Lasting from 1975 to 1990, the Lebanese Civil War was a war among the citizens of Lebanon.
Before the war, pro-western Maronite Christians had significant influence over the running of the country, despite Lebanon having a large Muslim population. After the establishment of Israel, an influx of 100,000 displaced Palestinians to Lebanon between 1948 and 1967 increased the Muslim population until Muslims became the majority demographic. In 1975, sectarian tension erupted in fighting that broke out between Maronites and Palestinians, who soon formed alliances with leftwing, pan-Arabist, and Muslim Lebanese factions.
Cities and villages were transformed by fighting in the streets: barricades, shootings, overturned cars, and ruined buildings were common sights. In Beirut, the country's capital, Christians, Sunnite and Shiite Muslims, Druze groups, Palestinians, Syrians, and Israelis each had an armed militia that controlled an area of the city. Residents become used to living without consistent water, electricity, or government authority.
Over the fifteen years of conflict, alliances with different militias shifted frequently. Forces from neighboring countries such as Israel and Syria became involved in the conflict, as well as peacekeeping forces. The fighting began to wind down with the Taif Agreement of 1989, but the majority of militias were not dissolved until 1991.
The protracted war resulted in approximately 120,000–150,000 deaths, the displacement of nearly 80,000 people within the country, and the mass exodus of nearly one million inhabitants.
