Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of in Palestine
Palestine: Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of was 2.48 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of in Palestine, 1960–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of in Palestine stood at 2.48 million.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of in Palestine peaked at 2.50 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 258,165, in 1960.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of in Palestine, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 258,165 | — |
| 1961 | 265,430 | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 273,038 | +2.9% |
| 1963 | 283,782 | +3.9% |
| 1964 | 293,024 | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 301,879 | +3.0% |
| 1966 | 311,846 | +3.3% |
| 1967 | 295,040 | -5.4% |
| 1968 | 576,889 | +95.5% |
| 1969 | 580,025 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 585,231 | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 596,684 | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 608,237 | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 607,485 | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 616,545 | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 631,554 | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 641,403 | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 656,181 | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 672,664 | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 685,793 | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 697,453 | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 707,689 | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 722,965 | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 738,797 | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 775,798 | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 792,997 | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 808,938 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 828,482 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 856,639 | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 886,736 | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 931,338 | +5.0% |
| 1991 | 987,508 | +6.0% |
| 1992 | 1.06 million | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 1.12 million | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 1.18 million | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 1.23 million | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 1.27 million | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 1.31 million | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 1.35 million | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 1.38 million | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 1.43 million | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 1.48 million | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 1.53 million | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 1.59 million | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 1.63 million | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 1.69 million | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 1.74 million | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 1.79 million | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 1.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 1.89 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 1.84 million | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 1.90 million | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 1.94 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 1.99 million | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 2.05 million | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 2.10 million | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.16 million | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 2.21 million | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 2.27 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 2.32 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 2.35 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 2.40 million | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 2.45 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 2.50 million | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 2.47 million | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 2.48 million | +0.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA by country or territory of in Palestine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +95.5% | 295,040 | 576,889 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 343,912 | 258,165 | 580,025 | 10 |
| 1970s | 630,178 | 585,231 | 685,793 | 10 |
| 1980s | 781,649 | 697,453 | 886,736 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.18 million | 931,338 | 1.38 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.66 million | 1.43 million | 1.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.08 million | 1.84 million | 2.32 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.44 million | 2.35 million | 2.50 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Palestine
More social development data for Palestine
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 48,323 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (1995)
- Electoral democracy 0 (1947)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (1995)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (1995)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0089 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 48,323 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 10.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.356 (1948)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of in Palestine?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of in Palestine was 2.48 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 unrwa by country or territory of recorded in Palestine?
- The highest recorded value was 2.50 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of recorded in Palestine?
- The lowest recorded value was 258,165 in 1960.
- How does Palestine rank for refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of?
- Palestine ranks 1st out of 4 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unrwa by country or territory of rising or falling in Palestine?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Palestine 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 UNRWA by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict. Palestine Refugees, and descendants of Palestine refugee males, including legally adopted children, are eligible to register for UNRWA services. UNRWA accepts new applications from persons who wish to be registered as Palestine Refugees. Once they are registered with UNRWA, persons in this category are referred to as Registered Refugees. Refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).