Lebanon: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox place|name=Lebanon|type=Place or actor|region=middle east|rows=89|asof=2026-08-17|image=[[File:lebanon-flag.png|thumb|220px|Lebanon flag. (Henri Pharaon, Public domain)]][[File:lebanon-map.png|thumb|220px|Lebanon locator map. (Eli+ 00:28, 15 January 2012 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0)]]}} | |||
'''Lebanon''' as this archive records it. Every line in the reporting sections below is a headline that was collected, with its outlet and date. Nothing here is written by a model: if a claim appears, some outlet made it, and this page does not say whether it is true. The Background section is different in kind: those lines are encyclopedic facts from a reference work, each cited to the source it came from. | '''Lebanon''' as this archive records it. Every line in the reporting sections below is a headline that was collected, with its outlet and date. Nothing here is written by a model: if a claim appears, some outlet made it, and this page does not say whether it is true. The Background section is different in kind: those lines are encyclopedic facts from a reference work, each cited to the source it came from. | ||
{{Situation|asof=2026-08-17|summary=Most recent archived item: Lebanon Flare-Up and Gaza Strikes Dent Mideast Peace Prospects - reported by outlet not recorded|latest=outlet not recorded}} | {{Situation|asof=2026-08-17|summary=Most recent archived item: Lebanon Flare-Up and Gaza Strikes Dent Mideast Peace Prospects - reported by outlet not recorded|latest=outlet not recorded}} | ||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
* [11] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon's prime minister: Israel has a 'scorched-earth policy' in Lebanon | * [11] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon's prime minister: Israel has a 'scorched-earth policy' in Lebanon | ||
* [12] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Israel locates Hezbollah's weapons in South Lebanon | * [12] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Israel locates Hezbollah's weapons in South Lebanon | ||
* ...and | * ...and 77 more not listed here. | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
| Line 32: | Line 32: | ||
=== History === | === History === | ||
As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. [13] | |||
The Natufian culture was the first to become sedentary at around 12000 BC. [14] | |||
This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. [15] | |||
Evidence of early settlement in Lebanon was found in Byblos, considered among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. [16] | |||
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of [[Israel, Palestine and Syria|Syria]]. [17] | |||
The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Lebanon was part of northern Canaan, and consequently became the homeland of Canaanite descendants, the Phoenicians, a seafaring people based in the coastal strip of the northern Levant who spread across the Mediterranean in the first millennium BC. The most prominent Phoenician cities were Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. According to the Bible, King Hiram of Tyre collaborated closely with Solomon, supplying cedar logs for Solomon's Temple and sending skilled workers. The Phoenicians are credited with the invention of the oldest verified alphabet, which subsequently inspired the Greek alphabet and the Latin one thereafter. [18] | |||
=== Leaders === | === Leaders === | ||
Chief of state: President [[Joseph Aoun|Joseph AOUN]] (since 9 January 2025) Head of government: Prime Minister [[Nawaf Salam|Nawaf SALAM]] (since 8 February 2025) [19] | |||
=== Geography === | === Geography === | ||
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and [[Israel, Palestine and Syria|Syria]] Area: 10,400 sq km Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land [20] | |||
=== Climate === | === Climate === | ||
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows [21] | |||
=== Culture === | === Culture === | ||
The culture of Lebanon reflects the legacy of various civilizations spanning thousands of years. Originally home to the Canaanite-Phoenicians, and then conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. [22] | |||
Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% [23] | |||
Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic and religious groups, has further contributed to the country's festivals, musical styles and literature as well as cuisine. Despite the ethnic, linguistic, religious and denominational diversity of the Lebanese, they "share an almost common culture". [24] | |||
Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian [25] | |||
Lebanese Arabic is universally spoken while food, music, and literature are deep-rooted "in wider Mediterranean and Levantine norms". [26] | |||
Religions: Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.) [27] | |||
In visual arts, Moustafa Farroukh was among Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career. Many more contemporary artists are active, such as Walid Raad, a contemporary media artist residing in New York. [28] | |||
=== Government === | === Government === | ||
Government type: parliamentary democratic republic Capital: Beirut Legal system: mixed 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 [29] | |||
=== Demographics === | === Demographics === | ||
