Lebanon has several different main religions. The country has the most religiously diverse society in the Middle East, comprising 18 recognized religious sects. The main two religions are Christianity (the Maronite Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Melkite Catholic Church, the Protestant Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church) and Islam (Shia and Sunni). There is also the Druze minority religion.
No official census has been taken since 1932, reflecting the political sensitivity in Lebanon over confessional (i.e. religious) balance.
The most recent study conducted by Statistics Lebanon, a Beirut-based research firm, found that approximately Lebanon's population is estimated to be 54% Muslim (27% Shia; 27% Sunni), 5.6% Druze, who do not consider themselves to be Muslims, 40.4% Christian (21% Maronite, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Melkite Catholic, 1% Protestant and 5.4% other Christian denominations like Armenian Orthodox, Armenian Catholic, Syriac Catholic, Syriac Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt).
Under the terms of an agreement known as the National Pact between the various political and religious leaders of Lebanon, the president of the country must be a Maronite, the Prime Minister must be a Sunnite, and the Speaker of Parliament must be a Shiite.
The CIA World Factbook estimates the following: Muslim 54% (27% Shia, 27% Sunni), Christian 40.5% (includes 21% Maronite Catholic, 8% Greek Orthodox, 5% Greek Catholic, 1% Protestantism in Lebanon, 5.5% other Christian), Druze 5.6%, very small numbers of Jews, Baha'is, Buddhists, Hindus, and Mormons.
Lebanon also has a Jewish population, estimated at less than 100.
Although Lebanon is a secular country, family matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance are still handled by the religious authorities representing a person's faith. Calls for civil marriage are unanimously rejected by the religious authorities but civil marriages conducted in another country are recognized by Lebanese civil authorities.
Legally registered Muslims form around 54% of the population (Shia, Sunni, Alawite). Legally registered Christians form up to 41% (Maronite, Greek Orthodox-Christian, Greek Catholic, Armenian, Evangelical, other). Druze form around 4%. Lebanon thus differs from other Middle Eastern countries and more resembles Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania, in Southeastern Europe, in having a diverse mix of Muslims and Christians that each make up approximately half the population.
Non-religion is not recognized by the state, the Minister of the Interior Ziad Baroud made it possible in 2009 to have the religious sect removed from the Lebanese identity card. This does not, however, deny the religious authorities complete control over civil family issues inside the country.
tu la pasal ramai sbnarnya keliru dgn rupa paras mereka. padahal ada je yg bukan islam atau syia. seram nya klu jmpe org cm ni. pernah satu kes... sorang budak tgur pelancong dgn mmberi salam ckap bahasa arab pastu dia marah! dia ckp im not arabian!
pelancong arab tu la ckp dengan nada yang marah, im not arabian walau pun kita nampak dia mcm arab bertudung smua. Sama mcm satu kes india di malaysia, bila kita ckp kt dia Happy Deepavali, pun jawapan yg sama. Im not indian walaupun mmg terang-terang dia india legam. Dia marah sbb dia bukan sambut deepavali sebaliknya Merry chrismas.
Post time 26-2-2015 10:42 PMFrom the mobile phone|Show all posts
lebanese yg kaya raya byk yg bukan muslim.cth shakira,salma hayek,mika,carlos slim helu billionaire mexico keturunan lebanese n proud.kalau bab lifestyle jewellery maker mouawad,ellie saab,zuhair murad tu semua lebanse so rich and famous
perempuan2 lebanon sangat2 cantik... muka mereka artistik... tapi nak cari islam sunni lebanon nih mmg agak payah sikit sebab susah nak membezakan mereka islam shia atau kristian...
piao replied at 26-2-2015 09:50 AM
pelancong arab tu la ckp dengan nada yang marah, im not arabian walau pun kita nampak dia mcm arab ...
matsaleh kat opis aku ni ingat aku hindu sebab aku tak bunuh nyamuk dok terbang dalam kereta.
dia kata hindu tak bunuh binatang... cemana aku nak tangkap nyamuk, sah2 tangan kat stereng
dibawa melawat rumah bff dia, hiasan rumah tu memang terang-2 syiah la. tapi dorang baiknya melayan tetamu. tak ada nak persoalkan kita sunni ke syiah ke apa.
south americans ramai yg ada darah arab, tgk player2 bola pon boleh sebagai cth..gabriel omar batistuta, claudio husain, antonio mohammed..islam ke tak tuh wallahualam la, tp keturunan arab itu pasti
sebut je labenon teringat lagu norr el shamm.. min hamidat..wahlamas hantar habibi... (ala2 mantera sihir je bila ummah melayu feeling2 pascal mashalani)