PEOPLE
The population
of Lebanon comprises various Christian and Muslim sects as well
as Druze. No official census has been taken since 1932, reflecting
the political sensitivity in Lebanon over confessional (religious)
balance. While there is no consensus over the confessional breakdown
of the population for this reason, it is safe to say that the
Muslim sects as a whole make up a majority, and that Shi'as, Sunnis,
and Maronites are the three largest groups.
About 400,000 Palestinian refugees, some in Lebanon since 1948, are registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). 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 fled the country during the initial years of civil war (1975-76). Although some returned, continuing conflict through 1990 as well as after the 2006 war sparked further waves of emigration, casting even more doubt on population figures. As much as 7% of the population was killed during the civil war between 1975 and 1990. Approximately 17,000-20,000 people are still "missing" or unaccounted for from the civil war period.
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 Arab countries.
Nationality: noun and adjective--Lebanese (singular and plural).
Population (2006 est.): 3,874,050.
Growth rate (2006 est.): 1.23%.
Major ethnic groups: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% (note: many Christian Lebanese do not identify themselves as Arab but rather as descendents of the ancient Canaanites and prefer to be called Phoenicians).
Religions: Muslim 60% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ili, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant), other 1%.
Languages: Arabic (official), English, French, Armenian.
Education: Years compulsory--8. Attendance--99%. Literacy (2005 est.)--87.4%; 93.1% male, 82.2% female.
Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--23.7/1,000. Life expectancy--70.41 male, 75.48 female.
Work force (2001 est.): 2.6 million.
