Lebanon

Lebanon is a mosaic of religious communities — Christians (Maronite and others), Sunni and Shia Muslims, and Druze — whose balance underpins a sectarian political system. It also hosts large Palestinian and Syrian refugee populations. Arabic is official; French and English are widely used.

No single faith holds a majority, and the careful, often contested, sharing of power among sects is central to Lebanese politics.

Society

Lebanon has high literacy and an educated, entrepreneurial population, but the economic collapse has driven a new wave of emigration, draining the country of talent.