Last updated on March 3rd, 2020
27. Lebanese people living abroad sent an estimate of 9 billion US dollars to their family members in Lebanon in 2014.
28. Lebanon is the only Middle Eastern country without a desert. They do not even have indigenous camels.
29. There are 21 major daily newspapers that serve the audience in Lebanon. However, the media is at the mercy of political parties for funding, which is also why most of which are biased.
30. The country also has the largest population of Christians of any Middle Eastern country.
Lebanon – country at a glance
| Independence | 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Beirut (33°54′N 35°32′E) |
| Largest city | Beirut (33°54′N 35°32′E) |
| Total area | total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km |
| Population | 5,296,814 (2022 est.) |
| Literacy rate | 95.1% |
| Continent | Asia |
| Demonym | Lebanese |
| National anthem | "Kulluna lil-watan" (All Of Us, For Our Country!) |
| National symbol | cedar tree |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 22 November (1943) |
| National colors | red, white, green |
| Official Languages | Arabic |
| Government type | parliamentary republic |
| President | Michel Aoun |
| Prime Minister | Najib Mikati |
| Borders | Israel and Syria |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel |
| Currency | Lebanese pound (LBP) |
| Religion | Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons (est. 2012) |
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.76 Years (2022) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $11,600 (2020 est.) |
| Industries | banking, tourism, food processing, wine, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal fabricating |
| Exports - commodities | $18.17 billion (2019 est.) gold, jewelry, shotguns, diamonds, scrap copper (2019) |
| Imports - commodities | $31.34 billion (2019 est.) refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, jewelry, gold (2019) |
| Climate | Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains |
| Mean elevation | 1,250 m |
| Lowest point | Mediterranean Sea 0 m |
| Highest point | Qornet es Saouda 3,088 m |
| Natural resources | limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land |
| Agricultural land | 63.3% |
| Birth rate | 13.1 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Death rate | 5.57 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Sex ratio | 1 male(s)/female (2022 est.) |
| Time Zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| Internet country code | .lb |
| Calling Code | +961 |
| Drives on the | Right |
| Table last updated | August 1, 2022 |