Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Lebanon: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (49.47/100, ranked #101 of 195).
Lebanon is a parliamentary democratic republic in Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria. The country's capital is Beirut; it covers 10,400 sq km. Independence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration). Terrain: narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Climate: Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; the Lebanon Mountains experience heavy winter snows. Population: 5.4 million (2024 estimate). Population growth: +0.77% per year. Median age: 29.4 years. Life expectancy: 79.2 years (2024 est.). Languages: Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian Re…
| Capital | Beirut |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,364,482 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $65.415 billion (2023 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $11,300 (2023 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | -0.8% (2023 est.) |
| Inflation | 45.2% |
| Unemployment | 11.6% |
| Public debt | 146.8% of GDP (2017 est.) |
| Exports | $11.77 billion (2023 est.) |
| Imports | $23.313 billion (2023 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 79.2 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 29.4 |
| Urbanization | 89.4% of total population (2023) |
| Government | parliamentary democratic republic |
| Independence | 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) |
| Languages | Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian |
POWER 49.47/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
An uneventful quarter, recorded without embellishment: no breakthrough to celebrate, no setback to mourn.
The longer forces — demographics, trade routes, regional balances — kept doing what they do, and the country rode them steadily.
Iron ore, Salt.
Nawaf Salam — Prime Minister. President Joseph AOUN (since 9 January 2025)
Lebanon maintains 70 embassies and 14 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 70 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 14 |
Source: Outbound: Consular Affairs Center (Yonsei Univ.), diplomatic & consular networks database, March 2026 report (Zenodo).
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 225 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 8 + 27 heliports (registration prefix OD) |
| Major seaports | Bayrut, Sayda, Selaata, Sidon/zahrani Terminal, Tarabulus |
| Railways | 401 km |
| Pipelines | 88 km gas (2013) |
| Top container ports (TEU) | Beirut (1,229,100 TEU, 2019) |
Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) — Beirut.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | parliamentary republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
POWER 49.47/100 Ranked #101 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Lebanon.
Historical timeline of Lebanon
