Global Trends 2012

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Global Trends 2012



35.8million

45.2million

personspersonsof concernof concernto unhcrto unhcr

forciblyforciblydisplaceddisplacedpeoplepeopleworldwideworldwide

2012 IN REVIEWTrends at a glance

1 Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of th eNorwegian Refugee Council (NRC).2 Idem.3 The highest figure since 1993 when recording keeping began wasin 2009 with 36.5 million persons of concern.

7.6 MILLION NEWLY DISPLACED

An estimated 7.6 million people were newly displaceddue to conflict or persecution, including 1.1 million newrefugees - the highest number of new arrivals in oneyear since 1999. Another 6.5 million people were newlydisplaced within the borders of their countries - thesecond highest figure of the past ten years. (2)

23,000 PERSONS PER DAYFORCED T0 FLEE

During the year, conflict and persecution forced anaverage of23,000 persons per day to leave their homesand seek protection elsewhere, either within the bordersof their countries or in other countries.

35.8 MILLION PROTECTED BY UNHCR

Some 35.8 million persons were of concern to UNHCRby end 2012, the second highest number on record. (3) Ofthis figure, 17.7 million were IDPs and 10.5 million wererefugees - 2.3 million people more than in 2011. Therefugee figure was close to that of2011 (10.4 million) andthe number of IDPs had increased by 2.2 million sinceend 2011.

10 MILLION STATELESS

Statelessness is estimated to have affected at least10 million people in 2012; however, data captured bygovernments and communicated to UNHCR werelimited to 3.3 million stateless individuals in 72 countries.

4/5TH DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Developing countries hosted over 80 per cent of theworld’s refugees, compared to 70 per cent ten years ago.The 49 Least Developed Countries were providingasylum to 2.4 million refugees by year-end.

TOP HOST

Pakistan was host to the largest number of refugeesworldwide (1.6 million), followed by the IslamicRepublic of Iran (868,200 ), Germany (589,700 ) andKenya (565,000 ).

50% BELOW 5 ,000 USD

More than half of the refugees under UNHCR’smandate resided in countries where the GDP per capitawas belowUSD 5,000 .

2 UNHCR Global Trends 2012





The Domiz Refugee Camp,located nearDohuk in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, ishome to thousands of Syrian refugees.




TTHE YEARHE YEAR 20122012 was markedwas markedby refugee crises reachingby refugee crises reachinglevels unseen in the previ-levels unseen in the previ-ous decade. Conflicts suchous decade. Conflicts suchas those in the Democraticas those in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Mali, theRepublic of the Congo, Mali, theSyrian Arab Republic, and the bor-Syrian Arab Republic, and the bor-der area between South Sudan andder area between South Sudan andSudan forced more thanSudan forced more than 1.11.1 millionmillionrefugees into neighbouring coun-refugees into neighbouring coun-tries. An average oftries. An average of 3 0003,000 peoplepeopleper day became refugees inper day became refugees in 20122012,,five times more than infive times more than in 20102010 . These. Thesenew refugees joined the more thannew refugees joined the more than800 000800,000 people who had becomepeople who had becomerefugees inrefugees in 20112011. Throughout the. Throughout theyear, neighbouring States kept theiryear, neighbouring States kept theirborders open and provided a safe ha-borders open and provided a safe ha-ven for these hundreds of thousandsven for these hundreds of thousandsof refugees, despite the significantof refugees, despite the significant

social and economic implications forsocial and economic implications fortheir own nationals.their own nationals.

In addition, an estimatedIn addition, an estimated 6.56.5 mil-mil-lion people were displaced withinlion people were displaced withinthe borders of their countries, almostthe borders of their countries, almosttwice as many as intwice as many as in 20112011 and the sec-and the sec-ond highest of the past decade.ond highest of the past decade. 5)(5) AsAsa result of conflict and persecution,a result of conflict and persecution,on average duringon average during 20122012,, 23 00023,000 peoplepeopleper day were forced to abandon theirper day were forced to abandon theirhomes and seek protection, eitherhomes and seek protection, eitherwithin or outside the borders of theirwithin or outside the borders of theircountriescountries seeseeFigure 1Figure 1on pageon page 6 .

By the end ofBy the end of 20122012, some, some 4545.2 mil-mil-lion people worldwide were consid-lion people worldwide were consid-ered as forcibly displaced due to perse-ered as forcibly displaced due to perse-cution, conflict, generalized violencecution, conflict, generalized violenceand human rights violations. Theyand human rights violations. Theyincludedincluded 1515.4 million refugees,million refugees, 6)(6) 2828.8 million IDPsmillion IDPs 7)(7) and close to oneand close to one

million individuals whose asylummillion individuals whose asylumapplications had not yet been adjudi-applications had not yet been adjudi-cated by the end of the reporting pe-cated by the end of the reporting pe-riod. Theriod. The 20122012 level was the highestlevel was the highestsincesince 19941994, when an estimated, when an estimated 4747 mil-mil-lion people were considered forciblylion people were considered forciblydisplaced worldwide.displaced worldwide.

Largely due to escalating crisesLargely due to escalating crisesin the Syrian Arab Republic andin the Syrian Arab Republic andMali, the total number of refugeesMali, the total number of refugeesand IDPs under UNHCR’s care inand IDPs under UNHCR’s care in20122012 increased byincreased by 2.3 million people,million people,reachingreaching 2828.2 million persons by year-million persons by year-endend seesee Figure 2Figure 2on page 7on page 7 . The num-. The num-ber of refugees increased slightly tober of refugees increased slightly to1010.5 million frommillion from 1010.4 inin 20112011, and the, and thenumber of IDPs protected or assistednumber of IDPs protected or assistedby UNHCR increased toby UNHCR increased to 1717.7 millionmillionfromfrom 1515.5 inin 20112011. In addition, UNHCR. In addition, UNHCRestimates that at leastestimates that at least 1010 million per-million per-

In 2012 , forced population displacement continued to affect large numbers of people worldwide.UNHCR’s 2012 Global Trends report analyses statistical trends and changes from Januaryto December2012 , for the populations for whom UNHCR has been entrusted with aresponsibility by the international community. These people include refugees, asylum-seekers,returnees, stateless persons and certain groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and arecollectively referred to as “persons of concern”. 4)(4)

IntroductionI

4 See page 37 for a definition of each population group.5 Source: IDMC.6 This figure includes 4.9 million Palestinian refugees registered with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).7 Source: IDMC.

5UNHCR Global Trends 2012



Overview of

sons were stateless globally, with officialstatistics covering only some 3.3 million.

The number of individual asylumapplications registered with Govern-ments or UNHCR in 2012 reflects acontinued increasing demand for inter-national protection throughout the year.The total of 893,700 claims submittedwas a three per cent increase over 2011 and the second highest level of the past10 years. More than 21,300 unaccom-panied or separated children, mainlyfrom Afghanistan and Somalia, filed anasylum application during the year, thehighest number since UNHCR startedcollecting such information in a system-atic way in 2006 . According to UNHCRdata, at least 113,000 unaccompanied orseparated children lodged asylum claimssince 2006 .

Fortunately, some 526 ,000 refu-gees were able to return home volun-tarily during the year, similar to 2011.

UNHCR submitted over 74,800 refu-gees for resettlement in 2012, one-fifthless than in 2011, largely due to securityconstraints and processing backlogs.Where UNHCR was engaged withIDPs, an estimated 1.6 million peoplewere able to return home in 2012. Un-fortunately, the situation in many coun-tries prevented the return of millions offorcibly displaced people. For example,the number of refugees considered to bein protracted situations (8) was6.4 millionat year-end.

The figures in 2012 Global Trends arebased on data reported by governments,non-governmental organizations andUNHCR. The numbers are roundedto the closest hundred or thousand. Assome adjustments may appear in the2012 Statistical Yearbook, to be releasedlater this year, the figures contained inthis report should be considered as pro-visional, and may be subject to change.Unless otherwise specified, the reportdoes not refer to events occurring after31 December 2012. n

By end2012 , the populationunder UNHCR’s responsibilitywas 35 .8 million persons, takingaccount of new displacements,durable solutions, legaland demographic changes,improved availability of data,and revised estimates.

II

8 Defined as a situation in which 25,000 or morerefugees of the same nationality have been in exilefor five years or longer in a given asylum country.

These truly are alarming numbers.They reflect individual suffering on a huge scale

and they reflect the difficulties ofthe international community in preventing conflicts

and promoting timely solutions for them.–ANTÓNIO GUTERRES,UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES

Fig. 1 Average number of newly displaced personsper day* | 2003-2012

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

0‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12

*Displaced internally and across international borders.




TTHEHE 1010.5 MILLION REFU-MILLION REFU-GEESGEES under UNHCR’s re-under UNHCR’s re-sponsibility included somesponsibility included some619619,000000 people in refugee-people in refugee-

like situations.like situations. 9)(9)

The num-The num-ber of people whose asylum applica-ber of people whose asylum applica-tions had not yet been adjudicatedtions had not yet been adjudicatedby the end of the reporting periodby the end of the reporting periodwas estimated atwas estimated at 937937,000000 . A total of. A total of1717.7 million IDPs, including moremillion IDPs, including morethanthan 401401,000000 people in IDP-like situ-people in IDP-like situ-ations, received humanitarian assis-ations, received humanitarian assis-tance under arrangements in whichtance under arrangements in whichUNHCR was either a lead agency orUNHCR was either a lead agency ora key partner. This was the highesta key partner. This was the highestfigure on record.figure on record.

In countries where UNHCR wasIn countries where UNHCR wasengaged with IDPs, an estimatedengaged with IDPs, an estimated

1.6 million IDPs were able to returnmillion IDPs were able to returnhome during the year.home during the year. 10)(10) During theDuring thesame period, somesame period, some 526526,000000 refugeesrefugeesrepatriated voluntarily.repatriated voluntarily.

