Over 117 million people worldwide are fleeing from war, persecution, and conflict, marking an eight percent increase from last year and a staggering 31 percent rise compared to 2021. Most of these refugees come from just five countries, as shown by Statista’s Anna Fleck, with Afghanistan leading at 6.40 million displaced, followed closely by Syrians at 6.36 million and Ukrainians at 5.96 million. The South Sudanese refugee crisis has also worsened, with 2.3 million forced to leave due to violence and food shortages, primarily settling in Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya. These numbers spiked in 2021 due to improved data collection after delays caused by COVID-19, with Afghanistan notably seeing a surge in refugees after the Taliban regained power in August 2021.
Over 117 million people have fled war, persecution, and violence, according to a UNHCR report.
This figure represents a 31% rise from 2021 and an increase of 8% from the previous year.
The accompanying chart, courtesy of Statista’s Anna Fleck, illustrates that, as of late 2023, just five nations accounted for 62% of all refugees and individuals in need of domestic protection, while the top ten countries of origin accounted for almost 70% of the global total.
With 6.40 million displaced persons living outside of their nation of origin, Afghanistan has the largest number.
With 6.36 million living abroad, Syrians are the second-largest group of people who have been internally displaced within a country. The third-highest number of displaced Ukrainians in the world, 5.96 million, was reported as of late.
According to the UNHCR, South Sudanese refugees increased from 2.2 million in 2020 to 2.3 million at the end of 2023 due to violence, food shortages, and worsening conditions. Almost all of these refugees now reside in Uganda (923,607), Sudan (696,246), Ethiopia (418,231), and Kenya (171,233).
These numbers increased in 2021 not only because more people were being compelled to leave their homes, but also because new births were being registered, and displacement estimates were updated. Updates were made after the backlog from 2020 was cleared, as registration was resumed in 2021 after being halted because of Covid-19. The circumstances in the nation following the Taliban’s resurgence in power in August 2021 may be the reason for the sharp increase in the number of Afghan refugees.
Recently, GreatGameIndia reported that, according to UNHCR data, as of mid-2023, there are 36.5 million refugees worldwide. Countries like Iran and Turkey host the most refugees due to their proximity to conflict zones. Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and South Sudan have the highest number of people fleeing.
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