As of mid-2024, Iran was the largest refugee-hosting country in the world. According to data available by the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, there were nearly 3.8 million refugees in Iran. Turkey was second with more than 3.1 million. The data refers to the total number of refugees in a given country, not considering the date of their application for asylum or the date of their flight.

In 2024, Turkey was the country that hosted the highest amount of Syrian refugees, amounting up to 3.1 million refugees. Lebanon was second, hosting 775,000 Syrian refugees. The data refers to the total number of Syrian refugees in a given country, not considering the date of their application for asylum or the date of their flight.

As of mid-2024, Syria had the highest number of refugees who had fled the country. That year, about 6.25 million refugees had left the country, mainly due to the civil war that started in 2011. Second on the list is Ukraine after over six million people left the country since Russia's invasion in February 2022. The third highest number of refugees in the world came from Afghanistan after years of civil wars, instability, and Taliban regaining power in 2021. What are refugees? Refugees are people who have been forced to leave their country because of dangerous circumstances, such as war, violence, famine, or persecution. These circumstances arise from race, religious, ethnic, and/or political persecution, and refugees are unable to return to their home countries due to these conflicts. As of 2022, Turkey hosted the largest number of Syrian refugees. Refugees worldwide The number of refugees, internally displaced people, and asylum seekers worldwide has significantly increased since 2012, much due to the civil wars in Syria and Libya that started in 2011, but also due to increasing instability in the Sahel, the Sudan civil war, the Israel-Hamas war, and the Russia-Ukraine war. An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to leave their home but still stays in their country. They are not legally considered a refugee. Asylum seekers are people who leave their home country and enter another country to apply for asylum, which is internationally recognized protection.

Uganda hosted the largest number of refugees in Africa as of 2023: Nearly 1.5 million. Sudan followed, providing asylum to just under 1.1 million individuals, while Ethiopia hosted around 880,000 refugees. In general, the East and Horn of Africa were host to most of the refugees in the continent.

This repository provides replication data and code for "Refugees are Hosted in Highly Vulnerable Communities."AbstractIn 2023, a staggering 110 million individuals endured forced displacement due to persecution, conflict, and violence (UNHCR, 2023). They faced formidable challenges, including persecution, trauma, and hunger.Globally, refugee hosting is extremely unequal. Low- and middle-income countries host 76% of the world’s refugee population (UNHCR, 2022). Among the ten countries hosting the most refugees (see Table 1), only Germany qualifies as high-income under World Bank classifications.This inequality has large implications. Economically, host countries may lack the resources and infrastructure to support refugee communities (Maystadt et al., 2019). Hosting can strain food supplies, natural resources, and public services (WFP, 2013a,b), potentially leading to political backlash (Rozo and Vargas, 2021).This study uses original and existing data to explore whether inequality in refugee hosting also exists within countries, focusing on the location of Rohingya refugee camps within Bangladesh. We find that the district hosting refugees was economically deprived compared to the national average, and within the host district, the micro-regions closest to refugee camps were disadvantaged relative to other micro-regions.

Over 1.2 million refugees from Ukraine due to the Russian invasion fled to Germany as of April 2025. Furthermore, the second-highest number was recorded in Poland. In total, around 5.1 million Ukrainian refugees were registered across Europe and 5.6 million worldwide as of May 2025. Most of them fled the country by crossing the border with Poland. Ukrainian refugees in Germany The first increases in the number of Ukrainian refugees in Germany were registered in March and April 2022. The figure exceeded one million refugees in September of that year. Germany had the highest monthly financial allowance for Ukrainians who fled the war compared to other European countries as of June 2022. Temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees in the EU European Union (EU) members implemented the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), which guaranteed access to accommodation, welfare, and healthcare to refugees from Ukraine. People fleeing the war had a right to a residence permit in the EU, enter the labor market, and enroll children in educational institutions. The protection is granted until March 4, 2026, but it can be extended in the future depending on the situation in the country.

Abstract

To ensure the centrality of refugees’ voices in discussions about their future, as well as to inform evidence-based inter-agency responses in support of host Governments, UNHCR is leading the regular implementation of intentions surveys with refugees from Ukraine, collecting primary data on their profiles, their current situation and intentions, and the factors influencing their decision-making.

