🇺🇳 The number of refugees in the world fell last year for the first time in a decade

🇺🇳 The number of refugees in the world fell last year for the first time in a decade

The global number of refugees dropped by 3 percent during 2025 to 41.6 million. A total of 14.7 million displaced people returned to their home or origin areas during the year. Nearly 46,000 stateless people gained citizenship across 24 countries.

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  • The global number of refugees dropped by 3 percent during 2025 to 41.6 million.
  • A total of 14.7 million displaced people returned to their home or origin areas during the year.
  • Nearly 46,000 stateless people gained citizenship across 24 countries.

Fewer people displaced worldwide

For the first time in a decade, the number of refugees in the world fell. This is shown in the UN refugee agency UNHCR's Global Trends report, presented in Geneva by High Commissioner Barham Salih. During 2025, the global number of refugees dropped by 3 percent to 41.6 million. Over the year, 5.4 million people fled to other countries to escape violence and persecution.

More returning home

A growing number of displaced people were able to return during the year. A total of 14.7 million returned to their home or origin areas, of which 4.4 million were refugees and 10.3 million were internally displaced. The largest increase was in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria. The number of refugees who returned was the second highest since records began 60 years ago. At the same time, UNHCR noted that many returned under pressure and to precarious conditions.

During the year, nearly 46,000 stateless people also gained citizenship, across 24 countries.

A new goal for the coming decade

Barham Salih emphasized that humanitarian aid alone is no longer enough. Because 70 percent of refugees remain in exile for many years, and many live below the poverty line, he called for a new approach.

He presented a measurable goal: over the coming decade, to more than halve the number of refugees in long-term displacement who depend on humanitarian aid. The focus is on low- and middle-income countries, where most refugees are hosted. The effort will broaden opportunities for voluntary returns, humanitarian visas and relocation. It will also move refugees from aid dependency to self-reliance through access to education, healthcare, financial services and the labor market.

Background in figures

More than 70 percent of refugees came from Afghanistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Venezuela. The countries that hosted the most were Colombia, Germany and Türkiye. The number of people who arrived through resettlement or sponsorship more than halved compared to the previous year, to 81,800 during 2025.

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