Urban population growth (annual %) in Lebanon
Lebanon: Urban population growth (annual %) was 1.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Lebanon, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Lebanon is 1.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 22.7% on the previous year and down 53.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Lebanon peaked at 10.2% in 2014 and was at its lowest, -3.0%, in 2019.
Lebanon ranks 123rd of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Lebanon, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6.8% | — |
| 1962 | 7.1% | +3.8% |
| 1963 | 7.1% | +0.4% |
| 1964 | 7.0% | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 6.7% | -3.8% |
| 1966 | 6.5% | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 6.2% | -4.8% |
| 1968 | 6.0% | -4.0% |
| 1969 | 5.7% | -4.1% |
| 1970 | 5.2% | -9.7% |
| 1971 | 5.0% | -3.7% |
| 1972 | 5.0% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 4.9% | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 4.8% | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 4.5% | -5.6% |
| 1976 | 3.5% | -22.6% |
| 1977 | 3.5% | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 4.3% | +22.4% |
| 1979 | 4.1% | -3.9% |
| 1980 | 4.0% | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 3.9% | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | -19.6% |
| 1983 | 2.8% | -11.0% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +14.4% |
| 1985 | 3.2% | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 3.6% | +11.1% |
| 1987 | 3.4% | -4.6% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | -20.5% |
| 1989 | 2.6% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | -3.9% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 2.4% | -8.6% |
| 1994 | 2.2% | -7.9% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -4.6% |
| 1999 | 1.9% | -2.6% |
| 2000 | 1.8% | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 1.8% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -14.7% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | +15.5% |
| 2005 | 1.7% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 1.9% | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | +12.9% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -12.7% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | -16.6% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -23.7% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | +9.1% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | +125.9% |
| 2013 | 9.5% | +224.2% |
| 2014 | 10.2% | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -78.6% |
| 2016 | -2.1% | -195.7% |
| 2017 | -2.4% | +12.9% |
| 2018 | -2.7% | +12.0% |
| 2019 | -3.0% | +11.9% |
| 2020 | -1.3% | -54.6% |
| 2021 | 0.5% | -140.0% |
| 2022 | 0.7% | +35.3% |
| 2023 | 0.8% | +6.7% |
| 2024 | 0.8% | +8.0% |
| 2025 | 1.0% | +22.7% |
Lebanon compared with similar countries
- Lebanon's 1.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.7%, 38% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Lebanon's 1.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.9%, 54% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Lebanon changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +224.2% | 2.9% | 9.5% |
| 2016 | -195.7% | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2021 | +140.0% | -1.3% | 0.5% |
| 2012 | +125.9% | 1.3% | 2.9% |
| 2015 | -78.6% | 10.2% | 2.2% |
| 2020 | +54.6% | -3.0% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.6% | 5.7% | 7.1% | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.5% | 3.5% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.3% | 2.6% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.7% | -3.0% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | -1.3% | 1.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lebanon
- 120 Tunisia 1.1% compare
- 121 Faroe Islands 1.1% compare
- 122 El Salvador 1.0% compare
- 124 Norway 1.0% compare
- 125 Costa Rica 1.0% compare
- 126 Dominican Republic 1.0% compare
More climate change data for Lebanon
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 19.75 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 540.59 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 302.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 238.28 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.14 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 8.51 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 137.53 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 135.57 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1.96 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.5116 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Lebanon?
- Urban population growth in Lebanon was 1.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Lebanon?
- The highest recorded value was 10.2% in 2014.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Lebanon?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.0% in 2019.
- How does Lebanon rank for urban population growth?
- Lebanon ranks 123rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Lebanon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lebanon data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.