Forcibly displaced people in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Forcibly displaced people was 3.50 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
3.50 million
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
11th
of 180 countries
All-time high
4.73 million
in 2022
All-time low
455,302
in 2010
Years of data
16
2010–2025

Forcibly displaced people in Ethiopia, 2010–2025

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M5.0M2010201720252010: 455.3k2011: 640.2k2012: 727.2k2013: 750.9k2014: 1.1M2015: 1.2M2016: 1.1M2017: 2.0M2018: 3.0M2019: 2.1M2020: 2.9M2021: 4.4M2022: 4.7M2023: 3.9M2024: 3.4M2025: 3.5M

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

Analysis

Ethiopia recorded 3.50 million for forcibly displaced people in 2025.

The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 194.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Ethiopia peaked at 4.73 million in 2022 and was at its lowest, 455,302, in 2010.

Ethiopia ranks 11th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 1.29 million 455,302 3.04 million 10
2020s 3.81 million 2.86 million 4.73 million 6

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 8 Ukraine 3.71 million compare
  2. 9 Myanmar 3.64 million compare
  3. 10 Nigeria 3.64 million compare
  4. 12 Somalia 3.39 million compare
  5. 13 Palestine 3.10 million compare
  6. 14 Germany 2.95 million compare

See the full ranking of 227 places →

More social development data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is forcibly displaced people in Ethiopia?
Forcibly displaced people in Ethiopia was 3.50 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 4.73 million in 2022.
What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 455,302 in 2010.
How does Ethiopia rank for forcibly displaced people?
Ethiopia ranks 11th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is up 194.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ethiopia 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.