The first and second regional intentions surveys were completed and the report published in July 2022 (https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/94176) and September 2022 (https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/95767). This data was collected during the third round, conducted between December 2022 and January 2023. The survey covered refugees hosted in countries in Europe. In addition, the third round included a longitudinal sample of refugees surveyed in both the second and third rounds. The report was published in Februrary 2023 (https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/99072).

A mixed methodological approach was used, combining two data collection modes. Around 3,900 refugee households (2,100 from countries neighboring Ukraine and 1,800 from other host countries) were interviewed either through a phone-based survey, web-based survey or face-to-face interview. A total of 887 households participated in both the second and third round (longitudinal sample). All surveys used a harmonized questionnaire.

This data is an anonymous version of the original data collected and used for the primary analysis.

Geographic coverage

Europe

Analysis unit

Households

Universe

Refugees from Ukraine

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The target number of respondents per country is 500 individuals, representing one household unit/registration group per interview. The study is designed so that only one member of each household/registration group is interviewed. One member of each household was selected from UNHCR database. To compensate for nonresponse, an oversampling factor of 6 was applied, i.e. 3,000 contacts were provided for reaching the targeted 500 respondents, in each country. Longitudinal participants, who in the previous wave agreed to be reinterviewed (1,345 respondents overall, see table above), were sampled by certainty in the current wave. They were amended with fresh sample from the total universe, discounting units that in the previous wave were refusing to participate or declined the request to be recontacted. All other units were part of the eligible universe the “fresh” sample was selected from. The sample was implicitly stratified based on two variables: registration group structure and time of arrival to the host country. The group structure dimension considers the following three categories: single adults, adults with children, and multiple adults without children. Time of arrival segments were retained from previous wave (those arrived in Feb-Mar 2022 and those arrived Apr-Aug 2022), adding a third segment for those who arrived since the previous wave survey, in the September- November period

Mode of data collection

Other [oth]

Abstract

The Vulnerability Assessment for Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Arsaal, was conducted jointly by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP, dataviz.vam.wfp.org). Now in its seventh year, the Vulnerability Assessment of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon (VASyR) assesses a representative sample of Syrian refugee families to identify changes and trends in their situation. The Government of Lebanon estimates that the country hosts 1.5 million of the 6.7 million Syrians who have fled the conflict since 2011 (including nearly one million registered with UNHCR as of end of September 2019). VASyR Arsaal is an addition to the 2019 VASyR, containing a representative sample of Syrian Refugee households in Arsaal.

Geographic coverage

Arsaal

Analysis unit

Household and individual

Universe

The sampling frame used for VASyR 2019 was the total number of Syrian refugees in Arsaal known to UNHCR.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample includes 328 Syrian refugee households, and aims to be representative of the Syrian refugee families in Arsaal. A two-stage cluster approach was adpoted using the sampling frame of the total number of Syrian refugees known to UNHCR. Using the “30x7” two stage cluster scheme, originally developed by the World Health Organization, 30 clusters per geographical area and seven households per cluster are used to provide a precision of +/- 10 percentage points. Arsaal was selected due to its specific situation which differs from other refugee hosting communities.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire included key information on household demographics, arrival profile, registration, protection, shelter, WASH, assets, health, education, security, livelihoods, expenditures, food consumption, coping strategies, debts and assistance, as well as infant and young feeding practices.

Cleaning operations

After the completion of data collection, raw data was shared with the VASyR Core Group to review inconsistencies and mistakes that could not be identified during the collection phase. Some of these errors required calling households back to validate and correct the data collected. Each agency was asked to provide the team in charge of clean-up with a list of identified issues and recommendations on how to proceed with the clean-up. A copy of the original raw data was saved. Any modification to the data was scripted in SQL providing a step by step audit trail from the raw data leading to the final dataset used for analysis.

In 2022, a total of than 16,415 refugee claimants in Canada came from Mexico, the most out of any country. Haiti, Turkey, Colombia, and Iran rounded out the top five countries for refugee claimants in Canada in that year.

Abstract

The UNHCR Standardized Expanded Nutrition Surveys (SENS) provide regular nutrition data that plays a key role in delivering effective and timely interventions to ensure good nutritional outcomes among populations affected by forced displacement. This survey was conducted in the 3 camps and 2 reception areas for Malian refugees (Abala, Tabarbarey, Mangaïzé, Intikan and Tazalit) in Niger that includes 54,859 refugees (11,362 households). The survey was jointly conducted by UNHCR, the World Food Programme (WFP), UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Health. Data collection in the Malian camps took place from May 30 to June 19, 2016 with the main objective of assessing the prevalence of global and severe acute malnutrition by age group and sex.