DuringDuring 20122012, UNHCR identified, UNHCR identifiedmore thanmore than 3.3434 million stateless per-million stateless per-sons insons in 7272 countries, and estimatedcountries, and estimatedthe total number of stateless personsthe total number of stateless personsworldwide at more thanworldwide at more than 1010 millionmillionpeople.people. 11)(11) In addition,In addition, 1.3 million in-million in-dividuals outside any of the abovedividuals outside any of the abovecategories received protection and/categories received protection and/or assistance from UNHCR basedor assistance from UNHCR basedon humanitarian or other specialon humanitarian or other specialgrounds. These individuals are re-grounds. These individuals are re-ferred to as “other groups or personsferred to as “other groups or persons

of concern”.of concern”. n

Global Trends

9 Three-quarters of the 619,000 people in arefugee-like situation were located in Bangladesh,the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and Ecuador.10 According to the IDMC, 2.1million IDPswere reported to have returned to their place of

residence in 2012 globally, the lowest figuresince 2003.11 Refugees and asylum-seekers who are alsostateless persons are not included in this figure, butare reflected in the figures relating to the relevantrefugee and asylum-seeker groups.

Fig. 2 Refugees and IDPs protected/assistedby UNHCR| 2003-2012 (end-year)(in millions)30

25

20

15

10

5

0

‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12IDPs protected / assistedRefugees




4,000,000

2,000,000

400,000

Refugees(a)

Asylum-seekers (pending cases)

IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR (b)

Returned refugees, returned IDPs

Stateless persons

Others of concern

Total population below 10,000a Including people in refugee-like situationb Including people in IDP-like situation

DEM. REP. OF THE CONGO

Total population of concern to UNHCR by country of asylum and category| end-2012Map 1

COLOMBIA




SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

PAKISTAN




Teenager Aminatawith her two-month-old daughter, Aichatou, and other youngrelatives in Burkina Faso’s Damba RefugeeCamp for Malian refugees. The girl andher family walked from northern Mali to

reach safety in the camp.




Resettled refugeesin UNHCR’srefugee statisticsOver the past 10 years,more than836,000 refugees have arrived in industrializedcountries through resettlement programmes.They are not included in UNHCR’s refugeestatistics owing to the fact that they have founda durable solution. They remain however ofconcern to UNHCR.•

TTHEHE 20122012 INCREASEINCREASE, notnotseen since the earlyseen since the early 19901990’s,’s,was partly offset by the vol-was partly offset by the vol-untary return of some halfuntary return of some halfa million refugees, primar-a million refugees, primar-

ily to Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire andily to Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire andIraq. Further reductions in global ref-Iraq. Further reductions in global ref-ugee figures resulted from the appli-ugee figures resulted from the appli-

cation of the cessation clause to An-cation of the cessation clause to An-golan and Liberian refugees acrossgolan and Liberian refugees acrosssub-Saharan Africasub-Saharan Africa 1 2)(12) and fromand from the revision of Government esti-the revision of Government esti-mates for Iraqi refugees in Jordan andmates for Iraqi refugees in Jordan andin the Syrian Arab Republic. Despitein the Syrian Arab Republic. Despitethe significant number of new ar-the significant number of new ar-rivals, the global refugee populationrivals, the global refugee populationthus grew by onlythus grew by only 9797,700700 people com-people com-pared topared to 20112011.

Table 1Table 1 shows thatshows that 3.5 million ormillion orone-third (one-third ( 3434 ) of all refugees were%) of all refugees wereresiding in countries covered byresiding in countries covered byUNHCR’s Asia and Pacific region. OfUNHCR’s Asia and Pacific region. Ofthese,these, 2.5 million were Afghans (million were Afghans ( 7070 ).%).Sub-Saharan Africa was host to al-Sub-Saharan Africa was host to al-mostmost 2.8 million or one-quarter ofmillion or one-quarter ofall refugees, primarily from Soma-all refugees, primarily from Soma-lia (lia (799799,300300 ), Sudan (), Sudan (527527,800800 ), and), andthe Democratic Republic of thethe Democratic Republic of theCongo (Congo (476476,500500 ). The Middle East). The Middle Eastand North Africa region hostedand North Africa region hostedsomesome 1.6 million ormillion or 1515 per cent of theper cent of the

world’s refugees, mainly from Iraqworld’s refugees, mainly from Iraq(554554,500500 ) and the Syrian Arab Re-) and the Syrian Arab Re-public (public (442442,300300 ), while Europe hosted), while Europe hostedsomesome 1.8 million (million ( 1717 ). In Europe, ref-%). In Europe, ref-ugees from the Syrian Arab Repub-ugees from the Syrian Arab Repub-lic (lic (283283,900900 ) and Serbia (and Kosovo:) and Serbia (and Kosovo:S/RES/S/RES/ 12441244 ((19991999)) ()) (155155,600600 ) were the) were thelargest groups. Withlargest groups. With 806806 ,600600 refu-refu-

gees, the Americas region hosted thegees, the Americas region hosted thesmallest share of refugees (smallest share of refugees ( 8 ) glob-%) glob-ally. Here, Colombians (ally. Here, Colombians ( 391391,100100) con-) con-stituted the largest number.stituted the largest number. 13)(13)

Two major developments im-Two major developments im-pacted refugee figures in the Middlepacted refugee figures in the MiddleEast and North Africa region. First,East and North Africa region. First,conflict in the Syrian Arab Repub-conflict in the Syrian Arab Repub-lic forced somelic forced some 647647,000000 people topeople toseek refuge in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,seek refuge in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,Lebanon, Turkey and other countriesLebanon, Turkey and other countriesin the region. Second, Governmentin the region. Second, Governmentestimates of Iraqi refugees in the Syr-estimates of Iraqi refugees in the Syr-ian Arab Republic and Jordan wereian Arab Republic and Jordan wererevised downward torevised downward to 534 400534,400 at theat theend ofend of 20122012. This revision reflects that. This revision reflects thata number of Iraqis have returned toa number of Iraqis have returned toIraq or moved onward to other coun-Iraq or moved onward to other coun-tries since their arrival. In addition,tries since their arrival. In addition,somesome 5454,000000 Malian refugees fled toMalian refugees fled toMauritania in earlyMauritania in early 20122012, while more, while morethanthan 2222,000000 Somali refugees arrivedSomali refugees arrivedin Yemen.in Yemen.

The global number of refugees under UNHCR’s mandate was estimated at10 .5 million at theend of2012 . Outflows of more than1 .1 million refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republicof the Congo, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, and the Syrian Arab Republic stretched emergencyresponse systems globally for the third year in a row.

Refugee populationIII

In sub-Saharan Africa, the num-In sub-Saharan Africa, the num-ber of refugees increased for the thirdber of refugees increased for the thirdconsecutive year. By the end ofconsecutive year. By the end of 20122012,,there were close tothere were close to 2.82.8 million refugeesmillion refugeesin sub-Saharan Africa,in sub-Saharan Africa, 81 00081,000 moremorethan at the beginning of the yearthan at the beginning of the yearand more than half a million moreand more than half a million morethan two years earlier. Nevertheless,than two years earlier. Nevertheless,

the numbers remained below thosethe numbers remained below thoseinin 20002000 when more thanwhen more than 3.43.4 mil-mil-lion people were refugees in sub-lion people were refugees in sub-Saharan Africa.Saharan Africa.

Major refugee outflows in sub-Sa-Major refugee outflows in sub-Sa-haran Africa were reported from theharan Africa were reported from theDemocratic Republic of the Congo,Democratic Republic of the Congo,Mali, Somalia, and Sudan. The out-Mali, Somalia, and Sudan. The out-break of violence in the Democraticbreak of violence in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo led to new in-Republic of the Congo led to new in-ternal displacement of more than oneternal displacement of more than one

12 Some of these groups are now included in the population category Others of concern while UNHCRassists them to integrate locally.13 This figure includes 282,30 0 Colombians in Ecuador, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Panamaconsidered to be in a refugee-like situation.




million people, as well as outflows oftens of thousands of Congolese intoUganda (40 ,200 ), Rwanda (17,000 ),and Burundi (8,200 ).(14) As observedin earlier years, on-going violence anddrought in southern and central Soma-lia continued to force large numbers toflee; in 2012 75,000 Somalis sought ref-uge abroad, mainly in Ethiopia (35,800 ),Yemen (22,300 ), and Kenya (13,800 ).

Overall, some 763,000 Somalis oran estimated 8 per cent of the popula-

tion have left the country during thepast six years. The outbreak of war inMali resulted in a large-scale refu-gee movement in 2012, when an esti-mated 143,000 people fled to Maurita-nia (54,000 ), Niger (50,200 ), and BurkinaFaso (38,400 ). Conflict in Sudan led tothe outflow of 112,500 refugees to SouthSudan (100 ,000 ) and Ethiopia (12,500 )while more than 35,000 refugees fromSouth Sudan arrived in Ethiopia.

A total of 272,800 refugees acrosssub-Saharan Africa were able to returnhome in safety and dignity, includingto Côte d’Ivoire (72,800 ), the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo (71,900 ),Burundi (35,700 )(15), Liberia (29,400 ), andAngola (19,700 ).

In the Americas, the refugee popula-tion remained virtually unchanged, atroughly 806 ,600 . The United States ofAmerica accounted for one third of refu-gees in this region according to UNHCR

estimates (262,000 ).(16) Some 1,500 Co-lombians were granted refugee status inEcuador bringing the total number ofColombian refugees (54,600 ) and peoplein a refugee-like situation (68,300 ) to al-most 123,000 at the end of 2012. In theBolivarian Republic of Venezuela, theestimated number of Colombian refu-gees and persons in a refugee-like situ-ation remained unchanged at 203,600 .

In the Asia and Pacific region, thetotal number of refugees, including peo-ple in a refugee-like situation, was esti-mated at 3.5 million at the end of 2012,a decrease of2 per cent during the year.This was largely due to the voluntaryrepatriation of almost 100,000 Afghanrefugees from Pakistan and the IslamicRepublic of Iran, and departures for re-settlement of more than 34,000 refugeesout of Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand,facilitated by UNHCR.

