Forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Forcibly displaced people was 4,355 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia, 2010–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia is 4,355, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 2,709.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia peaked at 12,782 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 155, in 2015.
Saudi Arabia ranks 138th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 663 | — |
| 2011 | 675 | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 673 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 655 | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 658 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 155 | -76.4% |
| 2016 | 187 | +20.6% |
| 2017 | 235 | +25.7% |
| 2018 | 2,430 | +934.0% |
| 2019 | 2,642 | +8.7% |
| 2020 | 9,764 | +269.6% |
| 2021 | 12,782 | +30.9% |
| 2022 | 4,395 | -65.6% |
| 2023 | 4,422 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 4,355 | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 4,355 | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 4,355 is below the median for high income countries, which is 51,316, 8% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 4,355 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 184,265, 2% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +934.0% | 235 | 2,430 |
| 2020 | +269.6% | 2,642 | 9,764 |
| 2015 | -76.4% | 658 | 155 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 897.3 | 155 | 2,642 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,679 | 4,355 | 12,782 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More social development data for Saudi Arabia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 448 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,368 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (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 Saudi Arabia?
- Forcibly displaced people in Saudi Arabia was 4,355 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 12,782 in 2021.
- What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 155 in 2015.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for forcibly displaced people?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 138th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2,709.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.