MigrantoMigration trends in Lebanon
Middle East
Lebanon takes in more people than it loses: 1.4M immigrants against 681.7K emigrants. Net balance +708.7K — 12% of the country's population
5.8M
Population
1.4M
Immigrants
681.7K
Emigrants
+708.7K
Inflow
1 in 4 residents of Lebanon was born abroad — and 1 in 10 people born in Lebanon lives abroad
#48 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Lebanon
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
397K immigrants · 408.4K emigrants
1995
- The country became a destination — more people arriving than leaving
2005
- The foreign-born population passed 500K residents
2010
- The diaspora passed 500K people
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 192%
- Syria overtook Palestine as the largest source of new arrivals
- Roughly 1 in 5 residents was now foreign-born
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
Today
- Since 1990: 993.5K more foreign-born residents and 273.4K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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