Geographic coverage

Abala, Tabarbarey, Mangaïzé, Intikan and Tazalit

Analysis unit

• Children 0-23 months
• Children 6-59 months
• Women 15-49 years
• Households

Universe

children 0-59 months women 15-49 years refugee households

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample size was calculated individually for each camp using the ENA for SMART software. A simple random sample was drawn independently iin each refugee camp/location.

The total size of the sample frame was 11,362 households including 8,905 children under five. The total sample in all five refugee camps/location includes 1,032 households, 855 women (in 783 households) and 1,835 children under five.

More details, including sample by camp/location, are available in the report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Cleaning operations

Household size above 10 in household-level modules top-coded to 10.

In 2023, Germany was the country with the highest number of Syrian asylum seekers. More than 100,000 asylum applications from Syrians were registered in Germany that year. Austria followed behind with over 20,000 asylum seekers. Most of the asylum seekers were found in European countries.

Germany has long been involved with international asylum applications, especially in recent years. The most applications came from Syrian asylum seekers. These was followed by applications from Afghanistan and Turkey. Germany as a refuge choice Statistics on the number of asylum applicants in Germany are recorded by the BAMF, or the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge). The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has decreased refugee numbers in Europe, with travel bans across modes of transport and borders being closed. As the restrictions begin to lift, migration is beginning again. 2023 saw the highest number of applications for asylum since 2016. However, in 2024, numbers have decreased significanly again. Support for refugees remains a present issue, fraught with tension, legal complications and surrounded by constant debate with many believing that not enough is done to support them. Asylum decisions Not all asylum applications in Germany get accepted, due to various circumstances. Besides rejection, decisions regarding asylum may involve granting a legal status as a refugee, a grant of subsidiary protection or determining a deportation ban.

Worldwide, the Kutupalong Expansion Site in Bangladesh was the largest refugee camp, hosting nearly *********** refugees. Most of its refugee population is Rohingya, who have fled from neighboring Myanmar after years of persecution and a genocide that started in 2016. Violent conflicts in East Africa Some of the largest refugee camps in the world are located in East Africa. This is no surprise as violent conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have forced millions to flee their countries. Many refugees do not end up in refugee camps, but are forced to reside on the outskirts of towns, while others take the dangerous route towards Europe or North America. Africa is also the continent in the world with the second highest number of registered refugees, behind Europe, including Turkey. Increasing number of refugees After being relatively stable through the 2000s, the number of refugees in the world has increased since 2012. This is strongly connected to the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, and as a result, the highest number of refugees in the world is from Syria. Moreover, the Russia-Ukraine war since February 2022, the Taliban retaking power in Afghanistan in 2021, and the civil war in Sudan have increased the global refugee count.

Abstract

The Republic of Congo has served for over a decade as a host country for refugees following repetitive armed conflicts known in the subregion. The latest is the Central African armed disturbance unleashed in March 2013. This conflict has caused a massive influx of people to the countries bordering the Central African Republic. In Congo, the majority of refugees have been received in the department of Likouala. This influx was added to the DRC and Rwandan refugees already present in the area.

Since the beginning of the operation, the humanitarian organizations, AARREC, Solidarité Internationale and the Congolese Red Cross have implemented the actions Water Hygiene and Sanitation in the hosting camps and villages through the financing of UNHCR. Various structures (latrines, wells and boreholes, washing area, etc.) have been installed for the benefit of the beneficiaries. The aim of these actions is to ensure for all sites: (i) access to sufficient and good quality drinking water, (ii) sustainable access to sanitation facilities, and (iii) improve knowledge and practices in personal and collective hygiene. To better understand and measure the current state of knowledge and practices of the populations living in the various refugee sites, a KAP survey focusing on water, hygiene and sanitation issues was conducted from December 13 to 27, 2017. The survey results reported in this document will also serve as a benchmark for measuring the impact of actions conducted in the area of the operation at the end of each year.

Geographic coverage

Sub-Prefectures of Betou Centre and Ikpemgbele with a focus on the following neighberhoods: Betou Centre: Ca Metre, Monzombo, Site du 15 Avril and Yende Ikpemgbele: Ikpemgbele

Analysis unit

KAP survey focusing on water, hygiene and sanitation practices and issues with the following unit of analysis: household

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The overall sample size constitutes of 254 households, including 210 households in Betou Center and 44 households in Ikpengbele.

