Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 4.87 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic, 1968–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Syrian Arab Republic recorded 4.87 million for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
The figure is down 18.3% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic peaked at 6.85 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 20, in 1987.
That places Syrian Arab Republic 2nd out of 199 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 1,200 | — |
| 1969 | 1,200 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 500 | -58.3% |
| 1980 | 500 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 505 | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 505 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 526 | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 529 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 2,599 | +391.3% |
| 1986 | 534 | -79.5% |
| 1987 | 20 | -96.3% |
| 1988 | 881 | +4305.0% |
| 1989 | 397 | -54.9% |
| 1990 | 2,148 | +441.1% |
| 1991 | 3,037 | +41.4% |
| 1992 | 4,408 | +45.1% |
| 1993 | 5,412 | +22.8% |
| 1994 | 7,087 | +30.9% |
| 1995 | 7,995 | +12.8% |
| 1996 | 8,611 | +7.7% |
| 1997 | 8,653 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 8,132 | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 6,693 | -17.7% |
| 2000 | 5,868 | -12.3% |
| 2001 | 4,861 | -17.2% |
| 2002 | 18,908 | +289.0% |
| 2003 | 20,816 | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 21,430 | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 16,395 | -23.5% |
| 2006 | 12,327 | -24.8% |
| 2007 | 13,684 | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 15,206 | +11.1% |
| 2009 | 17,915 | +17.8% |
| 2010 | 18,451 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 19,931 | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 729,011 | +3557.7% |
| 2013 | 2.47 million | +238.6% |
| 2014 | 3.89 million | +57.5% |
| 2015 | 4.87 million | +25.4% |
| 2016 | 5.52 million | +13.4% |
| 2017 | 6.31 million | +14.2% |
| 2018 | 6.65 million | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 6.62 million | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 6.70 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 6.85 million | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 6.56 million | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 6.36 million | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 5.95 million | -6.4% |
| 2025 | 4.87 million | -18.3% |
Syrian Arab Republic compared with similar countries
- Syrian Arab Republic's 4.87 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 164,215, 29.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syrian Arab Republic's 4.87 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9,174, 530.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +4305.0% | 20 | 881 |
| 2012 | +3557.7% | 19,931 | 729,011 |
| 1990 | +441.1% | 397 | 2,148 |
| 1985 | +391.3% | 529 | 2,599 |
| 2002 | +289.0% | 4,861 | 18,908 |
| 2013 | +238.6% | 729,011 | 2.47 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 2 |
| 1970s | 500 | 500 | 500 | 1 |
| 1980s | 699.6 | 20 | 2,599 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6,218 | 2,148 | 8,653 | 10 |
| 2000s | 14,741 | 4,861 | 21,430 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.71 million | 18,451 | 6.65 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.21 million | 4.87 million | 6.85 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syrian Arab Republic
- 1 Ukraine 5.22 million compare
- 3 Sudan 2.82 million compare
- 4 Afghanistan 2.67 million compare
- 5 South Sudan 2.39 million compare
More social development data for Syrian Arab Republic
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9,885 (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 0.1899 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.87 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -15.04 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Syrian Arab Republic was 4.87 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 recorded in Syrian Arab Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 6.85 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Syrian Arab Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 20 in 1987.
- How does Syrian Arab Republic rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Syrian Arab Republic ranks 2nd out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Syrian Arab Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syrian Arab Republic 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 origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.