Country Name: Lebanese Republic / al-Jumhurriyya al-lubnaniyya

Location: eastern Mediterranean coast; neighboring countries: Syria (north, east), Israel (south)

Climate: predominantly Mediterranean, snowfall in the mountains (up to 3,000 meters high) in wintertime

Area: 10,452 sq. km

Capital: Beirut (approx. 1.5 million inhabitants)

Population: approx. 6 million (as of 2022, according to World Bank), among them almost 1 million registered Syrian refugees (as of March 2024, according to UNHCR) and 489,292 Palestinian refugees (as of March 2023, according to the UNRWA)

Major Languages: Arabic; French and English are widely spoken

Religions: 18 recognized religious communities: Muslims (67.8%; among them Shia 31.2% and Sunni 31.9%), Christians (32.4%; Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews (<0,1%) (2020 est.)

The figures given for the denominational distribution are just estimations according to the CIA World Factbook, as there is no official data since 1932.

Currency: Lebanese Pound (LBP), Sayrafa Platform Rate for 19/12/2023; 1 USD = 89,500 LBP, 1 EUR = ca. 96,350 LBP

Form of Government: Parliamentary Democracy

Head of State (Maronite-Catholic): The post is currently vacant after Michel Aoun left the presidency on October 30, 2022.

Head of Government (Sunni): Prime Minister Najib Mikati, since September 2021.

Speaker of Parliament (Shia): Nabih Berri (Amal), since October 1992

Foreign Minister: Abdallah Rashid Bou Habib

Parliament: One-chamber parliament with 128 seats (denominational proportion); last elections on May 15, 2022.

 

Najib Mikati is the current Prime Minister, but in a caretaker capacity. He took office in September 2021 after the resignation of the previous Prime Minister. Since there is no President, his government can't be fully formed or take some critical actions.

This situation is, amongst others, due to Lebanon's unique political system, which divides power based on religious sects. Reaching consensus among various factions for a new President is marred with challenges.

 

Membership of International Organizations: Arab League (founding member), Organization for Islamic Cooperation (founding member), United Nations (founding member) with specialized agencies

GDP 2021 (nominal): 23.1 billion USD (ca. 21.46 billion EUR)

GDP 2021 (per capita): 4,136 USD (ca. 3,842 EUR)

Life expectancy: women: 77 years; men: 73 years

Sources: German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, World Bank, UN, CIA World Factbook