In Europe, the refugee populationincreased by 245,600 people to 1.8 mil-lion at the end of 2012 (+16%) largely asa result of the arrival of 308 ,000 Syr-ian refugees in Turkey. Some 68,600 ofthem returned spontaneously to their

country in the course of the year. Anadditional 17,700 Syrian asylum-seekerswere granted international protectionon an individual basis across Europe.The increase in Syrian refugees acrossEurope was partly offset by a revision ofUNHCR’s refugee estimate for the Unit-ed Kingdom, from 193,600 to149,800 .(17)

COUNTRIES OF ASYLUM

With one exception, the 10 major ref-ugee-hosting countries in 2012 were

the same as in 2011. The United Statesof America dropped out of the list ofthe top 10, and Turkey moved in into10th place [see Figure 5]. Together, these10 countries hosted 5.8 million or 55 percent of all refugees worldwide.

Pakistan continued to host the largestnumber of refugees in the world (1.64 mil-lion), nearly all from Afghanistan. Theoverall figure decreased by 64,000 peoplecompared to the start of the year, mainlydue to voluntary repatriation of Afghanrefugees. The Islamic Republic of Iranhosted 868 ,200 refugees by year-end,almost all Afghans. An overall drop of18,200 refugees was observed, mainlybecause of repatriating Afghans.

Protractedrefugee situationsUNHCR defines a protracted refugeesituation as one in which 25,000 or morerefugees of the same nationality have beenin exile for five years or longer in a givenasylum country. Based on this definition, it is

estimated that some 6.4 million refugees werein a protracted situation by the end of 2012.These refugees were living in 25 host countriesaccounting for an overall total of 30 protractedsituations.•

14 Congolese arriving in Uganda were grantedrefugee status on a prima facie basis whereas thosearriving in Burundi and Rwanda went throughindividual refugee status determination.15 Some 33,800 returnees included former refugeesliving in Mtabila camp, United Repu blic of Tanzania.The cessation clause of refugee stat us of this groupfell on 1 August, 2012, and the orderly return operationto Burundi took place on 31 October, 2012.16 In the absence of official refugee statistics,UNHCR is required to estimate refugee populationsin 25 industrialized countries.17 Idem.

UNHCR regions

Start-2012 End-2012 Change (total)

Refugees

People inrefugee-likesituations Total refugees Refugees

People inrefugee-likesituations Total refugees Absolute %

- Central Africa and Great Lakes 635,100 - 635,100 479,300 - 479,300 -155,800 -24.5%- East and Horn of Africa 1,606,900 26,000 1,632,900 1,866,700 26,000 1,892,700 259,800 15.9%- Southern Africa 144,600 - 144,600 134,700 - 134,700 -9,900 -6.8%- West Africa 280,600 - 280,600 267,800 - 267,800 -12,800 -4.6%

Total Africa* 2,667,200 26,000 2,693,200 2,748,500 26,000 2,774,500 81,300 3.0%

Americas 516,800 290,800 807,600 515,400 291,200 806,600 -1,000 -0.1%Asia and Pacific 3,391,000 216,300 3 ,607,300 3,299,300 226,200 3,525,500 -81,800 -2.3%Europe 1,553,300 900 1,554,200 1,799,300 500 1,799,800 245,600 15.8%Middle East and North Africa 1,669,300 70,900 1,740,200 1,519,000 74,800 1,593,800 -146,400 -8.4%

Total 9,797,600 604,900 10,402,500 9,881,500 618,700 10,500,200 97,700 0.9%

*Excluding North Africa.

TABLE 1 Refugee populations by UNHCR regions| 2012




Germany reported 589,700 refugeesat the end of 2012, an increase of 3 percent (+18,000 people), making it thethird-largest refugee hosting country inthe world. (18) Kenya ranked fourth with564,900 refugees, virtually unchanged

compared to the start of the year(566,500 ). In light of the deteriorating hu-manitarian situation and escalating vio-lence in the Syrian Arab Republic, theGovernment estimate for Iraqi refugeesin the country was revised from 750,000 to 471,400 assuming that a number ofIraqis had left the country. UNHCR con-tinued to provide assistance to a regis-tered 62,700 Iraqi refugees in the SyrianArab Republic by end 2012. Includingother groups, the total number of refu-

gees in the Syrian Arab Republic was476,500 at year-end, making it the fifthlargest refugee-hosting country.

Ethiopia continued to receive newarrivals in 2012 with 94 ,000 peopleseeking refuge, mostly from Soma-lia (35,800 ) and South Sudan (35,200 ), butalso Sudan (12,500 ) and Eritrea (10,700 ).Since 2008 , when Ethiopia was host to83,600 refugees, figures have more thanquadrupled. By the end of 2012, the refu-gee population had grown to 376,400 and

Ethiopia was hosting the sixth largestrefugee population in the world.

The refugee population in Chadremained relatively stable at 373,700 compared to 366,500 at the end of 2011.In Jordan, the Government’s estimate ofIraqi refugees was revised down from450,000 to 63,000 . This reduction waspartly offset by the arrival of more than131,000 Syrian refugees. The total num-ber of refugees in Jordan stood at302,700 by year-end, making it the eighth largestrefugee-hosting country in the world.

Reported numbers of refugees in Chi-na remained largely unchanged sincethe early 1980’s, and the country featuredas9th largest refugee-hosting country ac-cordingly. Meanwhile, in Turkey, therewere significant numbers of new arriv-als in 2012. More than 307,700 Syrian ref-ugees arrived over the course of the yearand were granted temporary protectionby the Government of Turkey. With thereturn of 68 ,600 people to the SyrianArab Republic, the number was 248,500

Most refugeeslive in developingcountries

The percentage of refugees residing indeveloping countrieshas increased over the pastdecade. Ten years ago, developing countries hostedon average 70 per cent of the world’s refugees; thisfigure now stands at 81 per cent.

By the end of 2012, developing countries hosted8.5 million refugees. The 49 Least DevelopedCountries provided asylum to 2.5 million refugeesor 24 per cent of the global total.•

at the end of 2012. Combined with otherrefugee populations, the total number ofrefugees in Turkey was 267,100, movingit from the 59th to the 10th most importantrefugee-hosting country in the space ofonly one year. In no other country had

the change been so dramatic.

COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN

Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, the Syr-ian Arab Republic, and Sudan werethe top five source countries of refugeesat the end of 2012. With the exceptionof the Syrian Arab Republic, this wascomparable to the end of 2011, when Af-

18 The refugee estimate for Germany is cur rentlyunder review which may lead to an adjustment infuture reports.

Fig. 3 Source countries of refugees| 2008-2012Ranking based on 2012 data

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Others

‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12

Eritrea Viet Nam

**Colombia**Myanmar

DR of Congo*Sudan

Syrian Arab Rep.

IraqSomalia

Afghanistan

*May include citizens of South Sudan (in the ab sence of separate statistics for b oth countries).**Includes people in refugee-like situation.

(in millions)

Fig. 4 Major source countries of refugees| end-2012

AfghanistanSomalia

Iraq

Syrian Arab Rep.*Sudan

Dem. Rep. of Congo**Myanmar**Colombia***Viet Nam

Eritrea

2,585,6001,136,100

746,400

728,500

569,200

509,400

415,300

394,100

336,900

285,100

*May include citizens of South Sudan (in absence of sepa rate statistics for both co untries).**Includes people in a refugee-like situation.***The 300,000 Vietna mese refugees are well integrated and in practice receive protection from theGovernment of China.




ghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo werethe top-ranking source countries. Thetop five countries of 2012 accounted formore than half (55%) of all refugees un-der UNHCR’s responsibility worldwide[seeFigure 3].

With close to 2.6 million refugees in82 countries, Afghanistan remainedthe leading country of origin of refu-gees in 2012. The country has remainedon top of the list for 32 consecutiveyears with numbers varying from500 ,000 refugees at the onset of the cri-sis in 1979, to more than 6.3 million at itspeak in 1990. On average, one out of fourrefugees in the world are from Afghani-

stan, with 95 per cent of them locatedin Pakistan and the Islamic Republicof Iran. Outside the immediate region,Germany hosted the largest number ofAfghans - an estimated 31,700 people.

Somalis were the second largest refu-gee group under UNHCR’s responsibil-ity, with more than 1.1 million peopleat the end of 2012 - 61,000 more than atthe start of the year. Between 2007 and2011, more than half a million Somalisarrived in Ethiopia and Kenya as a re-sult of conflict and violence combinedwith drought and famine. One positivesign was that the refugee outflow sloweddown in 2012, with 35,800 arriving inEthiopia and 13,800 in Kenya. In addi-tion, 3,200 Somalis fled to Djibouti whilesome 22,300 embarked on a perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden or theRed Sea to Yemen.

Despite signficiant revisions offigures, Iraqis were the third largestrefugee group in 2012, with an esti-mated 746,400 persons mainly in theSyrian Arab Republic (471,400 ) and Jordan (63,000 ). This is nearly less

than half of the figure reported in 2011 (1.4 million), as Governments reducedtheir estimates in both countries, on theassumption that many people returnedto Iraq or moved elsewhere. Other im-portant host countries of Iraqi refugeeswere Germany (49,800 ) and the IslamicRepublic of Iran (44,100).

Conflict in the Syrian Arab Republicforced 647,000 people to flee mainly toneighbouring countries. This was thelargest annual exodus by a single refu-

gee group since 1999, when more than867,000 people fled Kosovo (S/RES/1244

(1999)), primarily to Albania, Bosnia andHerzegovina, and the former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia. The total num-ber of Syrian refugees at end 2012 was728,500 , making them the fourth larg-est refugee group in the world – a jumpfrom 36th place a year earlier.

