Editing Lebanon (section)

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Lebanon}}
{{See also|Islam in Lebanon|Christianity in Lebanon|Irreligion in Lebanon|Secularism in Lebanon}}
[[File:Lebanon religious groups distribution.jpg|thumb|Distribution of main religious groups of Lebanon according to 2009 municipal election data<ref>{{cite web|title=Based on data published by Lebanon Demographic|url=http://www.katagogi.com/LV2009/LebMap.aspx?l=EN|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130122100219/http://www.katagogi.com/LV2009/LebMap.aspx?l=EN|archive-date=22 January 2013}}</ref>|left|245x245px]]Lebanon is the most religiously diverse country in West Asia and the Mediterranean.<ref>{{cite book |title=Economics and Geopolitics of the Middle East |last=Dralonge |first=Richard N. |year=2008 |publisher=Nova Science Publishers |location=New York |isbn= 978-1-60456-076-3 |page=150 |quote=Lebanon, with a population of 3.8 million, has the most religiously diverse society in the Middle East, comprising 17 recognized religious sects.}}</ref> Because the relative sizes of different religions and religious sects remains a sensitive issue, a national census has not been conducted since 1932.<ref name="freedom">{{cite web|title=Lebanon|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010/148830.htm|access-date=24 June 2017|work=International Religious Freedom Report 2010|publisher=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213121147/https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010/148830.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> There are 18 state-recognized religious sects: four [[Islam in Lebanon|Muslim]], 12 [[Christianity in Lebanon|Christian]], one [[Druze in Lebanon|Druze]], and one [[Lebanese Jews|Jewish]].<ref name="freedom" /> The Lebanese government counts its [[Druze]] citizens as part of its [[Muslim]] population,<ref name="DruzeAreCountedAsMuslimsInLebanon">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wXO8AAAAQBAJ&q=Parliament+of+Lebanon+Seat&pg=PA97|title=Lebanon Country Study Guide Volume 1 Strategic Information and Developments|date=3 March 2012|publisher=Ibp USA |isbn=9781438774824}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> although most [[Druze]] today do not identify as [[Muslims]].<ref>{{cite web|date=8 August 2018|title=Are the Druze People Arabs or Muslims? Deciphering Who They Are|url=https://www.arabamerica.com/are-the-druze-people-arabs-or-muslims-deciphering-who-they-are/|access-date=13 April 2020|website=Arab America|language=en|archive-date=20 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020060455/https://www.arabamerica.com/are-the-druze-people-arabs-or-muslims-deciphering-who-they-are/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=J. Stewart|first=Dona|title=The Middle East Today: Political, Geographical and Cultural Perspectives|publisher=Routledge|year=2008|isbn=9781135980795|page=33|quote=Most Druze do not consider themselves Muslim. Historically they faced much persecution and keep their religious beliefs secrets.}}</ref>

It is believed that there has been a decline in the ratio of Christians to Muslims over the past 60 years, due to higher emigration rates of Christians, and a higher birth rate in the Muslim population.<ref name="freedom" /> When the last census was held in 1932, Christians made up 53% of Lebanon's population.<ref name="demo-reality" /> In 1956, it was estimated that the population was 54% Christian and 44% Muslim.<ref name="demo-reality" />

