Share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon
Lebanon: Share of population living in urban areas was 89.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon stood at 89.6%.
The figure is up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon peaked at 91.3% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 77.9%, in 1950.
Lebanon ranks 35th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 77.9% | — |
| 1955 | 80.3% | +3.1% |
| 1960 | 82.5% | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 84.6% | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 86.3% | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 87.6% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 86.1% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 82.6% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 81.4% | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 82.8% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 84.6% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 85.8% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 86.8% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 91.3% | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | -1.8% |
Lebanon compared with similar countries
- Lebanon's 89.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 71.3%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lebanon's 89.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 88.0%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 79.1% | 77.9% | 80.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 83.6% | 82.5% | 84.6% | 2 |
| 1970s | 86.9% | 86.3% | 87.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 84.4% | 82.6% | 86.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 82.1% | 81.4% | 82.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 85.2% | 84.6% | 85.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 89.1% | 86.8% | 91.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 89.6% | 89.6% | 89.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Lebanon
- 32 South Korea 90.1% compare
- 33 Djibouti 89.9% compare
- 34 Saint Martin (French part) 89.7% compare
- 36 Equatorial Guinea 89.5% compare
- 37 Venezuela 88.5% compare
- 38 Reunion 88.3% compare
More reference data data for Lebanon
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0413 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1892 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3495 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0181 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3495 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1386 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0543 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9479 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0986 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon?
- Share of population living in urban areas in Lebanon was 89.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Lebanon?
- The highest recorded value was 91.3% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas recorded in Lebanon?
- The lowest recorded value was 77.9% in 1950.
- How does Lebanon rank for share of population living in urban areas?
- Lebanon ranks 35th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban areas rising or falling in Lebanon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lebanon data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.