Sudan was the fifth largest countryof origin, with 569,200 refugees underUNHCR’s mandate at the end of 2012, up

from 387,100 (19) two years earlier. Fight-ing in southern areas of Sudan drove100,000 persons to seek refuge in SouthSudan and 12,500 in Ethiopia during theyear. An estimated 218,000 Sudanesehave fled the country since the outbreakof conflict in2011.

Other main source countries of refu-gees were the Democratic Republic of theCongo, Myanmar, and Colombia. Thenumber of Congolese refugees increasedfor the fifth consecutive year, reachingan all-time high by year-end (509,400 ).Some 40 ,000 Congolese were grantedprima facie refugee status in Uganda,while an additional 25,300 Congolesewere recognized on an individual basis,mainly in Rwanda (15,100), and in Bu-rundi (6,400 ). The numbers of refugeesfrom Myanmar (415,300 ) and Colom-bia (394,100) remained relatively stablecompared to 2011. The figure for Myan-mar included an estimated 200 ,000 un-registered people in Bangladesh. Thefigure for Colombians included refugeesas well people in a refugee-like situationin Ecuador, the Bolivarian Republic ofVenezuela and Panama.

19 This figure includes citizens of South Suda n inthe absence of separate statistics available for bothcountries until 2011.

Fig. 6 Number of refugees per 1 USD GDP (PPP)per capita | 2012

PakistanEthiopia

KenyaSouth Sudan

ChadDem. Rep. of Congo

UgandaBangladesh

YemenSyrian Arab Rep.

552303301

209200

153130

11298

90

Fig. 5 Major refugee-hosting countries| end-2012

PakistanIslamic Rep. of Iran

Germany

Kenya*Syrian Arab Rep.

EthiopiaChad

* Jordan**ChinaTurkey

1,638,500

*Government estimate.**The 300,000 Vietna mese refugees are well integrated and in practice receive protection fromthe Government of China.

868,200589,700

564,900476,500

376,400373,700

302,700301,000

267,100






Naima Abdullahi,36, outside her home inAtlanta, Georgia. An ethnic Oromo fromEthiopia, her parents fled to Kenya. She wasonly 10 when the family was resettled in theUnited States.




While UNHCR works to ensure that the rights and well-being of refugees are protected, theorganization is also mandated to seek durable solutions that allow refugees to rebuild theirlives in dignity and safety. There are three solutions for refugees: voluntary repatriation, localintegration, or resettlement to a third country.

VVOLUNTARY REPATRIA-OLUNTARY REPATRIA-

TIONTION is the durable solu-is the durable solu-tion for the largest numbertion for the largest numberof refugees. It requires theof refugees. It requires thecommitment of the coun-commitment of the coun-

try of origin to protect and to reinte-try of origin to protect and to reinte-grate its own citizens back into theirgrate its own citizens back into theirhome communities. For some refu-home communities. For some refu-gees, resettlement to a third countrygees, resettlement to a third countryis a way to find permanent safetyis a way to find permanent safetyand the enjoyment of fundamentaland the enjoyment of fundamentalhuman rights. For others, findinghuman rights. For others, findinga long-term home in the country ofa long-term home in the country of

asylum and integrating into the localasylum and integrating into the local

community offers a solution to theircommunity offers a solution to theirplight and the opportunity to start aplight and the opportunity to start anew life.new life.

Resettlement benefits a compara-Resettlement benefits a compara-tively small number of refugees: intively small number of refugees: in20122012, less than one per cent of the, less than one per cent of theworld’s refugees benefited from thisworld’s refugees benefited from thisdurable solution. Over the past tendurable solution. Over the past tenyears, someyears, some 836836 ,500500 refugees were re-refugees were re-settled compared tosettled compared to 7.2 million refu-million refu-gees who repatriated. In recent years,gees who repatriated. In recent years,UNHCR and States have worked toUNHCR and States have worked to

increase the use of resettlement as aincrease the use of resettlement as a

strategic durable solution.strategic durable solution.Local integration is a complex andLocal integration is a complex and

gradual process which comprisesgradual process which comprisesdistinct but related legal, economic,distinct but related legal, economic,social and cultural dimensions. Forsocial and cultural dimensions. Formany, acquiring the nationality ofmany, acquiring the nationality ofthe country of asylum is the culmi-the country of asylum is the culmi-nation of this process. The analysisnation of this process. The analysisof local integration data appearing inof local integration data appearing inthis report is limited to the availabil-this report is limited to the availabil-ity of statistics on the naturalizationity of statistics on the naturalizationof refugees in host countries.of refugees in host countries.

IV

Durable Solutions for Refugees

COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS STRATEGIES

When positive changes of a funda-When positive changes of a funda-mental and durable nature havemental and durable nature havetaken place in a refugee’s country oftaken place in a refugee’s country oforigin, and it is recognized that theorigin, and it is recognized that thecauses of flight no longer exist, bothcauses of flight no longer exist, boththethe 19511951 Refugee Convention and theRefugee Convention and the19691969 Convention Governing the Spe-Convention Governing the Spe-cific Aspects of Refugee Problems incific Aspects of Refugee Problems inAfrica provide for the formal cessa-Africa provide for the formal cessa-tion of refugee status. At the end oftion of refugee status. At the end of20112011, UNHCR recommended to cease, UNHCR recommended to ceaserefugee status of Angolan refugeesrefugee status of Angolan refugees

who fled their country as a result ofwho fled their country as a result ofconflicts betweenconflicts between 19611961 andand 20022002 , and, andof Liberian refugees who fled as aof Liberian refugees who fled as aresult of civil wars betweenresult of civil wars between 19891989 andand20032003 , as of, as of3030 June June 20122012. Refugee sta-. Refugee sta-tus for Rwandan refugees who fledtus for Rwandan refugees who fledtheir country betweentheir country between 19591959 andand 3131 De-De-cembercember 19981998 as a result of the differ-as a result of the differ-ent episodes of inter-ethnic violenceent episodes of inter-ethnic violencebetweenbetween 19591959 andand 19941994, the genocide, the genocideofof 19941994 and its aftermath, and the re-and its aftermath, and the re-newed armed conflict that eruptednewed armed conflict that erupted

in north-western Rwanda fromin north-western Rwanda from 19971997 toto19981998 will cease as of, will cease as of3030 June June 20132013.

Leading up to the cessation, com-Leading up to the cessation, com-prehensive strategies have been de-prehensive strategies have been de-signed and implemented to find solu-signed and implemented to find solu-tions for as many Angolan, Liberiantions for as many Angolan, Liberianand Rwandan refugees as possible,and Rwandan refugees as possible,be it in their countries of origin orbe it in their countries of origin orof asylum.of asylum.

For Angolan refugees significantFor Angolan refugees, significantprogress was made inprogress was made in 20122012 as some, as some20 00020,000 refugees returned with anotherrefugees returned, with another




26,000 persons registered for repatria-tion. Some 70,000 opted for local inte-gration, primarily in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo and Zambia.At the Intergovernmental Ministerialmeeting, the Government of Zambia

pledged to support the local integrationof about 10,000 Angolan refugees whohave been living in Zambia for over fourdecades, some of whom have been bornand brought up in the country as second-or third-generation refugees.

Some 29,500 Liberian refugees re-turned home in 2012, while local inte-gration was underway for 12,400 per-sons. Local integration has been greatlyfacilitated by the Economic Commu-nity of West African States (ECOWAS)

Protocol relating to Free Movement ofPersons, Residence and Establishment,which allowed former Liberian refugeesto reside and work in any ECOWASMember State.

For Rwandan refugees, some11,200 returned home in 2012, with lo-cal integration underway in some hostcountries. Some Governments in theregion have agreed to pursue feasible lo-cal integration opportunities for Rwan-dan refugees, including citizenship

through naturalization.A regional comprehensive solutions

strategy to enhance the search for com-prehensive solutions for Congolese refu-gees from the Democratic Republic of theCongo was also developed in2012. While

repatriation and local integration oppor-tunities were being pursued in some asy-lum countries, some 7,000 Congolese ref-ugees were submitted for resettlement in2012 as part of a multi-year resettlementplan, targeting over 50,000 submissions

from 2012 to2015/2016.

VOL UNTARY RE PATRIATI ON

The number of refugees repatriatingdropped steadily from 2004 to 2010 ,when only 197,600 people were able toreturn home. This trend reversed in2011 with the reported repatriation of532,000 refugees, and has remainedconstant in 2012.(22) Globally, more than7.2 million refugees have returned homeover the past 10 years, 4.9 million of

them with UNHCR’s assistance.In 2012, the main countries of return

were Afghanistan (98,600 ), Iraq (82,300 ),Côte d’Ivoire (72,900 ), the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo (71,900 ), and theSyrian Arab Republic (68,600 ). Most ofthe Afghans and Iraqis had been in exilefor many years before finally being ableto return. Of the repatriating Syrian andIvorian refugees, most returned afteronly one or two years in exile.

The largest numbers of refugee de-

partures were reported by Pakistan(83,400 ), followed by Liberia (72,000 ),Turkey ( 68 ,800 ), the Syrian ArabRepublic (56,900 ), and the Republicof Congo (46,600 ). With the perspec-tive of continued violence in both the

Syrian Arab Republic and Congo,returns to these countries may notbe sustainable.

As of June 2012, UNHCR ceasedawarding refugee status to people whohad fled Angola as a result of the coun-

try’s 1965-75 war of independence or sub-sequent civil war, which ended in 2002 .Many of the roughly 600 ,000 peoplewho fled Angola to neighbouring coun-tries had already returned. To facilitatereturns ahead of the cessation deadline,UNHCR launched a new assisted returnprogramme in late 2011, to help Ango-lan refugees return home from nearbycountries. Overall some 20 ,000 Ango-lans returned in 2012, almost all of themwith UNHCR’s assistance.

In West Africa, UNHCR concludedthe voluntary repatriation operation fortens of thousands of Liberians forced intoexile during the 14 years of civil war inthe country. In total, UNHCR helpedmore than 155,000 Liberian refugees togo home, mainly by road convoys andchartered flights.

