Diverse Communites

The area including modern Lebanon has been home to various civilizations and cultures for thousands of years. Originally home to the Phoenicians, and then subsequently conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks and most recently the French, Lebanese culture has over the millennia evolved by borrowing from all of these groups. Lebanon's diverse population, composed of different ethnic groups (mostly Armenian, Iranian, Iraqi, Palestinian, and Syrian) and religious communities (Muslim, Christian, and Druze – there are 18 state-recognized sects in Lebanon), has further contributed to the country's festivals, musical styles and literature as well as cuisine. A combination of eastern and western cultures, today’s Lebanon is arguably the most liberal of Arab countries.

Arabic is the official national language in the country. However, most Lebanese speak three languages: Arabic, French and English. Armenian is widely spoken by the Armenian community in Lebanon.

Due to the ongoing wars with Israel since 1948, Palestinian refugees make up about 402,000 registered people living in Lebanon, many of whom remain unregistered, according to an UNRWA report. They usually reside in their self-established camps in the north and south of the country, such as Nahr El Bared, or Ain El Helwe camps. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon live under dire conditions, as they are denied most of their civil rights.

A rising wave of over 100,000 Iraqi refugees has hit Lebanon since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Lebanon is also home to various migrant communities from countries such as Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Indonesia and Madagascar who move into the country every year for employment opportunities.

At the time when Lebanon was going through unrest with clashes and wars, many locals migrated to countries like the United States, France, Canada, Columbia and Brazil. When the blood of wars dried out, many expatriates returned to Lebanon with foreign citizenships, and large capital, investing in massive projects and compounds, contributing to the reconstruction of the country.