Figures issued by the International Monetary Fund show that there were 294.2 borrowers per 1,000 adults at commercial banks in Lebanon at the end of 2014, constituting an increase of 4.8 percent from 280.7 in 2013 and compared to 179.1 in 2005. The borrowers’ penetration rate ranks Lebanon in 26th place globally among 88 countries with available figures for 2014, in 14th place among 29 upper-middle-income countries and in first place among nine Arab countries.
Globally, Lebanon had a higher penetration rate than Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Paraguay, and a lower rate than Macedonia, mainland China and Thailand. It also had a lower rate than Turkey, Uruguay, Serbia, Chile, Brazil, Malaysia, Palau, Argentina, Latvia, Venezuela, Macedonia, mainland China and Thailand among UMICs.
Further, there were 521.4 loan accounts per 1,000 adults at Lebanese commercial banks in 2014, down 5.8 percent from 553.8 loan accounts in 2013 and compared to 273.3 in 2005. The loan penetration rate ranks Lebanon in 26th place among 91 countries globally with available figures for 2014, in 12th place among 30 UMICs and in first place among seven Arab countries.
In parallel, there were 792.5 depositors per 1,000 adults at Lebanese commercial banks in 2014, constituting a drop of 0.2 percent from 794.3 in 2013 and compared to 759.5 in 2005.
As a result, Lebanon had the 28th highest depositors’ penetration rate among 70 countries worldwide with available figures for 2014, the 13th highest among 21 UMICs and the second largest among eight Arab countries, as reported by Lebanon This Week, the economic publication of the Byblos Bank Group.
Globally, Lebanon had a higher depositors’ penetration rate than Belize, the Dominican Republic and Peru, and a lower rate than Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Namibia. It also had a higher rate than the Dominican Republic and Peru and a lower rate than Uruguay and Namibia among UMICs. It also had a lower rate than only Saudi Arabia among Arab countries.
Further, there were 1,317 deposit accounts per 1,000 adults at commercial banks in Lebanon in 2014, down 4.5 percent from 1,378 in 2013 and compared to 1,074 in 2005. As such, Lebanon had the 42nd highest deposit account penetration rate among 109 countries worldwide with available figures for 2014, the 19th highest among 31 UMICs and the highest among 12 Arab countries.
Further, there were 1.06 million borrowers and 1.88 million loan accounts at commercial banks in Lebanon at the end of 2014. Resident private sector loans were equivalent to 99.2 percent of GDP at the end of the year, the 22nd highest such ratio among 159 countries globally, the fourth largest among 46 UMICs and the highest among 15 Arab countries.
Also, there were 2.85 million depositors and 4.74 million deposit accounts at commercial banks in Lebanon in 2014. Resident private sector deposits were equivalent to 249.6 percent of GDP in 2014, the sixth highest such ratio among 158 countries globally, the largest among 46 UMICs and the highest among 14 Arab countries.
