Who knew that Lebanon enjoys the highest life expectancy at birth in the Arab world? In 2015, men can expect to live until they are 78 years old, and women until they are 81.5 years old. The region’s average is 69 and 73. And these numbers are still expected to grow. By 2050, life expectancy at birth is expected to reach 85.6 for men and 87.6 for women.

This growth is mainly due to longer life expectancy, decreased fertility rates, and high rates of out-migration. If you think that’s a good thing, well… think again, because it’s more complicated than that. By 2050, 23% of the population will be over 65, and 7% will be over 80. Who’s going to take care of them? The Lebanese State doesn’t provide a solid universal social security system, which leaves younger relatives in charge of their elders. If the number of elders grows too high compared to the number of working adults, the financial strain might become too much to bear.

Sources: UN ESCWA: Demographic profile of the Arab Region; Aging in Lebanon: challenges and opportunities, Sawsan Abdulrahim, Kristine J. Ajrouch, and Toni C. Antonucci.