RESETTLEMENT

Resettlement continued its vital role asan essential component of comprehen-

sive frameworks for solutions, while of-fering an important protection tool andan international responsibility-sharingmechanism. Although the resettlementbase expanded to include 27 countriesin 2012, the number of annual resettle-ment places offered by States did notsignificantly increase, remaining ataround 80 ,000 places allocated globally.Resettlement needs continued to exceedthe number of places available by a ra-tio of1:10.

In 2012, UNHCR submitted over74,800 refugees for resettlement, 18 percent less than in 2011. Some 11 per centof all resettlement submissions werefor women and girls at risk. This wasthe highest percentage of recent years,up from less than 8 per cent in 2008 .Overall submission levels have declinedfrom a peak in 2009 , when more than128,000 refugees were put forward. Thisreflected increased time for the process-ing of complex cases and UNHCR’s deci-sion to restrict submission levels in order

22 Based on consolidated reports from countriesof asylum (departure) and origin (return).

Fig. 8 Refugee returns| 2000-2012

‘00 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12non-assistedUNHCR-assisted

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0

(in millions)

‘01 ‘02 ‘03




rights and in some cases the acquisitionof citizenship in the country of asylum.As an economic, social and cultural pro-cess, refugees are able to live amongst oralongside the host population, withoutdiscrimination or exploitation and con-tribute actively to the social, economicand cultural life of their country of asy-lum. Local integration requires efforts

by all concerned, including on the partof refugees to adapt to the host society,and on the part of host communitiesto welcome refugees and to meet theirdiverse needs.

Measuring the number of refugeeswho have naturalized remained chal-lenging. Where refugees can acquirecitizenship through naturalization,many countries do not distinguish thenaturalization of refugees from that ofother categories of persons. Hence, the

23 The United States of America ceas ed issuingstatistics on the number of naturalized refugees.The latest available information is for 2009, when55,300 refugees were naturalized between Januaryand September of that year.

On 26 October 2012,a decree was issued by the Brazilian Governmentto grant permanent residency to nearly 2,000 former Angolan andLiberian refugees. This measure was adopted by the Brazilian migrationauthorities following a global UNHCR recommendation in January that

year, asking States to apply the cessation clauses in the two refugee

situations. Brazil is the first country in Latin America and outside theAfrican region to adopt UNHCR’s recommendations. Most Angolan andLiberian refugees living in Brazil arrived in the country during the 1990’s,fleeing internal civil conflicts that displaced millions of people.•

to avoid an excessive backlog of peopleunable to depart.

During the year, a total of 88 ,600 ref-ugees were admitted by 22 resettlementcountries, including the United Statesof America (66 ,300 ), Canada (9,600 ),

Australia (5,900 ), Sweden (1,900 ), andNorway (1,200 ). This was 8,800 peoplemore than in 2011 (79,800 ). The UnitedStates of America and Canada togetheradmitted nearly nine out of ten resettledrefugees in 2012.

In 2012, almost 71,300 individuals de-parted with UNHCR’s assistance, 15 percent more than in 2011. By nationality,the main beneficiaries of the UNHCR-facilitated resettlement programmeswere refugees from Myanmar (17,400 ),

Bhutan (16,700 ), Iraq (13,700 ), andSomalia (7,000 ).

UNHCR’s offices in 85 countries ofasylum were involved in facilitatingresettlement processing during 2012.The largest number of refugees reset-tled with UNHCR’s assistance departedfrom Nepal (16,700 ), Malaysia (10,500 ),Thailand ( 7,300 ), Turkey (5,900 ), and theSyrian Arab Republic (3,500 ). These fiveUNHCR offices combined accounted for6 out of every10 resettlement departures

assisted by the organization in 2012.

LOCAL INTEGRATION

Local integration is a complex and grad-ual process by which refugees legally,economically, socially and culturally in-tegrate as members of the host society.As a legal process, refugees are granteda range of entitlements and rights whichare broadly commensurate with thoseenjoyed by citizens. Over time the pro-cess should lead to permanent residence

naturalization of refugees tends to be re-stricted and under-reported.

Nevertheless, information avail-able to UNHCR shows that duringthe past decade at least 801,000 refu-gees have been granted citizenship bytheir asylum countries. The UnitedStates of America alone accounted fortwo-thirds of this figure. (23) For 2012,

UNHCR was informed of refugees beinggranted citizenship in 27 countries, in-cluding Belgium (2,100), Ireland (1,100),Viet Nam (990 ), Montenegro (230), andArmenia (215).n

Brazilian residency for Angolan and Liberian refugees

Fig. 9 Resettlement of refugees| 2000-2012

120,000

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0‘00 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12

UNHCR-assisted departuresTotal resettlement arrivals

‘01 ‘02 ‘03




A tense-looking womanin the remoteriver village of Apawe in Myanmar’sRakhine State. More than half the peoplein the village were forcibly displacedduring inter-communal violence in

October 2012. The villagers needed foodand clothing.




THE NUMBER OF IDPHE NUMBER OF IDPS , in-in-cluding people in IDP-likecluding people in IDP-likesituations,situations, 25)(25) who benefitedwho benefited

from UNHCR’s protectionfrom UNHCR’s protectionand assistance activitiesand assistance activities

stood at almoststood at almost 1717.7 million at themillion at theend ofend of 20122012. This was the highest fig-. This was the highest fig-ure on record, andure on record, and 2.2 million moremillion morethan at the start of the year (than at the start of the year ( 1515.5 mil-mil-lion). Where UNHCR was engagedlion). Where UNHCR was engagedwith IDP populations, offices re-with IDP populations, offices re-ported at least five million newly-ported at least five million newly-displaced people indisplaced people in 20122012, particularly, particularlyin the Democratic Republic of thein the Democratic Republic of theCongo and the Syrian Arab Repub-Congo and the Syrian Arab Repub-lic. Among those countries wherelic. Among those countries whereUNHCR was operational, close toUNHCR was operational, close to1.6 million IDPs returned homemillion IDPs returned homeduring the reporting period, manyduring the reporting period, manywith UNHCR’s assistance. UNHCRwith UNHCR’s assistance. UNHCRfigures for end offigures for end of 20122012 included IDPincluded IDPpopulations in a total ofpopulations in a total of 2626 countries.countries.

With someWith some 4 million internallymillion internallydisplaced people registered by thedisplaced people registered by theGovernment sinceGovernment since 19971997, Colombia, Colombiacontinued to face a large displace-continued to face a large displace-

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimated the global number of personsdisplaced by armed conflict, generalized violence and human rights violations at the end of2012 at some28 .8 million, the highest number in more than two decades.(24)

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)V

ment situation. Escalating conflictment situation. Escalating conflictand violence in the Syrian Arab Re-and violence in the Syrian Arab Re-public displaced an estimated twopublic displaced an estimated two

million within the country, andmillion within the country, andaffected an estimated four millionaffected an estimated four millionmore by the end of the year. Despitemore by the end of the year. Despiteaccess and security constraints,access and security constraints,UNHCR was able to assist an esti-UNHCR was able to assist an esti-matedmated 700700 ,000000 individuals inindividuals in 20122012.

Renewed fighting in the Demo-Renewed fighting in the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo displacedcratic Republic of the Congo displacedmore than a million people duringmore than a million people during

the year, bringing the total num-the year, bringing the total num-ber of IDPs in the country to almostber of IDPs in the country to almost2.72.7 million by the end ofmillion by the end of 20122012. At the. At thesame time,same time, 305 000305,000 IDPs were able toIDPs were able toreturn home, some soon after theirreturn home, some soon after theirdisplacement. War in Mali indisplacement. War in Mali in 20122012

24 For detailed statistics on global internaldisplacement, see the IDMC website atwww.internal-displacement.org.25 As in Kyrgyzstan (168,600), South Sudan(155,200), and Sudan (77,300).

Fig. 10 Conflict-induced internal displacement| 2001-2012 (end-year)

‘01 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12Portion of IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

(in millions)

‘02 ‘03




BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINASERBIA* GEORGIA

AZERBAIJAN

AFGHANISTAN

PAKISTAN

SRI LANKA

YE ME N

SOMALIACOLOMBIA

KENYA

BURUNDI

ZIMBABWEDEM. REP. OF THE CONGO

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

CHAD

SUDAN**

**SOUTH SUDANCENTRAL AFRICAN REP.

MYANMAR

KYRGYZSTAN**

IRAQ LIBYA

IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR| end-2012Map 3

IDP population4,000,000

400,000

2,000,000

*Serbia (and Kosovo: S/RES/1244 (1999))**Includes people in an IDP-like situation.

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

MALI

displaced more than 227,000 peoplewithin the country. Inter-communaltensions in Rakhine State of Myanmarresulted in 115,000 people fleeing theirhomes, and the total number of IDPs inMyanmar was estimated at 430,000 byyear-end. Renewed conflict and secu-rity concerns displaced 203,000 peoplein Afghanistan in 2012; by the end of theyear, the number of IDPs was estimatedat almost half a million.

Significant numbers of new inter-nal displacement caused by conflict orviolence were also reported by Paki-stan (362,000 ), South Sudan (190,500 ),Philippines (178,000 ), Libya (143,000 ),and Sudan (104,000 ).

Although millions of people werenewly displaced during the year, oth-ers were able to return to their placesof habitual residence. In collaborationwith the Yemeni authorities, UNHCRassisted tens of thousands of people inmaking their way back home. Thiswas the first significant number of re-turns since May 2011 when fighting be-

tween government troops and militantserupted in southern Yemen. Overall,although some 107,000 IDPs in Yemenreturned in the course of the year, thenumber of IDPs protected/assisted byUNHCR in Yemen remained high, ataround 385,300 .

Some 219,000 Iraqis returned to theirhomes in 2012, reducing the number ofIDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR inthe country to 1.1 million. Similarly, thenumber of people still displaced in Côted’Ivoire dropped to 45,000 by year-endas96,000 people returned to their placesof habitual residence.

