Talent
Technology & engineering services
Software development, architecture and engineering teams serving US and Gulf clients at competitive rates.
Country Profile — Arab-America International Expo 2027
Profile content in preparationLebanese Republic
Talent, diaspora and reinvention.
A highly educated, entrepreneurial Mediterranean economy with one of the world's most influential diasporas — and a substantial rebuilding agenda.
Country at a glance
- GDP
- ≈ $21 billion (nominal)
- Population
- ≈ 5.4 million
- Currency
- Lebanese Pound (LBP); USD widely used
- Capital
- Beirut
- Economic growth
- Contraction; multi-year economic crisis
Statistics year: 2023 (latest verified full-year data)
Lebanese national accounts have been disrupted by the financial crisis and exchange-rate redenomination. Only verified prior-year figures are shown; no projections have been substituted.
Overview
A small country with global reach
Lebanon's economy has always been built on people rather than resources: banking, professional services, education, design, media and food.
Lebanese-Americans are one of the largest and most commercially successful Arab-origin communities in the United States, creating a natural bridge for trade and investment.
Reconstruction and reform create openings in energy, water, telecoms, agri-food processing and technology services — often executed by small, high-capability firms.
- Capital
- Beirut
- Population
- ~5.5 million
- Language
- Arabic, French and English widely spoken
- Currency
- Lebanese Pound (LBP); USD widely used
- Diaspora
- Estimated several times the resident population
- Time zone
- GMT +2/+3
Economy
Services, agriculture and a rebuilding base
Lebanon's comparative advantage is skilled labour: engineers, designers, doctors and software developers serving regional and global clients.
0%
Tertiary education rate
Among the highest in the region
$0B+
Diaspora remittances
A major source of foreign currency
0K+
Registered engineers
A deep technical labour pool
$0M+
Agri-food exports
Wine, olive oil, produce, processed foods
Professional & business servicesEngineering, consulting, medical
Agri-food & wineBekaa Valley production
Technology & softwareOutsourced development and design
Construction & rebuildingBeirut and infrastructure repair
Education & healthcareRegionally recognised institutions
Tourism & hospitalityDiaspora and regional visitors
Priority sectors
Where Lebanese partners add value
Sectors where American companies find capability, cost advantage and cultural fluency.
Export
Agri-food & specialty products
Wine, olive oil, preserves and Mediterranean specialty foods with growing US retail presence.
Priority
Energy & power
Generation, solar and grid rehabilitation are the country's most urgent infrastructure priority.
Services
Healthcare & education
Hospitals and universities with regional reputations seeking equipment, systems and partnerships.
Creative
Design, media & creative
Fashion, architecture, advertising and production studios with international clients.
Infrastructure
Water & environment
Treatment, distribution and waste-management projects across municipalities.
Recovery & reform
Rebuilding institutions and infrastructure
Lebanon's recovery agenda centers on power sector reform, banking restructuring and rebuilding the productive economy.
- 2020
Beirut port explosion
Catastrophic damage to the port and surrounding districts, triggering a reconstruction agenda.
- 2022
Reform roadmap
A program of fiscal, banking and electricity-sector reforms agreed with international partners.
- 2024
Solar acceleration
Rapid private adoption of distributed solar in response to grid shortfalls.
- 2030
Target state
Restored public power supply, a rebuilt port and a re-anchored productive economy.
Major development projects
Projects and programs to watch
Rebuilding priorities with international participation.
Beirut port reconstruction
Rebuilding container and grain-handling capacity at the country's principal gateway.
Electricity sector reform
New generation capacity, metering and distribution reform to restore reliable supply.
Distributed solar rollout
One of the fastest per-capita solar adoption rates in the region, largely privately financed.
Water networks
Municipal treatment and distribution upgrades across Beirut and Mount Lebanon.
US – Lebanon trade
A diaspora-driven trade relationship
The United States is a leading supplier to Lebanon, while Lebanese specialty foods and manufactured goods reach American shelves largely through diaspora networks.