Lebanon had an estimated population of 5,592,631 in 2021, with the number of Lebanese nationals estimated at 4,680,212 in July; however, no official census has been conducted since 1932 due to the sensitive confessional political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups. [30] | |||
Population: 5,364,482 (2024 est.) [31] | |||
Identifying all Lebanese as ethnically Arab is a widely employed example of panethnicity, as the Lebanese "are descended from many different peoples who are either indigenous, or have occupied, invaded, or settled this corner of the world", making Lebanon, "a mosaic of closely interrelated cultures". [32] | |||
Median age: 29.4 years (2025 est.) [33] | |||
The fertility rate fell from 5.00 in 1971 to 1.75 in 2004. [34] | |||
Urbanization: 89.4% of total population (2023) [35] | |||
Fertility rates vary considerably among the different religious groups: in 2004, it was 2.10 for Shiites, 1.76 for Sunnis and 1.61 for Maronites. [36] | |||
Major urban areas: 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023) [37] | |||
Lebanese people have a long history of emigration stretching back to the 19th century; including partial ancestry, more Lebanese live outside the country than in Lebanon itself. [38] | |||
Life expectancy: 79.2 years (2024 est.) Literacy: 92% (2019 est.) [39] | |||
The country has experienced a series of migration waves since independence: over 1.8 million people emigrated from the country between 1975 and 2011. Consequently, millions of people of Lebanese descent are spread throughout the world, especially in Latin America; Brazil and Argentina have the largest Lebanese communities, with the former having the largest population in the world, at 5–7 million. North America likewise hosts a large diaspora, particularly in Canada (approximately 250,000–700,000) and the United States (around 2 million). [40] | |||
=== Military === | === Military === | ||
Branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) Personnel: approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025) Equipment: the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, [[Russia]], and especially the US (2025) [41] | |||
{{See also|pages=[[Timeline:Lebanon|Timeline: Lebanon]] · [[Gaza]]}} | {{See also|pages=[[Timeline:Lebanon|Timeline: Lebanon]] · [[Gaza]]}} | ||
| Line 90: | Line 123: | ||
* rev 5, 2026-08-25 — rebuilt with no change of sources | * rev 5, 2026-08-25 — rebuilt with no change of sources | ||
* rev 6, 2026-08-26 — +1 source(s) | * rev 6, 2026-08-26 — +1 source(s) | ||
* rev 7, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
* rev 8, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
* rev 9, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
* rev 10, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
* rev 11, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
* rev 12, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources | |||
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
| Line 97: | Line 136: | ||
* [9] Gaza is a step away from catastrophe - https://archive.isnull.dev/archive/1787653495.040124/ | * [9] Gaza is a step away from catastrophe - https://archive.isnull.dev/archive/1787653495.040124/ | ||
* [13] Background: As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. - 1787695230.96575 | * [13] Background: As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [14] | * [14] The Natufian culture was the first to become sedentary at around 12000 BC. - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [15] Background: This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. - 1787695230.96575 | * [15] Background: This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [16] Chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025) | * [16] Evidence of early settlement in Lebanon was found in Byblos, considered among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [17] Background: Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. - 1787695230.96575 | |||
* [ | * [18] The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Lebanon was part of northern Canaan, and consequently became the homeland of Canaanite descendants, the Phoenicians, a seafaring people based in the coastal strip of the northern Levant who spread across the Mediterranean in the first millennium BC. The most prominent Phoenician cities were Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. According to the Bible, King Hiram of Tyre collaborated closely with Solomon, supplying cedar logs for Solomon's Temple and sending skilled workers. The Phoenicians are credited with the invention of the oldest verified alphabet, which subsequently inspired the Greek alphabet and the Latin one thereafter. - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [19] Chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025) Head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025) - 1787695230.96575 | |||
* [20] Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Area: 10,400 sq km Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land - 1787695230.96575 | |||
* [21 | * [21] Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [22] The culture of Lebanon reflects the legacy of various civilizations spanning thousands of years. Originally home to the Canaanite-Phoenicians, and then conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. - 1787707364.121196 | |||
