UNHCR: World Sees Significant Increase In Forced Displacement In 2019 [Infographic]

The UN’s Refugee Agency has released its latest Global Trends report, which has found that the world experienced a significant increase in forced displacement in 2019. 1% of the global population has been forced to flee their homes as a result of war, conflict and persecution, seeking safety either within their own country or abroad. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said that “forced displacement is no longer a short-term and temporary phenomenon” as the number of people forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods reached a level higher than at any time since the UNHCR started issuing its annual report.

At the end of 2019, 79.5 million people were forcibly displaced around the world, a significant increase on 70.8 million a year earlier. The UNHCR states that out of the 2019 total, an estimated 30-35 million, or 40%, were children. 68% of all displaced people originated from just five countries – Syria (6.6 million), Venezuela (3.7 million), Afghanistan (2.7 million), South Sudan (2.2 million) and Myanmar (1.1 million). Turkey currently hosts 3.6 million refugees, the most of any country, followed by Colombia and Pakistan with 1.8 million and 1.4 million, respectively. Relative to population, however, the island-nation of Aruba hosted the most refugees in 2019, followed by Lebanon.

*Click below to enlarge (charted by Statista)