Top exports to the world
Jewellery & precious metals
Agri-food, wine & olive oil
Chemicals & pharmaceuticals
Machinery & electrical
Top imports
Refined petroleum & energy
Food & agricultural products
Vehicles & machinery
Pharmaceuticals
Leading products to the United States
- Specialty foods
- Wine and olive oil
- Jewellery
- Apparel and design goods
Leading products from the United States
- Vehicles
- Machinery
- Agricultural commodities
- Pharmaceuticals
- Electronics
- One of the largest and most commercially active Arab diasporas in the United States
- English- and French-fluent professional workforce
- Strong American brand preference across consumer categories
Bilateral goods trade — 2024
Trade with the United States
Verified full-year bilateral merchandise trade between Lebanon and the United States, reported from Lebanon's perspective.
Latest verified data available
Total U.S. goods trade
$950.0M
2024
Exports to the United States
$150.0M
2024
Imports from the United States
$800.0M
2024
Trade balance
$650.0M
Deficit for Lebanon
2024
Exports vs. imports — 2024
Lebanon exports to the United States$150.0M
Lebanon imports from the United States$800.0M
Exports to the US Imports from the US
Lebanon remains a net importer of American goods, with fuels, vehicles and food products leading. Trade volumes stay well below their historical peak because of the country's financial and economic crisis.
Scope of these figures
Latest verified data available; Lebanese trade reporting remains affected by the ongoing economic crisis. These figures represent merchandise trade only and do not include services.
Data source
- U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division — country trade data (full year 2024)
- UN Comtrade Database
Statistical year: 2024
Leading exports to the United States
- Precious stones and jewellery
- Prepared foods and beverages
- Chemicals and cosmetics
- Machinery components
Leading imports from the United States
- Mineral fuels and refined products
- Vehicles and parts
- Machinery
- Agricultural products
- Pharmaceuticals
Culture & tourism
Mountains, Mediterranean and antiquity
A country where you can ski and swim on the same day, with 5,000 years of layered history.
Bekaa Valley
Baalbek
Among the largest and best-preserved Roman temple complexes in the world.
Coast
Byblos
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth.
North Lebanon
Qadisha Valley & Cedars
UNESCO-listed valley and the ancient cedar forests of Lebanon.
Why invest
Why American companies partner with Lebanon
Capability and connection, at a cost base that is hard to match.
01
Human capital
A highly educated, trilingual workforce with strong technical and creative skills.
02
Diaspora bridge
Established Lebanese-American business networks reduce the cost of market entry in both directions.
03
Cost advantage
Professional services and development talent at a fraction of US and Gulf rates.
04
Regional access
Long-standing commercial relationships across the Gulf and West Africa.
At the Expo
Lebanon at AAIX 2027
The Lebanon pavilion showcases talent, specialty exports and diaspora-led partnerships.
- Specialty food and wine buyer meetings
- Technology and engineering outsourcing introductions
- Diaspora business network sessions
- Energy and infrastructure partnership briefings
World heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Lebanon
Sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a core part of the country's cultural and tourism offer.
Baalbek
Among the largest and best-preserved Roman temple complexes in the world.
Byblos
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth.
Tyre
A Phoenician maritime capital with extensive Roman remains.
Anjar
An 8th-century Umayyad city in the Bekaa Valley.
Ouadi Qadisha and the Forest of the Cedars of God
A monastic valley and the last ancient cedar groves.
Rachid Karami International Fair, Tripoli
A modernist Oscar Niemeyer complex.
Business opportunities
Opportunities for Arab and American companies
How companies from different markets can engage with Lebanon through the Expo.
For American companies
Place software, engineering and design work with Lebanese teams, and source specialty food and wine.
For Arab companies
Recruit professional talent and invest in agri-food processing and hospitality.
For international investors
Power-sector reform projects, solar deployment and port reconstruction.
Represent Lebanon at Arab-America International Expo 2027
Present your country's economy, industries, products, investment opportunities, tourism destinations and culture to the American and North American markets.
Reserve space in the Lebanese pavilion, or register as an American buyer to meet Lebanese producers and service firms.
Sources & data
- Lebanese Ministry of Economy and Trade
- IDAL (Investment Development Authority of Lebanon)
- World Bank & IMF country data
- U.S. Census Bureau / USTR trade statistics
- UN Comtrade
Last updated: August 2026