* [23] Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% - 1787695230.96575 | * [23] Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [24] Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian - 1787695230.96575 | * [24] Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic and religious groups, has further contributed to the country's festivals, musical styles and literature as well as cuisine. Despite the ethnic, linguistic, religious and denominational diversity of the Lebanese, they "share an almost common culture". - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [ | * [25] Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [ | * [26] Lebanese Arabic is universally spoken while food, music, and literature are deep-rooted "in wider Mediterranean and Levantine norms". - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [ | * [27] Religions: Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.) - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [28] In visual arts, Moustafa Farroukh was among Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career. Many more contemporary artists are active, such as Walid Raad, a contemporary media artist residing in New York. - 1787707364.121196 | |||
* [ | * [29] Government type: parliamentary democratic republic Capital: Beirut Legal system: mixed 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 - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [ | * [30] Lebanon had an estimated population of 5,592,631 in 2021, with the number of Lebanese nationals estimated at 4,680,212 in July; however, no official census has been conducted since 1932 due to the sensitive confessional political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups. - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [ | * [31] Population: 5,364,482 (2024 est.) - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [ | * [32] Identifying all Lebanese as ethnically Arab is a widely employed example of panethnicity, as the Lebanese "are descended from many different peoples who are either indigenous, or have occupied, invaded, or settled this corner of the world", making Lebanon, "a mosaic of closely interrelated cultures". - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [ | * [33] Median age: 29.4 years (2025 est.) - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [ | * [34] The fertility rate fell from 5.00 in 1971 to 1.75 in 2004. - 1787707364.121196 | ||
* [ | * [35] Urbanization: 89.4% of total population (2023) - 1787695230.96575 | ||
* [36] Fertility rates vary considerably among the different religious groups: in 2004, it was 2.10 for Shiites, 1.76 for Sunnis and 1.61 for Maronites. - 1787707364.121196 | |||
* [37] Major urban areas: 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023) - 1787695230.96575 | |||
* [38] Lebanese people have a long history of emigration stretching back to the 19th century; including partial ancestry, more Lebanese live outside the country than in Lebanon itself. - 1787707364.121196 | |||
* [39] Life expectancy: 79.2 years (2024 est.) Literacy: 92% (2019 est.) - 1787695230.96575 | |||
* [40] The country has experienced a series of migration waves since independence: over 1.8 million people emigrated from the country between 1975 and 2011. Consequently, millions of people of Lebanese descent are spread throughout the world, especially in Latin America; Brazil and Argentina have the largest Lebanese communities, with the former having the largest population in the world, at 5–7 million. North America likewise hosts a large diaspora, particularly in Canada (approximately 250,000–700,000) and the United States (around 2 million). - 1787707364.121196 | |||
* [41] Branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) Personnel: approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025) Equipment: the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025) - 1787695230.96575 | |||
== How this page is made == | == How this page is made == | ||
Assembled directly from the war archive: no model writes any part of it, so nothing on it can be invented, mis-summarised or attributed to an outlet that did not say it. The cost is that it does not read as narrative - the archive stores headlines, not article text, and this page does not pretend otherwise. The Background section is not from the war archive: those facts are retrieved from a reference work, archived, and cited individually. Background | Assembled directly from the war archive: no model writes any part of it, so nothing on it can be invented, mis-summarised or attributed to an outlet that did not say it. The cost is that it does not read as narrative - the archive stores headlines, not article text, and this page does not pretend otherwise. The Background section is not from the war archive: those facts are retrieved from a reference work, archived, and cited individually. Background sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). | ||
[[Category:Conflicts]] | [[Category:Conflicts]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:40, 25 August 2026
Lebanon
| Type | Place or actor |
|---|---|
| Region | middle east |
| Archived items | 89 |
| As of | 2026-08-17 |
Lebanon as this archive records it. Every line in the reporting sections below is a headline that was collected, with its outlet and date. Nothing here is written by a model: if a claim appears, some outlet made it, and this page does not say whether it is true. The Background section is different in kind: those lines are encyclopedic facts from a reference work, each cited to the source it came from.
