Demographics of Lebanon

The population of Lebanon comprises different ethnic groups and religions Christians (mainly West Aramean/Syriac but some Armenian), Muslims ( Sunnis and some Shi'ites of unknown origin), Druze, and others. No official census has been taken since 1932, reflecting the political sensitivity in Lebanon over confessional (religious) balance. The U.S. Government estimates that 60% of the Muslim resident population is Shi'a ; the rest is Christian, predominantly Maronite, Greek Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, and Armenian Catholic, as well as a minority of Protestants. Shi'a Muslims make up the single largest sect although they do not comprise a majority on their own. The majority of Lebanese living abroad who number in the millions are Aramean Christians. Since Lebanon was a crossroads and melting pot for civilizations, immigrants, war-refugees, and pilgrims. The modern Lebanese may trace their roots to Phoenicians, Arameans, Hebrews, Persians, Kurds, Armenians, Georgians, Circassians, Turks, Greeks, Albanians, Bosnians, and Arabs by majority. You may distinguish Lebanese by their features that are the same as the Maltese and very much similar to Jews. All of the above ethnic groups adopted Arabic culture and influenced the Arabic culture as well. The conquerors of Lebanon have left their marks on everything: language, food, culture, music, and even on the people as well.

While 360,000 "Palestinian refugees" have registered in Lebanon with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) since 1948, estimates of those remaining range between 160,000 and 225,000. They are not accorded the legal rights enjoyed by the rest of the population.

With no official figures available, it is estimated that 600,000-900,000 persons (the majority were Aramean Christians) fled the country during the initial years of civil war (1975-76). Although some returned, continuing instability until 1992 sparked further waves of emigration, casting even more doubt on population figures. Approximately 17,000-20,000 people are still "missing" or unaccounted for from the civil war period, mostly in Syrian jails.

Many Lebanese still derive their living from agriculture. The urban population, concentrated mainly in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, is noted for its commercial enterprise. A century and a half of migration and return have produced Lebanese commercial networks around the globe--from North and South America to Europe, the Gulf, and Africa. Lebanon has a high proportion of skilled labor compared with many other Middle Eastern countries. Ethnicities: Arameans 36.4% (1,237,000):{Maronite 1,000,000, Syraic 30,000; Assyrians 7,000}, Arabs (Sunni and Shiite) 39.7% : Palestinians (9.6% of total population) 180,000; Syrians 1,411,000; Iraqi 12,000; Egyptians 3,000}, Druze 18.2% , Armenians 5.5% (252,000), Kirmanji-Kurds 4.9% (180,000), French 0.68% (25,000), Turks 0.62% (23,000): {Anatolians (15,000), Turkmen (8,000)}, Spanish 0.29% (11,000), Americans 0.08% (3,300), Italians 0.08% (3,300), Greeks 0.08% (3,300), Portuguese 0.04% (1,500), British 0.03% (1,200), Romanians 0.02% (1,000), and Russians 0.02% (1,000).