "Methods of Finding Population Statistics of Lebanese Migration Throughout the World". Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies News at North Carolina State University. 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-10-24.
  8. ^ a b c "Annuario Pontificio- The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017" (PDF). Annuario Pontificio. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-10-24.
  9. ^ Lebanese Living in UAE Fear Deportation Archived 2014-10-16 at the Wayback Machine Al-Monitor, accessed December 2, 2013
  10. ^ cite web|title=Central Administration of Statistics - Lebanon http://www.cas.gov.lb/
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  12. ^ Maroon, Habib (31 March 2013). "A geneticist with a unifying message". Nature. doi:10.1038/nmiddleeast.2013.46.
  13. ^ "Identity of the Maronite Church - Introduction". Bkerkelb.org. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07.
  14. ^ "Identity of the Maronite Church - A Syriac Antiochene Church with a Special Lit. Heritage". Bkerkelb.org. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07.
  15. ^ a b Jacob M. Landau (March 1961). "Elections in Lebanon" (PDF). The Western Political Quarterly. 14 (1): 121. doi:10.2307/443935. JSTOR 443935.
  16. ^ a b "2012 Report on International Religious Freedom - Lebanon". United States Department of State. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  17. ^ a b c d "CIA World Factbook (2021) - Lebanon". www.cia.gov. Centra Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  18. ^ Rania Maktabi, The Lebanese Census of 1932 Revisited. Who Are the Lebanese?, British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Nov., 1999), pp. 219-241, also at [1], at [2] at [3] Archived 2013-06-02 at the Wayback Machine and at [4]
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  23. ^ "Fadlallah Charges Every Sect in Lebanon Except his Own Wants to Dominate the Country". Naharnet. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  24. ^ George J. Hajjar. "Aspects of Christian-Muslim Relations in Contemporary Lebanon". hartsem.edu. Hartford, CT, USA: Hartford Seminary. Archived from the original on 2012-08-27. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  25. ^ a b "Minority Rights Group International : Lebanon : Lebanon Overview". Minorityrights.org.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Statistics Lebanon Beirut-based research firm".
  27. ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2008 – Lebanon". 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom. US Department of State. September 19, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
  28. ^ "Lebanon". state.gov. Washington, DC, USA: United States Department of State. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  29. ^ "French Mandate". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  30. ^ Fr. Samir: Benedict XVI’s courage carries the Churches of the Middle East and the Arab Spring
  31. ^ Abu Izzeddin, Najla M. (1993). The Druzes A New Study of Their History, Faith, and Society. Brill. ISBN 9789004097056.
  32. ^ Yazbeck Haddad, Yvonne (2014). The Oxford Handbook of American Islam. Oxford University Press. p. 142. ISBN 9780199862634. While they appear parallel to those of normative Islam, in the Druze religion they are different in meaning and interpretation. The religion is considered distinct from the Ismaili as well as from other Muslims belief and practice... Most Druze consider themselves fully assimilated in American society and do not necessarily identify as Muslims..
  33. ^ De McLaurin, Ronald (1979). The Political Role of Minority Groups in the Middle East. Michigan University Press. p. 114. ISBN 9780030525964. Theologically, one would have to conclude that the Druze are not Muslims. They do not accept the five pillars of Islam. In place of these principles the Druze have instituted the seven precepts noted above..
  34. ^ a b LEBANON: Disabled remain marginalized, study finds, IRIN. Accessed August 6, 2009.
  35. ^ "Population & Demography Data Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
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  39. ^ "CBC News In Depth: Middle East in Crisis – Canada and Lebanon, a special tie". CBC News. 1 August 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-07-21. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  40. ^ "Where We Work: Lebanon". UNRWA. 1 July 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  41. ^ Nada Bakri (17 August 2010). "Lebanon Gives Palestinians New Work Rights". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  42. ^ "Citizenship requirements and procedures for an individual who was born in Lebanon to parents with Syrian citizenship, has a permanent residency permit, and whose spouse was granted Lebanese citizenship by Decree (2012-November 2013)". Refworld. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
  43. ^ "UNHCR - Lebanon". unhcr.org.
  44. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (31 October 2015). "Syria Regional Refugee Response - Lebanon". UNHCR Syria Regional Refugee Response. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  45. ^ "The Plight of Syrian Refugees – PRIO Blogs". blogs.prio.org. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
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  47. ^ Brooke Anderson (9 February 2012). "Kurds in Lebanon endure poverty, grapple with assimilation". Ekurd Daily. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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  49. ^ Al-Akhbar. "Lebanese Turks Seek Political and Social Recognition". Archived from the original on 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
  50. ^ Ahmed, Yusra (2015), Syrian Turkmen refugees face double suffering in Lebanon, Zaman Al Wasl, retrieved 11 October 2016
  51. ^ Syrian Observer (2015). "Syria's Turkmen Refugees Face Cruel Reality in Lebanon". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  52. ^ "الشركس في لبنان: تمسّك بالأصول رغم صعوبة اللغة والتواصل". nidaalwatan.com (in Arabic). 3 August 2019.
  53. ^ "Circassians from Lebanon visited Abkhazia for the first time". apsnypress.info. 10 May 2017. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
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