| Demographics ofLebanon | |
|---|---|
Population pyramid ofLebanon in 2020 | |
| Population | 5,469,612 (July 2020 est.),[1] including 910,256Syrians, 170,000Palestinians, and 5,700Iraqis (110th) |
| Density | 741 people per.sq.km (2017 est.) |
| Growth rate | -6.68% (2020 est.) |
| Birth rate | 13.6 births/1,000 population (2020 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 78.7 years (2020 est.) |
| • male | 77.8 years (2020 est.) |
| • female | 79.8 years (2020 est.) |
| Fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (SRS 2015) |
| Infant mortality rate | 0.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.) |
| Age structure | |
| 0–14 years | 23.32% (male 728,026/female 694,453) (2018 est.) |
| 15–64 years | 69.65% (male 2,139,885/male 2,108,917) (2018 est.) |
| 65 and over | 7.03% (male 185,780/male 243,015) (2018 est.) |
| Sex ratio | |
| Total | 1 male/female (2017 est.) |
| At birth | 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.) |
| Under 15 | 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.) |
| 15–64 years | 1.03 male(s)/female (2014 est.) |
| 65 and over | 0.79 male(s)/female (2017 est.) |
| Nationality | |
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Major ethnic | Arab (95%)[2] |
| Minor ethnic | |
| Language | |
| Official | Arabic[3] |
| Spoken | Lebanese Arabic,English,French[3] |
| Minority languages includeArmenian andAramaic | |
| 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 ademography of thepopulation ofLebanon includingpopulation 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 eitherMuslim orChristian, split across various sects and denominations. Because religious balance is a sensitive political issue, the only nationalcensus ever published was conducted in 1932 under the French Mandate,[4] 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.[5] The system of census taking under the French Mandate, based on the legal categories of sex, sect, and kinship, remains largely in place today.[6] The 1932 census identified, organized, and enumerated sects and determined the nascent body of citizens, which were recorded, managed, and produced through the national registries also forged at that time.[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 andGrégoire 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.[7]
There are between 10 and 15 million[8][9][10]Lebanese and descendants of Lebanese worldwide, mostly Christians, compared with the internal population of Lebanon of around 4.6 million citizens, in 2020.[11]
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.[12] 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 morePhoenician than another".[13]

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Lebanon'sreligious 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 andethnic cleansing, most recently during theLebanese Civil War, has brought some important changes to the religious map of the country. (See alsoHistory of Lebanon.)
Lebanon has by far the largest proportion ofChristians of anyMiddle Eastern country, but both Christians andMuslims 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 andEastern 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 generalcensus, 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 toOttoman times (themillet system). The practice was reinforced duringFrench 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 (promptingU.S. intervention) and again in the gruelingLebanese Civil War, in 1975–90.

The balance of power has been slightly adjusted in the 1943National Pact, an informal agreement struck atindependence, in which positions of power were divided according to the 1932 census. TheSunni 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 inParliament 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.
]

The presentLebanese Constitution officially acknowledges 18 religious groups (see below). These have the right to handlefamily law according to their courts and traditions, and they are the basic players in Lebanon's complex sectarian politics.
The 1932 census stated thatChristians 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.[14] 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 Assyrians of theChurch of the East (1,000).[14]
A 2010 study conducted by Statistics Lebanon, a Beirut-based research firm, cited by theUnited States Department of State found that Lebanon's population of approximately 4.3 million was estimated to be:[15]
There is also a very small number of other religious minorities such as,Baháʼís,Buddhists,Hindus,Jews, andMormons.[15]
In 2022, theCIA World Factbook specified that of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations), 67.8% areMuslims (31.9%Sunni, 31.2%Shia, with smaller percentages ofAlawites andIsmailis), 32.4% areChristians (mostlyMaronites, andGreek Orthodox,Melkite Catholics,Protestant,Armenian Apostolic,Assyrian Church of the East,Syriac Orthodox,Chaldean Catholic,Syriac Catholic), and 4.5% areDruze.[16]
| 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 | ||||

According to theCIA World Factbook,[16] in 2021 the Muslim population was estimated at 67.8% within Lebanese territory and 20% of the over 4 million[8][9][10] Lebanese diaspora population. In 2012 a more detailed breakdown of the size of each Muslim sect in Lebanon was made:

