- Burj al-Barajneh camp was established in 1948 by the League of Red Cross Societies and is located in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
Burj Barajneh Camp
Burj al-Barajneh camp was established in 1948 by the League of Red Cross Societies and is located in the southern suburb or Beirut, four kilometres from downtown area. The initial camp population was approximately 3,500 people. The camp was partially destroyed during the Israeli invasion in 1982 and the Lebanese civil war.
Starting in 1969, the camp population expanded rapidly, and the urban design changed. Building work was undertaken randomly, with no opportunity to increase the foundations. Roads became extremely narrow and infrastructure was put under heavy stress. These problems were compounded by the destruction of several Palestine Refugee camps in Lebanon during the Lebanese civil war and the ongoing Syria crisis, each resulting in a wave of new refugees to Burj al-Barajneh, which have increased the camp population.
Security and governance in the camp are the responsibility of Popular Committees and Palestinian factions.
Last updated July 2023.
For more information about Burj Barajneh Camp (click here).
REFUGEE CAMPS IN Lebanon
We provide services in 12 Palestine refugee camps in Lebanon. UNRWA does not administer or police the camps, as this is the responsibility of the host authorities.
Quick Facts
Refugees in camps
Unrwa In Burj Barajneh Camp
Schools
- There are four UNRWA school in Burj al-Barajneh camp providing an education for more than 2,250 children, including Palestine Refugee children from Syria (PRS).
- All UNRWA schools are located outside the camp due to lack of space.
Social Safety Net Beneficiaries
- A core focus for social protection is providing Social Safety Net (SSN) support to the most vulnerable Palestine Refugees. Assistance is issued quarterly to more than 744 families (2,373 individuals) in the camp.