A two stage sampling methodology was used in this survey for the Bétou area. For the first stage, the Bétou area was divided into four sites (Ca Mètre, Monzombo, Yende and the site 15 Avril). These sites were in turn subdivided into clusters in a way that each household on the site has the same chance of being selected. This result is obtained using the probability proportional to size method. For the second step, the households in each cluster to be surveyed were selected by the team leaders using a systematic draw according to the size of each zone. In the case of Ikpengbele, a systematic sampling at 10% of the total number of households registered in the area was used, i.e. 44 households.The identification of households to be surveyed after allocating clusters to all areas was done at random.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Cleaning operations

Data was anonymized through recoding and local suppression

As of May 2024, Uganda hosted roughly *** million refugees. Of the total, around ** percent came from neighboring South Sudan. The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked as the second leading origin of refugees living in Uganda. Approximately ******* Congolese citizens have searched for asylum in the bordering country so far. Uganda houses the highest number of individuals forcibly displaced in Africa as well as some of the largest refugee populations worldwide. Refugees hosted in Uganda Adjumani and Yumbe, northern Uganda districts, housed roughly one-third of the total refugees that sought asylum in the country. With a host population of approximately ******* people, the Yumbe district accounted for ** percent of all refugees in Uganda. Adjumani’s population consisted of nearly half residents and half refugees. Refugee flows in Africa Over ***** million refugees lived in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2021. The region has one of the largest refugee populations globally. In the last decade, the number of refugees living in Africa soared, mainly comprised of Africans fleeing to neighboring countries. The reasons for fleeing home were varied, ranging from internal conflicts to poverty and environmental disasters.

The United States hosted, by far, the highest number of immigrants in the world in 2024. That year, there were over ** million people born outside of the States residing in the country. Germany and Saudi Arabia followed behind at around **** and **** million, respectively. There are varying reasons for people to emigrate from their country of origin, from poverty and unemployment to war and persecution. American Migration People migrate to the United States for a variety of reasons, from job and educational opportunities to family reunification. Overall, in 2021, most people that became legal residents of the United States did so for family reunification purposes, totaling ******* people that year. An additional ******* people became legal residents through employment opportunities. In terms of naturalized citizenship, ******* people from Mexico became naturalized American citizens in 2021, followed by people from India, the Philippines, Cuba, and China. German Migration Behind the United States, Germany also has a significant migrant population. Migration to Germany increased during the mid-2010's, in light of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, and during the 2020’s, in light of conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Moreover, as German society continues to age, there are less workers in the labor market. In a low-migration scenario, Germany will have **** million skilled workers by 2040, compared to **** million by 2040 in a high-migration scenario. In both scenarios, this is still a decrease from **** skilled workers in 2020.

During the fiscal year of 2024, 100,034 refugees were admitted to the United States. This is a significant increase from the fiscal year of 2023, when 60,014 refugees were admitted into the United States.

By far, Syrians made up the largest group of refugees living in Sweden in 2022, counting ******* people. Ukrainians, who made up the second largest group, counted just below ******. Meanwhile, Afghans made up the third largest group with ****** refugees. The total number of refugees living in Sweden increased over the past ten years.

At mid-year 2020, Venezuela's total international migrant stock amounted to more than five million people. Neighboring Colombia was the main country of destination of Venezuelan emigrants, with over 1.7 million. Peru came in second, as almost 950,000 Venezuelans had emigrated there, followed by Chile, where over 500,000 Venezuelans resided after leaving their home country.

The majority of immigrants moving to Sweden in 2023 were Swedes returning to Sweden. Nearly 10,600 Swedes returned to their home country in 2023. The remaining top five countries of origin were India, Poland, Germany, and Syria. In total, 95,000 people immigrated to Sweden in 2023.

Syrians largest immigrant group

Of Sweden's foreign-born population, Syrians made up the largest group. Following the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, many people left the country in search of a better life in Europe, some of which landed in Sweden. In 2022, Sweden hosted the world's 7th largest group of Syrian refugees.

Immigration drives population increase in Sweden

Over the past decade, Sweden has seen a positive migration rate, with more people immigrating to the country than people leaving. This is one of the main reasons why the country's population has been increasing steadily over recent years.