According to theCIA World Factbook,[16] in 2021, the Christian population in Lebanon was estimated at 32.4%. In 2012 a more detailed breakdown of the size of each Christian sect in Lebanon was made:
TheDruze constitute 5%[16] of the population and are almost entirely concentrated inAley andChouf in southernMount Lebanon, and in theHasbaya andRashaya districts.[18] Even though the faith originally developed out ofIsma'iliShia Islam, mostDruze do not identify asMuslims,[30][31] and do not accept thefive pillars of Islam.[32]
Other religions account for only an estimated 0.3% of the population mainly foreign temporary workers, according to theCIA World Factbook. There was a large and vibrantJewish population, traditionally centered inBeirut who fled to Israel in the 1940s and 1950s.
Prominent Lebanese people and people of Lebanese descent. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Apart from the four and a half million citizens of Lebanon proper, there is a sizeable Lebanesediaspora. There are moreLebanese people livingoutside of Lebanon (over 4 million[8][9][10]), than within (4.6 million citizens plus 1.5 million refugees). The majority of the diaspora population consists ofLebanese Christians; however, there are some who are Muslim. They trace their origin to several waves ofChristian emigration, starting with the exodus that followed the1860 Lebanon conflict inOttoman Syria.
Under the currentLebanese nationality law, diaspora Lebanese do not have an automaticright of return to Lebanon. Due to varying degrees ofassimilation and high degree of interethnic marriages, most diaspora Lebanesehave not passed on the Arabic language to their children, while still maintaining a Lebaneseethnic identity.
Many Lebanese families are economically and politically prominent in severalLatin American countries (in 2007 MexicanCarlos Slim Helú, son of Lebanese immigrants, was determined to be the wealthiest man in the World byFortune Magazine), and make up a substantial portion of theLebanese American community in theUnited States. The largest Lebanese diaspora is located inBrazil, where about 6–7 million people have Lebanese descent (seeLebanese Brazilian). InArgentina, there is also a large Lebanese diaspora of approximately 1.5 million people having Lebanese descent. (seeLebanese Argentine). InCanada, there is also a large Lebanese diaspora of approximately 250,000-500,000 people having Lebanese descent. (seeLebanese Canadians).
There are also sizable populations inWest Africa, particularlyIvory Coast,Sierra Leone andSenegal.
While under Syrian occupation, Beirut passed legislation which prevented second-generation Lebanese of the diaspora from automatically obtainingLebanese citizenship. This has reinforced the émigré status of many diaspora Lebanese. There is currently a campaign by those Lebanese of the diaspora who already haveLebanese 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]
With no official figures available, it is estimated that 600,000–900,000 persons fled the country during theLebanese 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 ofinternally displaced persons. This especially affected the southern Shia community, asIsraeli invasion of southern Lebanon in1978,1982, and1996 prompted waves of mass emigration, in addition to the continual strain ofoccupation and fighting between Israel andHezbollah (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 oppressiveSyrian occupation.
According to aUNDP study, as much as 10% of the Lebanese had adisability in 1990.[33] 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.[33]
Modern Standard Arabic is the official language of the country, but theLebanese dialect ofLevantine Arabic is used in conversations.French andEnglish are taught in many schools from a young age. Among theArmenian ethnic minority in Lebanon, theArmenian language is taught and spoken.


The following demographic statistics are from theCIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
Age structure:

