China vs Iran, Islamic Republic of: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of

China
153,962
in 2025
Iran, Islamic Republic of
157,912
in 2025
China rank
21st
Iran, Islamic Republic of rank
20th

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of over time

  • China
  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
0500.0k1.0M1.5M196419942025

How they compare

Iran, Islamic Republic of currently reports 157,912 against 153,962 in China, a difference of 3,950.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 46 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Iran, Islamic Republic of ahead.

China ranks 21st and Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 20th of 199 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 3 and Iran, Islamic Republic of in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Iran, Islamic Republic of Difference Ahead
1980s 118 31,237 31,119 Iran, Islamic Republic of
1990s 85,000 105,912 20,912 Iran, Islamic Republic of
2000s 139,704 96,895 42,809 China
2010s 202,763 93,098 109,665 China
2020s 162,507 144,769 17,737 China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of, China or Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Iran, Islamic Republic of, at 157,912 against 153,962 in China as of 2025.
What is the difference in refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of between China and Iran, Islamic Republic of?
3,950, with Iran, Islamic Republic of ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iran, Islamic Republic of?
46 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2025.
How do China and Iran, Islamic Republic of rank globally for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
China ranks 21st and Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 20th of 199 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Iran, Islamic Republic of: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of. Statizoid, drawing on Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/refugees-under-the-mandate-of-the-unhcr-by-country-or-territory-of-origin/china/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin
Source
Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
246 places, 10,112 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.