Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy was 4.29 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) recorded 4.29 million for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in 2025.
The figure is down 42.8% on the previous year and down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 7.99 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3,000, in 1967.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6,036 | 3,000 | 11,050 | 10 |
| 1970s | 230,825 | 4,620 | 765,060 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.09 million | 1.88 million | 6.41 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.81 million | 3.45 million | 7.90 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.81 million | 2.43 million | 5.42 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.94 million | 4.00 million | 5.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.13 million | 4.29 million | 7.99 million | 6 |
More social development data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 8.20 million (2025)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 777,890 (2025)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 1.20 million (2025)
- Forcibly displaced people 26.02 million (2025)
- Internally displaced people (IDP) by country or territory of asylum / 16.53 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of asy 2.98 million (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 4.29 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 7.99 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,000 in 1967.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.