Although more than 100,000 peopleheaded home, the number of IDPs pro-tected or assisted by UNHCR in Sudanremained high, approximately 1.8 mil-lion(26) by the end of the year. In Somalia,the IDP figure was an estimated 1.1 mil-lion, including large numbers in Moga-dishu and the Afgooye Corridor.

Overall, the highest number of IDPreturns was reported in the Philip-pines (336,000 ), the Democratic Repub-lic of the Congo (305,000 ), Iraq (219,000 ),and Libya (177,500 ).n U

N H C R /

F .

N O Y

On 6 December 2012,the African UnionConvention on the Protection of and Assistanceto Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (knownas the Kampala Convention) entered into force.

This was a major breakthrough for the protectionof IDPs in Africa.

The Convention covers displacement from causesthat include conflict, generalized violence, humanrights violations, manmade and natural disasters,climate change and public and private worksprojects. It affirms the primary responsibility ofStates for their own internally displaced citizens,and calls for national and regional actions toprevent internal displacement and to ensure thatIDPs are protected and helped.

Countries that have ratified the Conventionare required to transfer its provisions intonational laws. UNHCR, together with partners,is promoting further ratifications and assistingGovernments to domesticate the Convention.• 26 According to IDMC estimates, the number of ID Ps

in Sudan is estimated at at least 2.2 million.

The KampalaConvention




A group of displacedCongolese womenmakeconglomerate woodenbricks, which are used asfuel for cooking. Theywill be sold to otherwomen so they do nothave to risk assault bysearching for firewood.




A family of asylum-seekersin a receptioncentre in Sofia, Bulgaria. Asylum-seekers areprovided with shelter, health insurance anda modest allowance while waiting for theirclaims to be processed.




An asylum-seeker is an individual seeking international protection and whose claim for refugeestatus has not yet been determined. This section presents main trends in individual asylumapplications lodged in2012 , with an overview of decisions. It does not include information onmass influxes of refugees, nor on those granted refugee status on a group or prima facie basis.

VI

Asylum-seekers

SOMEOME 893893 700700 27)(27) INDIVIDU-INDIVIDU-ALAL applications for asylum orapplications for asylum orrefugee status were submittedrefugee status were submittedto governments or UNHCR’sto governments or UNHCR’soffices inoffices in 164164 countries orcountries or

territories duringterritories during 20122012, the second, the secondhighest level of the past ten years.highest level of the past ten years.While this constituted aWhile this constituted a 3 per centper centincrease globally compared toincrease globally compared to 20112011 (864864 ,600600 claims), the increase in in-claims), the increase in in-

dustrialized countries was an es-dustrialized countries was an es-timatedtimated 8 per cent.per cent. 28)(28) Of the provi-Of the provi-sional total ofsional total of 893893,700700 asylum claims,asylum claims,an estimatedan estimated 731731,900900 were initial ap-were initial ap-plicationsplications 29)(29) lodged in first instancelodged in first instanceprocedures, while the remainingprocedures, while the remaining161161,800800 claims were submitted at sec-claims were submitted at sec-ond instance, including with courtsond instance, including with courtsor other appellate bodies.or other appellate bodies. 30)(30)

UNHCR’s offices registeredUNHCR’s offices registeredsomesome 115115,800800 individual asylum ap-individual asylum ap-plications of the provisional total ofplications of the provisional total of893893,700700 claims inclaims in 20122012, significantly, significantlymore than the year before (more than the year before ( 9898 ,800800 ).).The Office’s share in the globalThe Office’s share in the globalnumber of applications registered in-number of applications registered in-creased fromcreased from 1111 toto 1313 per cent.per cent.

For the first time sinceFor the first time since 20062006 , South, SouthAfrica was not number one host ofAfrica was not number one host ofnew asylum-seekers. Instead, thenew asylum-seekers. Instead, theUnited States of America topped theUnited States of America topped thelist with an estimatedlist with an estimated 70 40070,400 newnewasylum claims registered duringasylum claims registered duringthe year.the year. 31)(31) This number represent-This number represent-ed an increase ofed an increase of 9 per cent inper cent in 20122012,,compared tocompared to 20112011 ((64 40064,400 ; revised; revised

estimate). Asylum-seekers fromestimate). Asylum-seekers from

Egypt (+Egypt (+101101 ), Honduras (+%), Honduras (+3636 ), Mex-%), Mex-ico (+ico (+3333 ), and Guatemala (+%), and Guatemala (+1313 ) ac-%) ac-counted primarily for this increase.counted primarily for this increase.Almost half of all asylum claims inAlmost half of all asylum claims inthe country were lodged by asylum-the country were lodged by asylum-seekers from China (seekers from China ( 2424 ), Mexi-%), Mexi-co (co (1717 ), or El Salvador (%), or El Salvador (7 ). Violence%). Violencegenerated by transnational organ-generated by transnational organ-ized crime, gang-related violence andized crime, gang-related violence and

drug cartels in some parts of Centraldrug cartels in some parts of Central

NEW INDIVIDUAL ASYLUM APPLICATIONS REGISTERED

27 Owing to the fact that some European countries have not yet released all their national asylum data at the time of writing, this figure is likely to be revised laterthis year.28 For a detailed analysis of asylum trends in industrialized countries, see Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries , 2012, UNHCR Geneva, March2013, available at:http://www.unhcr.org/5149b81e9.html29 The data for some countries include a significant number of repeat claims, i.e. the applicant has submitted at least one previous application in the same oranother country.30 Statistical information on outcomes of asylum appeals and court proceedings is under-reported in UNHCR’s statistics, particularly in industrialized countries,

because this type of data is often either not collected by States or not published separately.31 Estimated number of ind ividuals based on the number of new cases (43,050) and multiplied by 1.1 to reflect the average number of individuals per case (Source:US Department of Homeland Security); and number of new “defensive” asylum requests lodged with the Executive Office of Immigration Review (23,050, reportedby individuals). Until recently, UNHCR applied the factor of 1.4 for data provided by the US Depar tment of Homeland Security. This figure was revised as a result ofnewly available information. As a result, the f igure quoted in this report differs from the one quoted in the document Asylum Levels and Trends in IndustrializedCountries , 2012, UNHCR Geneva, March 2013 (http://www.unhcr.org/5149b81e9.html).

TABLE 2 New and appeal applications registered| 2010-2012

2010 2011 2012**State* 747,300 734,100 755,100UNHCR 96,800 98,800 115,800 Jointly*** 6,200 31,700 22,800

Total 850,300 864,600 893,700

% UNHCR only 11% 11% 13%

* Includes revised estimates.

** Provisional figure.

*** Refers to refugee status determination conducted jointly by UNHCR and governments.




America may have contributed to the in-creased number of individuals from thisregion seeking international protection.

For the first time since 2001 , Ger-many was the second largest recipi-ent worldwide of asylum-seekers andthe main recipient in Europe, with64 ,500 new asylum claims registeredin 2012. This was a 41 per cent increase

over 2011 (45,700 claims), and the fifthconsecutive year in which figureshave gone up. Serbia (and Kosovo:S/RES/ 1244 (1999)) was the top countryof origin of asylum-seekers in Germany(10,400 claims), followed by Afghanistan(7,500 claims), the Syrian Arab Republic(6,200 ), and Iraq (5,400 claims). A sizablenumber of applicants from the Balkanswere believed to be of Roma origin,(32)

and one fifth of all applications in Ger-many were lodged by people comingfrom Kosovo (S/RES/1244 (1999)). Thenumber of Syrians fleeing conflict andviolence in their country more than dou-bled, from 2,600 applications in 2011, to6,200 a year later.

Whereas South Africa had beenthe leading destination country of newasylum-seekers for the six previousyears, asylum levels there dropped byalmost half in 2012, compared to 2011.South Africa’s Department of HomeAffairs reported 61,500 new asylum

applications in 2012, 45,400 claims lessthan in 2011 (-42%). Asylum levels havegradually dropped from the 2009 peakof222,300 claims [seeFigure 11]. Between2008 and 2012, South Africa registered778,600 new asylum applications for thisfive-year period, with Zimbabweans ac-counting for more than half of all claimssubmitted – close to half a million asy-

lum applications. As in past years, Zim-babweans again lodged the majority ofnew asylum claims in 2012 (17,200 ).

France was the fourth largest re-cipient of asylum-seekers in 2012, with55,100 new asylum requests registeredduring the year - a 6 per cent increasecompared to 2011 (52,100 claims), and thehighest since 2004 (58,600 claims). Theincrease was due to higher numbers ofasylum-seekers from the Russian Fed-eration (+32%), the Democratic Republicof the Congo (+38%), and Albania (+455%).Overall, the Russian Federation was thetop country of origin of asylum-seekersin France, with close to 5,400 applica-tions, followed by the Democratic Re-public of the Congo (5,300 claims) andSerbia (and Kosovo: S/RES/1244 (1999))(4,000 claims).

Sweden ranked fifth in 2012, with43,900 applications received during theyear, a 48 per cent increase compared to2011 (29,600 claims). This was the second

highest level since 1992, when more than84,000 people, many of them fleeing theformer Yugoslavia, had requested asy-lum in Sweden. The 2012 increase wasmainly due to increased numbers ofasylum-seekers from the Syrian Arab

Republic (7,800 claims received in 2012,compared to 650 claims in 2011). Thenumber of Somali and Afghan asylum-seekers also increased (+42% and +15%respectively). Afghanistan, Somalia andthe Syrian Arab Republic were the topthree source countries of asylum appli-cations in Sweden, accounting for 41 percent of all claims registered.

Other important destination coun-tries for asylum-seekers were the UnitedKingdom (27,500 ), Switzerland (25,900 ),

Australia (25,300 ), Canada (20 ,200 )(33)

,and Kenya (20,000 ).