Notable events in demography of Lebanon:
The websiteOur World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of theUnited Nations.[34]
| 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 |
| [35][36] | 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 | 3,962,000 | 91,795 | 21,441 | 70,354 | 23.2 | 5.4 | 17.8 | |
| 2011 | 4,036,000 | 97,887 | 23,257 | 74,630 | 25.4 | 6.0 | 19.6 | 1.60 |
| 2012 | 4,104,000 | 90,167 | 22,792 | 67,375 | 23.3 | 5.8 | 17.5 | |
| 2013 | 4,168,000 | 86,950 | 23,414 | 65,536 | 23.2 | 6.1 | 17.1 | |
| 2014 | 4,231,000 | 88,704 | 25,117 | 63,587 | 23.0 | 6.5 | 16.5 | |
| 2015 | 4,292,000 | 85,453 | 25,275 | 60,178 | 22.3 | 6.6 | 15.7 | |
| 2016 | 4,356,000 | 88,996 | 24,617 | 64,379 | 23.1 | 6.4 | 16.7 | |
| 2017 | 4,421,000 | 90,647 | 25,847 | 64,800 | 23.5 | 6.7 | 16.9 | 1.8 |
| 2018 | 3,864,000 | 89,772 | 25,096 | 64,676 | 23.2 | 6.5 | 16.7 | |
| 2019 | 3,910,000 | 86,179 | 24,950 | 61,229 | 22.0 | 6.4 | 15.6 | |
| 2020 | 3,944,000 | 74,049 | 28,637 | 45,412 | 18.9 | 6.8 | 12.1 | |
| 2021 | 3,966,000 | 68,130 | 34,725 | 33,405 | 17.2 | 8.8 | 8.4 | |
| 2022 | 3,989,000 | 62,868 | 29,455 | 33,413 | 15.8 | 7.4 | 8.4 | |
| 2023 | 3,989,000 | 66,866 | 26,284 | 40,582 | 16.8 | 6.6 | 10.2 | |
| 2024 | 4,044,000 | 65,209 | 26,715 | 38,494 | 16.1 | 6.6 | 9.5 |
There are substantial numbers of immigrants from otherArab countries (mainlyPalestine,Syria,Iraq) and non-Arab-speaking Muslim countries. Also, recent years have seen an influx of people fromEthiopia[37] andSouth East Asian countries such asIndonesia, thePhilippines,Malaysia,Sri Lanka,[38] as well as smaller numbers of other immigrant minorities, includingColombians andBrazilians (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 180,000stateless persons in Lebanon.

Armenians have lived inLebanon for centuries. According toMinority Rights Group International, there are 156,000 Armenians in Lebanon, around 4% of the population. Prior to theLebanese Civil War, the number was higher, but the community lost a portion of its population to emigration.
During theFrench 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 22,000French Lebanese and 4,300Italian Lebanese continue to live in Lebanon. The most important legacy of the French Mandate is the frequent use and knowledge of theFrench language by most of the educated Lebanese people, andBeirut is still known as the "Paris of the Middle East".
Around 175,555Palestinian refugees were registered in Lebanon with theUNRWA in 2014, who are refugees or descendants of refugees from the1948 Arab–Israeli War. Some 53% live in 12Palestine refugee camps, who "suffer from serious problems" such as poverty and overcrowding.[39] Some of these may have emigrated during thecivil 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.[40]
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 LebaneseSunnis, however, would be happy to see these Palestinians given theLebanese 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 ministerRafiq 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 thePalestinian 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 ofGaza Strip refugees. Their primary sources of income are UNRWA aid and menial labor sought in competition with Syrianguest 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.
In 1976, the then Syrian presidentHafez 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, theSyrian Army remained in Lebanon until the LebaneseCedar 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.[41]
After the start of theSyrian 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[42]Syrian refugees in Lebanon[43] but is estimated that the figure is closer 1.5 million.[44]
There are an estimated 40,000 to 80,000Iraqi Assyrian refugees in Lebanon. The vast majority of them areundocumented, with a large number having been deported or put in prison.[45][better source needed] They belong to various denominations, including theAssyrian Church of the East,Chaldean Catholic Church, andSyriac Catholic Church.
Due to the US-ledinvasion of Iraq, Lebanon received a mass influx ofIraqi refugees numbering at around 100,000. The vast majority of them are undocumented, with a large number having been deported or put in prison.[45][better source needed]
There are an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Kurdish refugees from Turkey and Syria within Lebanese territory. Many of them areundocumented. As of 2012, around 40% of all Kurds in Lebanon do not haveLebanese citizenship.[46]
TheTurkish people began to migrate to Lebanon once theOttoman sultanSelim I conquered the region in 1516. Turks were encouraged to stay in Lebanon by being rewarded with land and money.[47] Today the Turkish minority numbers approximately 80,000.[48] Moreover, since theSyrian Civil War, approximately 125,000 to 150,000Syrian Turkmen refugees arrived inLebanon, and hence they now outnumber the long established Turkish minority who settled since the Ottoman era.[49][50]
TheCircassians migrated to the Ottoman Empire including Lebanon and neighboring countries in the 18th and 19th century. However, they are mostly located inAkkar Governorate, in which they have come toBerkail since 1754. Today the Circassian minority numbers approximately 100,000.[51][52]
{{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)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..
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..