Distillers Lebanon
A one-page guide to Lebanon for the spirits trade: the country, its people, its economy and how it drinks.
At a glance
- Capital
- Beirut
- Official languages
- Arabic
- Currency
- Lebanese pound (LBP)
- Time zone
- UTC+2 (UTC+3 in summer)
- Area
- 10,452 km²
People
- Population
- 5.8 million (2025)
- Population growth
- 0.7% a year
- Living in towns and cities
- 91.0%
- Aged under 15
- 25.6%
- Aged 65 and over
- 10.4%
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years
Economy
- GDP
- US$34.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,897 (2025)
- Economic growth
- 4% (2025)
- Inflation
- 14.6% (2025)
Climate
Moderate Mediterranean: cool rainy winters and hot humid summers on the coast, with snow on higher ground in winter. The Bekaa and north-east are drier because of a rain shadow. Coastal warehouses need humidity control.
Alcohol
- Alcohol is
- Legal
- Legal drinking age
- 18 (Penal Code arts. 625-626, as cited by Wikipedia)
- Alcohol per adult a year
- 1.99 litres of pure alcohol (2024)
- Traditional drinks
- Arak (anise-flavoured grape spirit, Middle East), Wine
Sources: World Bank (population, economy and demographics), WHO Global Health Observatory (alcohol per adult and drinking mix); Wikipedia - Legal drinking age; Wikipedia - Arak; Wikipedia - Chateau Ksara; Wikipedia - Lebanon; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Lebanon - other taxes; EntryBrief: Lebanon customs allowances (secondary; cites national customs); ProWein, Dusseldorf (international wine and spirits fair); Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris. Figures are the latest each source publishes; the year is shown beside each one.