Situation as of 2026-08-17
Most recent archived item: Lebanon Flare-Up and Gaza Strikes Dent Mideast Peace Prospects - reported by outlet not recorded
Most recent archived item: outlet not recorded
This page lists 12 archived headlines published between 2026-02-27 and 2026-08-17. It reflects what these feeds reported in that window, not everything that happened.
Reporting by provenance
The tag records where a report came from, not who is fighting. A state outlet is named with its affiliation attached.
Other archived reporting
Items on this subject with no side recorded against them.
- [1] 2026-08-17 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon Flare-Up and Gaza Strikes Dent Mideast Peace Prospects
- [2] 2026-07-30 - outlet not recorded: Trump's Lebanon fantasy is running smack into reality
- [3] 2026-07-12 - ynet.co.il: Lebanon's dilemma
- [4] 2026-07-01 - outlet not recorded: Israel-Lebanon Deal: A Path to Peace or Another Ceasefire Illusion?
- [5] 2026-06-22 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon’s Failure to Disassociate
- [6] 2026-06-19 - outlet not recorded: Deadly Violence Rocks Lebanon in Threat to U.S.-Iran Deal
- [7] 2026-06-12 - outlet not recorded: The U.S. Should Not Encourage Syria to Enter Lebanon
- [8] 2026-06-08 - outlet not recorded: Show Us the Money
- [9] 2026-06-06 - ynet.co.il: Gaza is a step away from catastrophe
- [10] 2026-06-05 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon’s President Accuses Iran of Using Lebanon as Bargaining Chip, Urges Diplomacy Over War
- [11] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Lebanon's prime minister: Israel has a 'scorched-earth policy' in Lebanon
- [12] 2026-05-31 - outlet not recorded: Israel locates Hezbollah's weapons in South Lebanon
- ...and 77 more not listed here.
Background
Encyclopedic context, retrieved from a reference work and archived. It is not war reporting and is not counted as any.
History
As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. [13]
The Natufian culture was the first to become sedentary at around 12000 BC. [14]
This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. [15]
Evidence of early settlement in Lebanon was found in Byblos, considered among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. [16]
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. [17]
The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Lebanon was part of northern Canaan, and consequently became the homeland of Canaanite descendants, the Phoenicians, a seafaring people based in the coastal strip of the northern Levant who spread across the Mediterranean in the first millennium BC. The most prominent Phoenician cities were Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. According to the Bible, King Hiram of Tyre collaborated closely with Solomon, supplying cedar logs for Solomon's Temple and sending skilled workers. The Phoenicians are credited with the invention of the oldest verified alphabet, which subsequently inspired the Greek alphabet and the Latin one thereafter. [18]
Leaders
Chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025) Head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025) [19]
Geography
Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Area: 10,400 sq km Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land [20]
Climate
Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows [21]
Culture
The culture of Lebanon reflects the legacy of various civilizations spanning thousands of years. Originally home to the Canaanite-Phoenicians, and then conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. [22]
Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% [23]
Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic and religious groups, has further contributed to the country's festivals, musical styles and literature as well as cuisine. Despite the ethnic, linguistic, religious and denominational diversity of the Lebanese, they "share an almost common culture". [24]
Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian [25]
Lebanese Arabic is universally spoken while food, music, and literature are deep-rooted "in wider Mediterranean and Levantine norms". [26]
Religions: Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.) [27]
In visual arts, Moustafa Farroukh was among Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career. Many more contemporary artists are active, such as Walid Raad, a contemporary media artist residing in New York. [28]
Government
Government type: parliamentary democratic republic Capital: Beirut Legal system: mixed 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 [29]
Demographics
