Photo: Nassif.seif · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Lebanon: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Lebanon is placed 96th of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 35.48 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 1.05 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
96th
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Lebanon on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Lebanon’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
35.48
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Lebanon: 35.48. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in Western Asia
- 26.37 Syria
- Land neighbours
- Israel 38.31 · Syria 26.37
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Lebanon’s is from 2022 · CC BY 4.0
1.05
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Lebanon: 1.05. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in Western Asia
- 0 United Arab Emirates and Qatar
- Land neighbours
- Israel 0.19 · Syria 4.09
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
46.4
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Lebanon: 46.4. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.7 Azerbaijan
- Land neighbours
- Israel 22.5 · Syria 61.1
02Over time
Which way Lebanon is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
LebanonWorld median
Lebanon rose from 0.1 in 2017 to 46.4 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Lebanon World median 2025 46.4 26.40 2024 45.6 27.10 2023 45.2 27.15 2022 36.9 27.90 2021 22.9 29.65 2020 3.6 31.80 2019 0.1 29.05 2018 0.1 29.85 2017 0.1 32.40
03In context
Lebanon beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
Lebanon and the countries it borders
Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Israel | 68th | 38.31 | 0.19 | 22.5 |
 Syria | 84th | 26.37 | 4.09 | 61.1 |
| Lebanon | 96th | 35.48 | 1.05 | 46.4 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Lebanon in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Lebanon is ahead of the world, and behind
10 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Behind the world median8
Statistics on which Lebanon does worse than the middle country measured.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,8009,15212,800▼ Worsened since 2017
Lebanon: 9,152 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 103rd of 173 · derived.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2527.7734.252No earlier reading
Lebanon: 7.773 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 64th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.16.872.1▼ Worsened since 2014
Lebanon: 6.87 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.4990.446No earlier reading
Lebanon: 0.499 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 49th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 MonthsUNICEF · 2024 · world median 21.2630.221.26No earlier reading
Lebanon: 30.2 · world median 21.26 · Children aged 6-23 months fed from at most 2 of 8 food groups (%). UNICEF, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.169 to 63.08; lower is better.
Position 32nd of 113 · derived, 1st = worst.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.30.25▼ Worsened since 2014
Lebanon: 0.3 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.944.320.9▼ Worsened since 2018
Lebanon: 44.3 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 32nd of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.680.413▼ Worsened since 2013
Lebanon: 0.68 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.
Position 34th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.556.974.55Moved since 2017
Lebanon: 6.97 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.827.421.8No earlier reading
Lebanon: 27.4 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
No current reading for Lebanon
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Gini Index (last 2022), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2022), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2019), Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2022), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2022), Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Low Pay Rate (last 2019), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2022), Palma Ratio (last 2022), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2022), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2022), Prosperity Gap (last 2022), Societal Poverty Rate (last 2022), Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate (last 2023). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among Lebanon’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Lebanon’s 6th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Food & Agriculture71st of 1843/4 keys
- Energy81st of 1653/3 keys
- Health & Wellbeing104th of 2004/4 keys
- Development & Human Capitaljoint 106th of 1963/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation102nd of 1763/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality96th of 1593/3 keys
- Risk & Resilience119th of 1934/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 124th of 1984/4 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 117th of 1773/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 133rd of 1983/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 143rd of 1864/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions163rd of 1944/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge167th of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality163rd of 1834/4 keys
- Peace & Security169th of 1774/4 keys
No standing on Work & Labour: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Lebanon can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
United Arab Emirates=3rd3/3 keysThis page
Lebanon96th3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Lebanon on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Lebanon rank on poverty & inequality?
Lebanon is placed 96th of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for Lebanon?
35.48 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Lebanon?
1.05 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How does Lebanon compare with Syria on poverty & inequality?
Syria is placed 84th of 159, and Lebanon 96th. Gini Index: Syria 26.37, Lebanon 35.48; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Syria 4.09, Lebanon 1.05; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Syria 61.1, Lebanon 46.4.
How have Lebanon’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet rose from 0.1 in 2017 to 46.4 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Lebanon?
No current reading is published for Lebanon on Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour Benefits, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Coefficient of Human Inequality, Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Growth of the Poorest 40%, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap, Societal Poverty Rate, Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion and Working Poverty Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 10 statistics on this page come from 4 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Lebanon’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Lebanon (banner) — Nassif.seif, CC0
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Lebanon: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/lebanon/poverty