The population of the Lebanese capital has increased by 50% due to the influx of refugees caused by Israel's military operation against the Hezbollah movement, launched on March 2, Minister of Social Affairs of Lebanon Hanin as-Said said.
Accurate data on the capital’s population has been unavailable since 1932, as no full-fledged census has been conducted in Lebanon since then.
The population of Beirut, its suburbs, and satellite cities was estimated at approximately 2.2 million before the hostilities.
The minister emphasized that the exodus of refugees, caused by massive shelling of southern Lebanon, has led to a multiple increase in the cost of housing rent in the capital.
The population growth is overloading the already weak social and transport infrastructure and increasing the risks of crime.