A demographic study conducted{{When|date=September 2024}} by the research firm Statistics Lebanon found that approximately 27% of the population was [[Lebanese Sunni Muslims|Sunni]], 27% [[Lebanese Shia Muslims|Shia]], 21% [[Lebanese Maronite Christians|Maronite]], 8% [[Greek Orthodox Christianity in Lebanon|Greek Orthodox]], 5% [[Druze in Lebanon|Druze]], 5% [[Melkite Christianity in Lebanon|Melkite]], and 1% [[Protestantism in Lebanon|Protestant]], with the remaining 6% mostly belonging to smaller non-native to Lebanon Christian denominations.<ref name="freedom" /> The [[The World Factbook|CIA World Factbook]] estimates (2020) the following (data does not include Lebanon's sizable Syrian and Palestinian refugee populations): [[Islam in Lebanon|Muslim]] 67.8% (31.9% [[Lebanese Sunni Muslims|Sunni]], 31.2% [[Lebanese Shia Muslims|Shia]], smaller percentages of [[Alawites]] and [[Isma'ilism|Ismailis]]), [[Christianity in Lebanon|Christian]] 32.4% ([[Maronite Church|Maronite Catholics]] are the largest Christian group), [[Druze in Lebanon|Druze]] 4.5%, and very small numbers of [[Jews in Lebanon|Jews]], [[Baha'i Faith in Lebanon|Baha'is]], [[Buddhism in Lebanon|Buddhists]], and [[Hinduism in Lebanon|Hindus]].<ref name="ciab">{{cite web|title=Lebanon — The World Factbook|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/lebanon/#people-and-society|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency, United States|access-date=10 January 2021|archive-date=13 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240213001530/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/lebanon/#people-and-society|url-status=live}}</ref> Other sources like [[Euronews]]<ref>[http://es.euronews.com/2012/09/15/el-santo-padre-sigue-de-visita-en-el-libano/ «El santo padre sigue de visita en el Líbano»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427192823/http://es.euronews.com/2012/09/15/el-santo-padre-sigue-de-visita-en-el-libano/|date=27 April 2014}} ''[[Euronews]] ''.</ref> or the [[Madrid|Madrid-based]] diary ''[[La Razón (Madrid)|La Razón]]''<ref>[http://www.larazon.es/noticia/6261-el-papa-viaja-manana-al-libano-en-medio-de-la-tension-que-vive-la-zona «El Papa viaja mañana al Líbano en medio de la tensión que vive la zona»] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105092349/http://www.larazon.es/noticia/6261-el-papa-viaja-manana-al-libano-en-medio-de-la-tension-que-vive-la-zona|date=5 November 2012}} ''[[La Razón (Spain)|La Razón]]''. Consultado el 15 de septiembre de 2012.</ref> estimate the percentage of Christians to be around 53%. A study based on voter registration numbers shows that by 2011, the Christian population was stable compared to that of previous years, making up 34.35% of the population; Muslims, the Druze included, were 65.47% of the population.<ref>{{cite web|title=Study shows stable Christian population in Lebanon|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Feb-07/205420-study-shows-stable-christian-population-in-lebanon.ashx|date=7 February 2013|work=[[The Daily Star (Lebanon)|The Daily Star]]|access-date=13 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415230548/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2013/Feb-07/205420-study-shows-stable-christian-population-in-lebanon.ashx|archive-date=15 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[World Values Survey]] of 2014 put the percentage of [[atheism|atheists]] in Lebanon at 3.3%.<ref name="WVS">{{cite web|title=WVS Database|url=http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSOnline.jsp|website=World Values Survey|publisher=Institute for Comparative Survey Research|date=March 2015|access-date=8 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105141038/http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSOnline.jsp|archive-date=5 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Survey data indicates a decrease in religious faith within Lebanon, especially noticeable among young people.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Miracles are on the rise in Lebanon |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2018/12/15/miracles-are-on-the-rise-in-lebanon |access-date=25 December 2023 |issn=0013-0613 |archive-date=29 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029015611/https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2018/12/15/miracles-are-on-the-rise-in-lebanon |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Lebanese Sunni Muslims|Sunni residents]] primarily live in Western Beirut, the Southern coast of Lebanon, and [[North Lebanon|Northern Lebanon]].<ref name="LOC_glossary" /> The [[Lebanese Shia Muslims|Shi'a residents]] primarily live in Southern Beirut, the [[Beqaa Valley]], and [[Southern Lebanon]].<ref name="LOC_glossary">{{cite book |last=McGowen |first=Afaf Sabeh|editor-last=Collelo|editor-first=Thomas|title=Lebanon: A Country Study|chapter=Glossary|series=Area Handbook Series|edition=3rd|location=Washington, D.C.|publisher=The Division|date=1989|oclc=18907889|chapter-url=http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gdc/cntrystd.lb|access-date=30 September 2010}}</ref> The [[Lebanese Maronite Christians|Maronite Catholic residents]] primarily live in Eastern Beirut and around [[Mount Lebanon]].<ref name="LOC_glossary" /> The [[Lebanese Greek Orthodox Christians|Greek Orthodox residents]] primarily live in the [[Koura District|Koura region]], Akkar, Metn, and Beirut ([[Achrafieh]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chandler |first=Paul-Gordon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mNK8EAAAQBAJ&dq=Achrafieh+greek+orthodox&pg=PA30 |title=In Search of a Prophet: A Spiritual Journey with Kahlil Gibran |date=15 April 2023 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-5381-8123-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Khalaf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W1ebEAAAQBAJ&dq=Achrafieh+greek+orthodox&pg=PA20 |title=Hamra of Beirut: A Case of Rapid Urbanization |last2=Kongstad |date=7 November 2022 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-49139-7 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Lebanese Melkite Christians|Melkite Catholic residents]] live mainly in Beirut, on the eastern slopes of the Lebanon mountains, and in [[Zahlé]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Harris|first=William|date=1985|title=The View from Zahle: Security and Economic Conditions in the Central Bekaa 1980–1985|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4327124|journal=Middle East Journal|volume=39|issue=3|pages=270–286|jstor=4327124|issn=0026-3141|access-date=7 May 2021|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507192511/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4327124|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Lebanese Druze|Druze residents]] are concentrated in the rural, mountainous areas east and south of Beirut.