In 2012, UNHCR’s offices registered110,700 new individual applications forrefugee status and 5,100 on appeal or forreview. The office in Kenya received thelargest number of new requests ( 20,000 ).Malaysia the second largest (19,400 ), fol-lowed by Turkey (16,700 ), Indonesia(7,200 ), and Egypt (6,700 ). With the ex-ception of Egypt and Yemen, countrieslisted in Table 3 saw an increase in indi-

vidual asylum applications. The top fiveUNHCR offices receiving asylum appli-cations in 2012 registered 63 per cent of

32 According to the German Federal Of fice for Migration and Refugees, 92 per cent of all asylum applicant s in Germany originating from Serbia (and Kosovo: S/RES/1244(1999)) were of Roma origin.33 Source: Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

TABLE 3

New asylum claimslodged in top 10 UNHCRoffices* | 2012

Kenya 20,000Malaysia 19,400

Turkey 16,700Indonesia 7,200Egypt** 6,700Libya 4,500Pakistan 3,900Cameroon 3,500Somalia 3,400Yemen 3,400

*Excluding appeal/review claims.

**Includes appeal claims.

Fig. 11 Asylum claims in South Africa| 2002-2012

‘02 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12‘03

250,000

200,000

150,000

100,000

50,000

0

non-ZimbabweansZimbabweans




In the case of Afghan asylum-seekers,five countries registered half of all newclaims: Germany (7,500 ), Sweden (4,800 ),Turkey ( 4,400 ), Indonesia (4,100 ), andAustria (4,000 ).

DECISIONS

Provisional figures indicate that Statesand UNHCR rendered 689,000 deci-sions on individual asylum applica-tions during 2012. These figures donot include cases which were closed foradministrative reasons with no deci-sions issued to applicants;(34) in 2012, atleast 205,200 such cases were reportedto UNHCR.

UNHCR staff adjudicated 54,400 , or8 per cent of the total number of sub-stantive decisions – a portion similarto 2011 (9%). In12 countries, 18,200 sub-stantive decisions were taken in joint

UNHCR and State procedures. Datarelating to individual decisions are in-complete as a few States have not yetreleased all their official statistics. The2012 decision data quoted in this reportare therefore not fully comparable withprevious years.

Some 260 ,700 asylum-seekers wererecognized as refugees (210,000 ) orgiven a complementary form of protec-tion (50,700 ) in the course of 2012. This

Refugee status determination(RSD) under UNHCR’s mandate

all new claims for the year. Four-fifths ofUNHCR’s refugee status determinationwork (in terms of new applications regis-tered) was concentrated in 10 countries.

BY NATIONALITY

For the first time since 2008 , Zimba-bwe was not the top source country ofasylum-seekers. The highest number ofnew asylum claims filed by individualswith UNHCR or with States originatedfrom the Democratic Republic of theCongo (52,400 ), Afghanistan (48,900 ),the Syrian Arab Republic (31,800 ), Eri-trea (29,700 ), Pakistan (28,500 ), and So-malia (28,300 ). These figures should,however, be considered as indicativebecause the country of origin for some

asylum-seekers is unknown or undis-closed by some States. As in previousyears, asylum-seekers tend to cluster bynationality in particular countries. Forinstance, almost half of all new Congo-lese asylum claims were lodged eitherin Rwanda (17,100) or Burundi (8,200 ).Similarly, about half of all new Eritreanasylum claims were registered in Sudan.Although asylum-seekers from the Syr-ian Arab Republic sought protection in90 countries, 6 out of 10 requested refu-

gee status on an individual basis eitherin Sweden (7,800 claims), Germany(6,200 claims) or Libya (3,800 claims).

34 Also referred to as “non-substant ive” decisions which might result inter alia from the death of the applicant,no-show for interview, withdrawal of the application, abandonment of th e claim, or the determination thatanother country is resp onsible for the claim (‘Dublin II’ procedure).

In countries where national asylumsystemsare not in place or whereStates are unable or unwilling to assessasylum claims in a fair or efficientmanner, UNHCR may conduct refugeestatus determination under its mandate.

Between 2003 and 2012, UNHCRregistered some 900,000 individualasylum applications, making theorganization the second largestasylum body in the world after theGovernment of South Africa. Atthe global level, in 2003, UNHCR’sshare in individual applicationsregistered amounted to 7 per cent.While fluctuating between 8 and15 per cent annually in subsequent

years, it stood at 13 per cent in 2012.Between 2003 and 2007, UNHCRregistered on average 80,000 asylumapplications per year, and increasedto an average 100,000 per yearbetween 2008 and 2012. The largestnumber of applications was registeredin Malaysia (197,600), followed byKenya (191,100), Turkey (95,000),Egypt (50,600), and Jordan (32,800).These five offices accounted foralmost two-thirds (63%) of all asylumapplications registered with UNHCR

over the past 10 years. Between 2003 and 2012, UNHCRissued 537,000 substantive individualRSD decisions. Of these, 78 per

cent resulted in the granting ofrefugee status. While in 2003,UNHCR conducted individual RSDin 50 countries and territories, ten years later, this number had increasedto 66, mainly due to the inclusion ofa number of Caribbean and Pacificislands in RSD statistics.

Between 2003 and 2012, the worldwitnessed significant changes indisplacement patterns and increasinglycomplex protection environments.UNHCR was increasingly compelled toimplement individual RSD proceduresas part of immediate emergencyresponses to conflict induceddisplacement in which UNHCR and

Governments had traditionally reliedmore on group approaches to RSD.Individual RSD procedures in thesecontexts also necessitated mechanismsto identify and adjudicate complexindividual RSD cases and caseloads,including those raising exclusion,security, or political concerns.Frequently, efficient and effectiveindividual RSD procedures wereessential to provide protection, and topreserve asylum space in countries ofasylum. UNHCR expects that individual

RSD operations will remain a featureof modern contexts of displacement,and continues to increase the neededcapacity to meet this need.•

TABLE 4 Substantive decisions taken| 2010-2012

2010 2011 2012*State 512,800 518,000 616,400UNHCR 61,100 52,600 54,400 Jointly** 5,200 6,500 18,200

Total 579,100 577,100 689,000% UNHCR only 11% 9% 8%

*Provisional figure.

**Refers to refugee status determination conducted jointly by UNHCR andgovernments.




2012, at over 90 per cent of cases being

recognized at the first instance. Recog-nition rates were also high for asylum-seekers from Somalia (85%), Sudan(77%), the Democratic Republic of theCongo (72%), Iraq (72%), the IslamicRepublic of Iran (64%), Afghanistan (61%),and China (57%). In contrast, among thetop 20 countries of origin of asylum-seekers in 2012, the TRR was low forpersons from Zimbabwe (2%), Serbia(and Kosovo: S/RES/1244 (1999)) (3%),Nigeria (10%), Colombia (14%), andPakistan (17%).

By the end of the year, a totalof937,000 individuals awaited decisionson their asylum claims. This figureincluded people at any stage of the asy-lum procedure. However, the true num-ber of undecided asylum cases is un-known, as many countries do not reportthis information. n

Provisional data indicate that21,300 individual asylum applications werelodged by UASC in 72 countries in 2012.This is the highest level on record sinceUNHCR started collecting such data in a

systematic way in 2006. The 2012 figureconstituted about 4 per cent of the totalnumber of asylum claims lodged in thosecountries, and was consistent with thepercentage observed in the past five years(4% each). In absolute terms, however,the number of UASC seeking asylumincreased compared to 2011 (17,700 claimsin 69 countries), and 2010 (15,600 claims in69 countries) respectively.

Europe received 14,300 or two-thirds of the21,300 UASC claims. Sweden and Germany

again registered the greatest number of UASCasylum claims in Europe, with 3,600 and2,100 UASC claims respectively. Austria andthe United Kingdom were other importantrecipients of UASC applications, with 1,600 and1,200 UASC claims respectively. Outside Europe,Canada reported having registered 280 UASCclaims, the first time ever it had provided

such data. Kenya and Indonesia were otherimportant destination countries for UASC, with3,200 and 1,200 asylum claims respectively.

The available information indicates that5,400 unaccompanied or separated childrenwere recognized in 2012 as refugees orgranted a complementary form of protection.Despite a significantly higher number of UASCapplications, this figure was comparativelylower than in 2011 (5,200 positive grants),2010 (5,400) and 2009 (7,700). Europeaccounted for 67 per cent of all positivedecisions rendered in 2012.

The available information on the country oforigin of UASC confirmed the trend alreadyobserved in previous years whereby mainlyAfghan and Somali children applied for asylum(7,000 and 1,300 claims respectively). EritreanUASC submitted some 420 asylum claims.In addition, a significant number of UASCoriginating from South Sudan sought asylumin Kenya (2,100 claims).•*For additional information, see 2011 StatisticalYearbook , p. 38, UNHCR, Geneva.

35 This figure is likely to be substantially higher: a significant number of decisions rendered by States at the appeal or review stage of the a sylum procedure have yet to bereleased.

36 In the absence of an internationally agreed method ology for calculating recognition rates, UNHCR uses t wo rates to compute the propor tion of refugee claims acceptedduring the year. TheRefugee Recognition Rate divides the number of asylum-seekers grante d Convention refugee status by the total num ber of substantive decisions(Convention status, complementary protection, and rejected cases). TheTotal Recognition Rate divides the number of asylum-se ekers granted Convention refugee statusor a complementary form of protection by the total number of substantive decisions (Convention status, complementary protection, and rejected cases). Non-substantivedecisions are, to the extent possible, excluded from both calculations. For t he purpose of global comparability, UNH CR only uses these two recognition rates an d does notreport rates calculated by national authorities.

Unaccompanied or separatedchildren(UASC) seeking asylum*

number included an estimated 20,400 (35) individuals whose initial negative deci-sions had been overturned at the appealor review stage.

In contrast, some 428,300 claims wererejected on substantive grounds. This

number includes negative decisions atthe first instance and on appeal. Asy-lum-seekers rejected at both first andappeal instances may be reported twice,depending on methods used by govern-ments for reporting asylum decisions.