Lebanon had an estimated population of 5,592,631 in 2021, with the number of Lebanese nationals estimated at 4,680,212 in July; however, no official census has been conducted since 1932 due to the sensitive confessional political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups. [30]
Population: 5,364,482 (2024 est.) [31]
Identifying all Lebanese as ethnically Arab is a widely employed example of panethnicity, as the Lebanese "are descended from many different peoples who are either indigenous, or have occupied, invaded, or settled this corner of the world", making Lebanon, "a mosaic of closely interrelated cultures". [32]
Median age: 29.4 years (2025 est.) [33]
The fertility rate fell from 5.00 in 1971 to 1.75 in 2004. [34]
Urbanization: 89.4% of total population (2023) [35]
Fertility rates vary considerably among the different religious groups: in 2004, it was 2.10 for Shiites, 1.76 for Sunnis and 1.61 for Maronites. [36]
Major urban areas: 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023) [37]
Lebanese people have a long history of emigration stretching back to the 19th century; including partial ancestry, more Lebanese live outside the country than in Lebanon itself. [38]
Life expectancy: 79.2 years (2024 est.) Literacy: 92% (2019 est.) [39]
The country has experienced a series of migration waves since independence: over 1.8 million people emigrated from the country between 1975 and 2011. Consequently, millions of people of Lebanese descent are spread throughout the world, especially in Latin America; Brazil and Argentina have the largest Lebanese communities, with the former having the largest population in the world, at 5–7 million. North America likewise hosts a large diaspora, particularly in Canada (approximately 250,000–700,000) and the United States (around 2 million). [40]
Military
Branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) Personnel: approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025) Equipment: the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025) [41]
See also: Timeline: Lebanon · Gaza
Publication history
What changed and when. Computed from the sources each revision cited, not written by anyone.
- rev 1, 2026-08-25 — first published from 10 source(s)
- rev 2, 2026-08-25 — +5 source(s)
- rev 3, 2026-08-25 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 4, 2026-08-25 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 5, 2026-08-25 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 6, 2026-08-26 — +1 source(s)
- rev 7, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 8, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 9, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 10, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 11, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
- rev 12, 2026-08-26 — rebuilt with no change of sources
Sources
Where a durable link was recorded, it is here. Google News items carry a redirect stub rather than an article and are listed above without one.
- [3] Lebanon's dilemma - https://archive.isnull.dev/archive/1787691794.592425/
- [9] Gaza is a step away from catastrophe - https://archive.isnull.dev/archive/1787653495.040124/
- [13] Background: As a result of its location at the crossroads of three continents, the area that is modern-day Lebanon is rich in cultural and religious diversity. - 1787695230.96575
- [14] The Natufian culture was the first to become sedentary at around 12000 BC. - 1787707364.121196
- [15] Background: This region was subject to various foreign conquerors for much of its history, including the Romans, Arabs, and Ottomans. - 1787695230.96575
- [16] Evidence of early settlement in Lebanon was found in Byblos, considered among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. - 1787707364.121196
- [17] Background: Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. - 1787695230.96575
- [18] The evidence dates back to earlier than 5000 BC. Archaeologists discovered remnants of prehistoric huts with crushed limestone floors, primitive weapons, and burial jars left by the Neolithic and Chalcolithic fishing communities who lived on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea over 7,000 years ago. Lebanon was part of northern Canaan, and consequently became the homeland of Canaanite descendants, the Phoenicians, a seafaring people based in the coastal strip of the northern Levant who spread across the Mediterranean in the first millennium BC. The most prominent Phoenician cities were Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. According to the Bible, King Hiram of Tyre collaborated closely with Solomon, supplying cedar logs for Solomon's Temple and sending skilled workers. The Phoenicians are credited with the invention of the oldest verified alphabet, which subsequently inspired the Greek alphabet and the Latin one thereafter. - 1787707364.121196
