Forcibly displaced people in Arab World
Arab World: Forcibly displaced people was 35.10 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Forcibly displaced people in Arab World, 2010–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for forcibly displaced people in Arab World is 35.10 million, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 12.0% on the previous year and up 35.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Arab World peaked at 39.86 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.40 million, in 2011.
That places Arab World 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Forcibly displaced people in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 16.86 million | — |
| 2011 | 14.40 million | -14.6% |
| 2012 | 16.78 million | +16.5% |
| 2013 | 20.54 million | +22.4% |
| 2014 | 24.60 million | +19.8% |
| 2015 | 25.99 million | +5.6% |
| 2016 | 24.91 million | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 24.09 million | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 25.19 million | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 26.73 million | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 26.63 million | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 28.11 million | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 29.82 million | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 36.22 million | +21.4% |
| 2024 | 39.86 million | +10.1% |
| 2025 | 35.10 million | -12.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 22.01 million | 14.40 million | 26.73 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.62 million | 26.63 million | 39.86 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More social development data for Arab World
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3.48 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9.09 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0181 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9.09 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0069 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3.48 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -4.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forcibly displaced people in Arab World?
- Forcibly displaced people in Arab World was 35.10 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 39.86 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.40 million in 2011.
- How does Arab World rank for forcibly displaced people?
- Arab World ranks 16th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Arab World 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
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.