Local timeBeirut ·
Asia / Western Asia · Card 024
Flag shown for Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon is a country in Western Asia. Its capital is Beirut.

Find Lebanon

BeirutLebanonSyria
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital
Beirut
Languages
Arabic & French
Currency
Lebanese pound (LBP)
Population
5.8 million2025 · World Bank
Area
10,452 km²4,036 square miles
Independence
1943

Lebanon in context

Asia and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Beirut; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & languages

01

Physical geography

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

02

Languages

Languages used in public life include Arabic, French.

03

Location

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

Flag shown for Lebanon

Flag

Three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle, double-width), and red (bottom), with a green cedar tree centered on the white band

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & independence

Lebanon became independent from French mandate rule in 1943; foreign troops withdrew in 1946. A civil war lasted from 1975 to 1990. The 1989 Taif Agreement reshaped political power-sharing and helped provide a framework for ending the war.

  1. Independence

  2. Civil war begins

  3. Taif Agreement

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Services, commerce, tourism, food production and remittances are important. Since 2019, a severe financial crisis and subsequent conflict have disrupted banking, employment and public services.

Industry and production

banking, tourism, real estate and construction, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Millions of people
5.82025 · millions of people
0.003.06.02.419702.919803.619904.320005.020105.720205.82025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
Year People Millions of people
1970 2,386,114 2.386
1980 2,944,763 2.945
1990 3,595,175 3.595
2000 4,329,340 4.329
2010 5,041,288 5.041
2020 5,702,398 5.702
2025 5,849,421 5.849

Real GDP, 1990–2024

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
31.32024 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.0030.060.019902000201020202024

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year Constant 2015 US$ Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990 9,896,526,026 9.897
1991 14,790,098,776 14.790
1992 17,221,346,343 17.221
1993 19,075,339,625 19.075
1994 20,621,442,059 20.621
1995 21,951,290,517 21.951
1996 24,428,699,054 24.429
1997 24,686,413,686 24.686
1998 25,591,349,425 25.591
1999 25,456,845,224 25.457
2000 25,798,443,406 25.798
2001 26,789,018,311 26.789
2002 27,706,046,545 27.706
2003 28,600,147,894 28.600
2004 30,510,478,932 30.510
2005 31,329,923,063 31.330
2006 31,815,384,921 31.815
2007 34,777,595,316 34.778
2008 37,931,620,044 37.932
2009 41,812,842,420 41.813
2010 45,147,473,284 45.147
2011 45,539,055,324 45.539
2012 46,707,037,069 46.707
2013 48,494,923,363 48.495
2014 49,699,566,407 49.700
2015 49,929,337,837 49.929
2016 50,705,514,063 50.706
2017 51,163,399,288 51.163
2018 50,199,119,756 50.199
2019 46,727,888,411 46.728
2020 36,728,167,163 36.728
2021 34,156,740,537 34.157
2022 33,944,395,264 33.944
2023 33,686,219,465 33.686
2024 31,301,271,532 31.301

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.752High human developmentRank 102 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

20100.750
20200.750
20230.752
77.8 yearsLife expectancy at birth
10.4 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

Parliamentary democratic republic. National Assembly (Majlis Al-Nuwwab) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Lebanon.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which currency is listed for Lebanon?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.

BeirutLebanonSyria