Lebanon

Population
6.8 million (2018)

Per Capita Income
USD 7,920/year (2018)

Poverty rate *
27% (2010)

Literacy rate
94% (2016)

Human Development Index
82nd out of 189 countries (2018)

Lebanon has the highest per capita refugee presence, with 1.5 million Syrians, more than a quarter of the Lebanese population. The Syrian crisis is negatively impacting the economic and social fabric in Lebanon, straining its public finances, service delivery and environment. Although it is considered as an upper-middle-income country, poverty and income inequality remain high, with wide disparities among regions. A sharp increase in inflation in 2018, averaging 6.1 for the year, has compounded the regressive effect on lower-income families and older people in society. The agricultural sector is weak due to low productivity and profitability, with over 80% of the country’s food needs imported. 34% of Syrian refugees are severely to moderately food insure, many taking children out of school and sending them to work. 24% of Syrian girls aged 15 to 17 are married off- a fourfold increase over pre-Syrian war rates.