France and Lebanon
France and Lebanon maintain historical, cultural and economic ties, with a political agenda focused on sovereignty, institutions and stability. Communities and education have a history of their own.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Lebanese institutions and sovereignty
The French policy described in the profile focuses on stability, independence and strengthening Lebanese state institutions.
Businesses and economic relations
Business presence covers food, telecommunications, distribution, energy and financial services.
A political agenda conditioned by crises
The profile emphasises support for reforms and governance.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 730.91 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: France to Lebanon | 622.79 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Goods: Lebanon to France | 108.12 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: France to Lebanon | 0.09 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA |
| Export share: Lebanon to France | ||
| Investment stock: France in Lebanon | ||
| Investment stock: Lebanon in France |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: France to Lebanon
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Lebanon to France
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods; full year; FRA reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: France to Lebanon
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / FRA · Goods share: FRA exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | France | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 3.37 trillion USD2025 · WB | 25.97 billion USD2024 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 48,985.73 USD2025 · WB | 4,473.27 USD2024 · WB |
| GDP growth | 0.84 %2025 · WB | -7.08 %2024 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.5 %2026-09-16 · BCE | |
| Inflation · annual average | 0.94 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 14.6 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3 %provisionalprovisionalYear-on-year · Sept. 2026 · Insee | |
| Unemployment | 7.54 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 10.99 %ILO est.2023 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.1 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 3.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 116 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 139.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.27 %2025 · WB | -28.1 %2023 · WB |
| Population | 68,720,3372025 · WB | 5,805,9622024 · WB |
| Area | 606,410 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 10,450 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDFrance: 2025 · World BankLebanon: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personFrance: 2025 · World BankLebanon: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)France: 2025 · World BankLebanon: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)France: 2026-09-16 · ECB deposit facility; shared euro-area rate · European Central Bank
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)France: 2025 · Annual average change in CPI (%) · World BankLebanon: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedFrance: 2026-09 · Change in headline CPI from the same month of the previous year (%) · Insee · Published: 2026-09-30 · provisional · Provisional · National headline CPI, year-on-year, not monthly inflation or an annual average. Provisional data or an official advance release; subject to revision.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionFrance: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.Lebanon: 2023 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Lebanon: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)France: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.Lebanon: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPFrance: 2025 · World BankLebanon: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleFrance: 2025 · World BankLebanon: 2024 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceFrance: 2023 · Total area, including inland waters; territorial coverage as defined by the source · World Bank · FAOLebanon: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
France to Lebanon
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 89.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 78.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 37.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 34.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 29 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 7.4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Meat and edible offal | 0.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
Lebanon to France
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 47.5 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Dairy products, eggs and honey | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
| Metal ores | 0 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | France to Lebanon | Lebanon to France |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 435.4 | 372.4 | 63 |
| 2022 | 506.4 | 418.4 | 88 |
| 2023 | 513.1 | 402 | 111 |
| 2024 | 565.1 | 461.8 | 103.3 |
| 2025 | 730.9 | 622.8 | 108.1 |
Connections between people
Cultural and educational exchanges and communities maintain a long-standing social dimension, distinct from decisions by authorities and political actors. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from France living in Lebanon | ||
| Residents from Lebanon living in France | ||
| Study and training: France in Lebanon | ||
| Study and training: Lebanon in France | ||
| Academic stays: France in Lebanon | ||
| Academic stays: Lebanon in France | ||
| Travel: France to Lebanon | ||
| Travel: Lebanon to France |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
Lebanese institutions and sovereignty
The French policy described in the profile focuses on stability, independence and strengthening Lebanese state institutions. Diplomatic action includes support for United Nations resolutions. [1]
Businesses and economic relations
Business presence covers food, telecommunications, distribution, energy and financial services. Investment positions and subsidiaries’ sales are distinguished from exported goods and money flows during a crisis. [1]
Language and ties between societies
Cultural and educational cooperation and the French community in Lebanon are lasting connections. Relations between populations are not automatically identified with a government’s position or a state institution’s capacity. [2]
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for France is 3,366.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 26 for Lebanon (2024). The reference populations are 68.72 and 5.81 million, respectively. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
A political agenda conditioned by crises
The profile emphasises support for reforms and governance. Each documented milestone retains its date: a general description of political objectives does not demonstrate that proposed reforms have been applied or a crisis resolved. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (France and Lebanon) totalled 730.9 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 622.8 million; those in the opposite direction, 108.1 million. The difference between the two flows was 514.7 million, in favour of France. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [3]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from France to the partner represented 0.09% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [3]
Five years of trade trends
The consistent series shows 435.4 million USD in 2021 and 730.9 million in 2025. The change between the two endpoints was +67.9 % in current dollars. The highest annual value in the period was recorded in 2025, at 730.9 million. The chart allows the two directions to be compared to see whether they moved together or differently. The change combines quantities, prices and exchange rates; it is not automatically attributed to a treaty, a visit or a political decision. The same reporter is retained and missing years are not interpolated. [4]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, machinery and mechanical appliances stands out in shipments from France to Lebanon, at 89.9 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, electrical and electronic equipment stands out in shipments from Lebanon to France, at 47.5 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [5]
Milestones and consequences
- 2026-03-24
Political profile reviewed
The source sets out its objectives of sovereignty, stability and institutions. [1]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations: FRA-LBN
France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Bilateral relations: FRA-LBN
France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 251; partners 0,392,36,124,484,32,152,170,528,56,756,752,579,208,300,792,682,634,400,422,710,404
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Trade series 2021–2025
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total
UN Comtrade / FRA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / FRA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · Selected HS2 chapters; reporter 251; annual 2025; same partner/flow/coverage as total.