Forcibly displaced people in China

China: Forcibly displaced people was 712 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
712
Change on year
down 12.5%
World rank
149th
of 180 countries
All-time high
322,405
in 2017
All-time low
712
in 2025
Years of data
16
2010–2025

Forcibly displaced people in China, 2010–2025

0100.0k200.0k300.0k2010201720252010: 301.1k2011: 301.0k2012: 301.3k2013: 301.4k2014: 301.5k2015: 301.7k2016: 317.9k2017: 322.4k2018: 322.3k2019: 304.0k2020: 304.1k2021: 304.2k2022: 1.1k2023: 9952024: 8142025: 712

Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Analysis

The most recent figure for forcibly displaced people in China is 712, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.

That represents a change of down 12.5% on the previous year and down 99.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in China peaked at 322,405 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 712, in 2025.

That places China 149th out of 180 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 307,474 301,042 322,405 10
2020s 101,999 712 304,221 6

Countries ranked near China

  1. 146 Liechtenstein 1,024 compare
  2. 147 Kuwait 997 compare
  3. 148 Botswana 868 compare
  4. 150 Oman 703 compare
  5. 151 Lesotho 680 compare
  6. 152 Bahrain 362 compare

See the full ranking of 227 places →

More social development data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is forcibly displaced people in China?
Forcibly displaced people in China was 712 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 322,405 in 2017.
What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 712 in 2025.
How does China rank for forcibly displaced people?
China ranks 149th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 99.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Forcibly displaced people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Forcibly displaced people
Source
Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
227 places, 3,518 data points, 2010–2025
Last refreshed

Forcibly displaced people are represented by the sum of (1) refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), (2) refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), (3) asylum-seekers, (4) other people in need of international protection, and (5) internally displaced people (IDPs). Situations in which people are reported in more than one of these categories are accounted for, to the extent possible.