- [19] Chief of state: President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025) Head of government: Prime Minister Nawaf SALAM (since 8 February 2025) - 1787695230.96575
- [20] Location: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Area: 10,400 sq km Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains Natural resources: limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land - 1787695230.96575
- [21] Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows - 1787695230.96575
- [22] The culture of Lebanon reflects the legacy of various civilizations spanning thousands of years. Originally home to the Canaanite-Phoenicians, and then conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. - 1787707364.121196
- [23] Ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% - 1787695230.96575
- [24] Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic and religious groups, has further contributed to the country's festivals, musical styles and literature as well as cuisine. Despite the ethnic, linguistic, religious and denominational diversity of the Lebanese, they "share an almost common culture". - 1787707364.121196
- [25] Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian - 1787695230.96575
- [26] Lebanese Arabic is universally spoken while food, music, and literature are deep-rooted "in wider Mediterranean and Levantine norms". - 1787707364.121196
- [27] Religions: Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.) - 1787695230.96575
- [28] In visual arts, Moustafa Farroukh was among Lebanon's most prominent painters of the 20th century. Formally trained in Rome and Paris, he exhibited in venues from Paris to New York to Beirut over his career. Many more contemporary artists are active, such as Walid Raad, a contemporary media artist residing in New York. - 1787707364.121196
- [29] Government type: parliamentary democratic republic Capital: Beirut Legal system: mixed 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 - 1787695230.96575
- [30] Lebanon had an estimated population of 5,592,631 in 2021, with the number of Lebanese nationals estimated at 4,680,212 in July; however, no official census has been conducted since 1932 due to the sensitive confessional political balance between Lebanon's various religious groups. - 1787707364.121196
- [31] Population: 5,364,482 (2024 est.) - 1787695230.96575
- [32] Identifying all Lebanese as ethnically Arab is a widely employed example of panethnicity, as the Lebanese "are descended from many different peoples who are either indigenous, or have occupied, invaded, or settled this corner of the world", making Lebanon, "a mosaic of closely interrelated cultures". - 1787707364.121196
- [33] Median age: 29.4 years (2025 est.) - 1787695230.96575
- [34] The fertility rate fell from 5.00 in 1971 to 1.75 in 2004. - 1787707364.121196
- [35] Urbanization: 89.4% of total population (2023) - 1787695230.96575
- [36] Fertility rates vary considerably among the different religious groups: in 2004, it was 2.10 for Shiites, 1.76 for Sunnis and 1.61 for Maronites. - 1787707364.121196
- [37] Major urban areas: 2.421 million BEIRUT (capital) (2023) - 1787695230.96575
- [38] Lebanese people have a long history of emigration stretching back to the 19th century; including partial ancestry, more Lebanese live outside the country than in Lebanon itself. - 1787707364.121196
- [39] Life expectancy: 79.2 years (2024 est.) Literacy: 92% (2019 est.) - 1787695230.96575
- [40] The country has experienced a series of migration waves since independence: over 1.8 million people emigrated from the country between 1975 and 2011. Consequently, millions of people of Lebanese descent are spread throughout the world, especially in Latin America; Brazil and Argentina have the largest Lebanese communities, with the former having the largest population in the world, at 5–7 million. North America likewise hosts a large diaspora, particularly in Canada (approximately 250,000–700,000) and the United States (around 2 million). - 1787707364.121196
- [41] Branches: Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army Command (includes Presidential Guard Brigade, Land Border Regiments), Naval Forces, Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of Internal Security Forces (law enforcement; includes Mobile Gendarmerie), General Directorate for Public Security (border control, some domestic security duties) (2025) Personnel: approximately 70,000 active Lebanese Armed Forces (2025) Equipment: the LAF's inventory is comprised of mostly older or secondhand equipment from an array of countries, such as France, Germany, Russia, and especially the US (2025) - 1787695230.96575
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