The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Middle East
Religions Lebanon, in 36 editions.
The entry for Lebanon published Religions in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 22 editions. Each is shown as published. Religions in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 22
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Religion” (1990 to 1991) and “Religions” (1992 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024Published as “Religion”
75% Islam, 25% Christian, NEGL% Judaism; 17 legally recognized sects--4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish
75% Islam, 25% Christian, NEGL% Judaism; 17 legally recognized sects--4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish
Published as “Religion”
Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%; 17 legally recognized sects--4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish
75% Islam, 25% Christian, NEGL% Judaism; Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%; 17 legally recognized sects--4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), and 1 Jewish
- Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%;
- 17 legally recognized groups - 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma`ilite, Shi`a, Sunni);
- 11 Christian, consisting of 4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 6 Catholic (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek Catholic, Maronite, Roman Catholic, and Syrian Catholic) and the Protestants;
- 1 Jewish
Islam 75%, Christian 25%, Judaism NEGL%; 17 legally recognized sects--4 groups - 5
Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma`ilite, Shi`a, Sunni); 11 Christian,
consisting of 4 Orthodox Christian (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox,
Nestorean, Syriac Orthodox), 7 Uniate Christian 6 Catholic (Armenian Catholic, Caldean, Greek
Catholic, Maronite, Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Syrian Catholic), 5 Islam (Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Ismailite, Shia, Sunni), Catholic) and the
Protestants; 1 Jewish
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Rewritten: too little of the 1992 text remains to mark the changes.
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze,
Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian
groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Judaism NEGL%
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze,
Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian
Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
Judaism NEGL%
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri,
Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized
recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
Protestant), Judaism NEGL%
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups -
Alawite or
(11 legally
Catholic, 1
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups -
Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30%
recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6
Protestant), Judaism NEGL%
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups-Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups-4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Alawite groups-Alawite or
Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally
recognized Christian groups - 4 groups-4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1
Protestant), Judaism NEGL%
- Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups--Alawite or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups--4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Judaism NEGL%
Islam 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups-Alawite or groups--Alawite
or Nusayri, Druze, Isma'ilite, Shi'a, Sunni), Christian 30% (11 legally
legally recognized Christian groups-4 groups--4 Orthodox Christian, 6
Catholic, 1
- Muslim 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
- Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant),
- Jewish NEGL%
Islam Muslim 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups--Alawite groups - Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite,
or Nusayri,Shi'a, Sunni), Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (11groups--4 groups - 4 Orthodox Christian, 6Judaism Jewish NEGL%
The same text in 3 editions, 2001 to 2003.
- Muslim 70% (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
- Christian 30% (including Orthodox Christian, Catholic, Protestant),
- Jewish NEGL%
Muslim 70% (5 legally recognized Islamic groups - (including Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 30% (11 legally recognized Christian groups - 4 (including Orthodox Christian, 6 Catholic, 1 Protestant), Jewish NEGL%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized
Rewritten: too little of the 2003 text remains to mark the changes.
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant), other 1.3%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized
note: seventeen religious sects recognized
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, 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 1.3%
note: seventeen religious sects recognized
The same text in 2006 and 2007.
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, 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 1.3%
note: seventeen 17 religious sects recognized
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, 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 1.3%
note: 17 religious sects recognized
The same text in 2009 and 2010.
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, 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 1.3%
note:
17 religious sects recognized
The same text in 3 editions, 2011 to 2013.
note: 17 religious sects recognized
Muslim 59.7% (Shia, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Coptic, Protestant), other 1.3%
note:
17 religious sects recognized
Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons
note: 18 religious sects recognized (2012 est.)
Rewritten: too little of the 2013 text remains to mark the changes.
Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons
note:
18 religious sects recognized (2012 est.)
The same text in 3 editions, 2015 to 2017.
Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons
note: 18 religious sects recognized (2012 est.)
Muslim 54% (27% Sunni, 27% Shia), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 6.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons
note:
Muslim 57.7% (28.7% Sunni, 28.4% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 36.2% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2017 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations) ; 18 religious sects recognized
Rewritten: too little of the 2017 text remains to mark the changes.
Muslim 57.7% (28.7% Sunni, 28.4% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 36.2% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2017 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations) ; 18 religious sects recognized
The same text in 2019 and 2020.
Muslim 61.1% (30.6% Sunni, 30.5% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 33.7% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2018 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized
- MENA religious affiliation:
Muslim 57.7% (28.7% 61.1% (30.6% Sunni, 28.4% 30.5% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 36.2% 33.7% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2017 (2018 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations) ; populations); 18 religious sects recognized
MENA religious affiliation: PDF
The same text in 5 editions, 2021 to 2025.
Muslim 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2020 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized
Muslim 61.1% (30.6% 67.8% (31.9% Sunni, 30.5% 31.2% Shia, smaller percentages of Alawites and Ismailis), Christian 33.7% 32.4% (Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group), Druze 5.2%, 4.5%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, and Hindus (2018 (2020 est.)
note: data represent the religious affiliation of the citizen population (data do not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations); 18 religious sects recognized
MENA religious affiliation: PDF
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Lebanon: Religions.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/lebanon/religions.