REFUGEE RECOGNITION RATES (RRR)

At the global level (UNHCR and Stateasylum procedures combined), theRRR was estimated to be 30 per cent ofall substantive decisions taken during

2012, while the Total Recognition Rate(TRR) was 38 per cent.(36) These rateshave remained relatively stable overthe past three years, and are indicativeonly, as some States have yet to reportrelevant data.

The TRR has fluctuated over theyears. Ten years ago, it was less than30 per cent. It gradually increased to46.5 per cent in 2009 , only to drop slight-ly below 40 per cent in the years thatfollowed. There is a significant differ-

ence in the TRR in asylum proceduresadministered by UNHCR compared tothat of States. Over the past decade, theTRR in UNHCR procedures never fellbelow 65 per cent, while the TRR forStates never exceeded 40 per cent.

In 2012, among the main receiving in-dustrialized countries, where States areresponsible for conducting refugee statusdetermination, Norway and Switzerland

had the highest TRR at the first in-

stance in 2012 (56% and55%, respectively).Among the countries listed in Table 3 [see page 26] where UNHCR is conductingRSD, TRRs in 2012 were above 60 percent. Cameroon was the only exception,with a TRR of 22 per cent.

In UNHCR and State asylum pro-cedures combined, the TRR for per-sons from the Syrian Arab Republic,Eritrea, and Myanmar were highest in

TABLE 5 Total recognition rates| 2003-2012 (in %)Refers to Convention refugee status and complementary forms of protection

Responsiblefor RSD 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012States 24.8 25.2 30.3 33.6 37.7 33.6 39.3 33.2 32.7 32.8UNHCR 65.7 73.1 83.3 77.0 76.7 77.7 84.9 80.4 77.8 77.6Global* 27.3 28.7 36.1 38.5 44.5 40.3 46.5 38.5 37.5 37.8

* Includes RSD conducted jointly by UNHCR and governments.




gradually released by national statis-gradually released by national statis-tical offices, UNHCR expects furthertical offices, UNHCR expects further

improvements in data.improvements in data.This report only includes dataThis report only includes dataon countries for which reliable offi-on countries for which reliable offi-cial statistics or estimates of statelesscial statistics or estimates of statelesspopulations were available. Despitepopulations were available. Despitethe increased number of countries re-the increased number of countries re-porting and the enhanced reliabilityporting and the enhanced reliabilityof their figures, UNHCR was unableof their figures, UNHCR was unableto provide comprehensive statisticsto provide comprehensive statisticson stateless persons in all countries.on stateless persons in all countries.Annex table 7Annex table 741)(41) includes some coun-includes some coun-tries (marked with an asterisk) fortries (marked with an asterisk) for

which UNHCR has informationwhich UNHCR has informationabout the existence of significantabout the existence of significantstateless populations, but for whichstateless populations, but for whichno reliable figures were available.no reliable figures were available.

The data on statelessness inThe data on statelessness in 20122012 have shown a continuation of thehave shown a continuation of thetrend observed in previous yearstrend observed in previous yearsof expanding coverage and knowl-of expanding coverage and knowl-edge of stateless persons. By the endedge of stateless persons. By the endofof 20122012, statistics on persons falling, statistics on persons fallingunder UNHCR’s statelessness man-under UNHCR’s statelessness man-

date were available fordate were available for 7272 countries,countries,eight more than ineight more than in 20112011 seeseeFigure 12Figure 12 ..

This compared toThis compared to 3030 countries incountries in20042004 , and reflected the efforts of, and reflected the efforts ofUNHCR’s offices to gather better dataUNHCR’s offices to gather better dataon statelessness. Foron statelessness. For 20122012,UNHCR’s,UNHCR’soffices reported a figure ofoffices reported a figure of 3.343.34 mil-mil-lion stateless persons, comparable tolion stateless persons, comparable tothat reported inthat reported in 20112011 (3.473.47 million).million). n

UUNHCR’S EXECUTIVENHCR’S EXECUTIVECommittee has called onCommittee has called on

UNHCR to undertake re-UNHCR to undertake re-search “to promote an in-search “to promote an in-creased understanding ofcreased understanding of

the nature and scope of the problemthe nature and scope of the problemof statelessness”. It has also encour-of statelessness”. It has also encour-aged States which are in possession ofaged States which are in possession ofstatistics on stateless persons or indi-statistics on stateless persons or indi-viduals with undetermined nation-viduals with undetermined nation-ality to share them with UNHCRality to share them with UNHCR 37)(37) UNHCR issued updated guidanceUNHCR issued updated guidanceto its field offices on the reportingto its field offices on the reportingof statistics for populations underof statistics for populations under

UNHCR’s statelessness mandate.UNHCR’s statelessness mandate.The guidance reflects efforts to clar-The guidance reflects efforts to clar-ify the definition of a stateless personify the definition of a stateless personunder Articleunder Article 1 of theof the 19541954 Conven-Conven-tion relating to the Status of Statelesstion relating to the Status of StatelessPersons.Persons. 38)(38) UNHCR’s statistics on per-UNHCR’s statistics on per-sons under its statelessness mandatesons under its statelessness mandatemainly comprises stateless persons,mainly comprises stateless persons,ie. individuals who are not consideredie. individuals who are not consideredas nationals by any State under theas nationals by any State under theoperation of its law. Data from someoperation of its law. Data from somecountries also include persons of un-countries also include persons of un-determined nationality.determined nationality.

Statistics on stateless persons canStatistics on stateless persons canbe gathered using several differentbe gathered using several differentmethods, including analyses of civilmethods, including analyses of civilregistration data, through populationregistration data, through populationcensus and targeted surveys.census and targeted surveys. 39)(39) TheTheUnited Nations recommendations onUnited Nations recommendations onpopulation censuses underscore thepopulation censuses underscore theimportance of including questionsimportance of including questionsrelated to citizenship, including state-related to citizenship, including state-lessness.lessness. 40)(40) Census data for ten coun-Census data for ten coun-tries are included in this year’s statis-tries are included in this year’s statis-tics compared to two only three yearstics compared to two only three yearsago. With theago. With the 22010 World PopulationWorld Populationand Housing Census Programmeand Housing Census Programme draw-draw-ing to a close and as census results areing to a close and as census results are

Identifying stateless persons remains key to addressing the difficulties they face, and toenabling UNHCR to fulfil its mandate to prevent and reduce statelessness and protect statelessindividuals. Measuring statelessness is complicated because stateless people often live in precarious situations on the margins of society. Only a minority of countries have procedures in place for their identification, registration and documentation.

VII

Stateless Persons

37 UNHCR,Conclusion on Identification,Prevention and Reduction of Statelessness andProtection of Stateless Persons , 6 October 2006, No.106 (LVII) - 2006, available at:http://www.refworld.

org/docid/453497302.html38 UNHCR,Guidelines on Statelessness No. 1: Thedefinition of “Stateless Person” in Article 1(1) of the1954 Convention relating to the Status of StatelessPersons , 20 February 2012, HCR/GS/12/01, availableat: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4f4371b82.html39 UNHCR (2012),The State of the World’sRefugees: In Search of Solidarity , Oxford UniversityPress, Oxford, 108-109.40 United Nations (2008),Principles andRecommendations for Population and HousingCensuses, Revision 2 , New York, accessible athttp://unstats.un.org/unsd/publication/seriesM/seriesm_67Rev2e.pdf 41 Seehttp://www.unhcr.org/statistics/12-WRD-table-7.xls

Fig. 12 Number of countries reporting statisticson stateless persons| 2004-2012

20042005200620072008200920102 0 112012 72

6465

6058

5449

4830




U N H C R /

J . T A N N E R

VIII

Other groups

or peopleof concern

UNHCR HAS CONTINUEDNHCR HAS CONTINUEDto extend its protection or as-to extend its protection or as-sistance activities to individ-sistance activities to individ-uals whom it considers “ofuals whom it considers “ofconcern”, but who do not fallconcern”, but who do not fall

into any of the above population cat-into any of the above population cat-egories. These activities were basedegories. These activities were based

on humanitarian or other specialon humanitarian or other specialgrounds, and included former refu-grounds, and included former refu-gees who were assisted to integrategees who were assisted to integratelocally, or asylum-seekers rejected bylocally, or asylum-seekers rejected byStates, but whom UNHCR deemedStates, but whom UNHCR deemedto be in need of humanitarian assis-to be in need of humanitarian assis-tance. The number of people in thistance. The number of people in thiscategory wascategory was 1.3 million by year-end,million by year-end,of whom two-thirds were Afghans.of whom two-thirds were Afghans.These were former refugees whoThese were former refugees whohad returned to Afghanistan priorhad returned to Afghanistan priortoto 20122012, but who had been unable to, but who had been unable toreintegrate due to the difficult eco-reintegrate due to the difficult eco-nomic situation, the lack of compre-nomic situation, the lack of compre-hensive reintegration measures, andhensive reintegration measures, andpoor security. Many of these individ-poor security. Many of these individ-uals thus continued to benefit fromuals thus continued to benefit fromUNHCR’s assistance.UNHCR’s assistance. n




Kadir serves a customerwith a freshly-made bolony – bread stuffed withspinach and onion. The 13-year-oldAfghan and his family have faced manychallenges since returning to Kabul from

the Islamic Republic of Iran, includingthe loss of his father.




A UNHCR staff membergives an IDcard to a Congolese woman who has just registered as a refugee with herfamily at the Nyakabande Transit Centrein south-west Uganda’s Kisoro district.




InIn 20122012, some, some 165165 countries or territo-countries or territo-ries reported population data partlyries reported population data partlyor fully disaggregated by sex and age.or fully disaggregated by sex and age.The demographic profile is currentlyThe demographic profile is currentlyavailable foravailable for 22.222.2 million persons ofmillion persons ofconcern to UNHCR (concern to UNHCR ( 6262 ). Historical%). Historicalinformation shows that data coverageinformation shows that data coveragehas improved over time. The availa-has improved over time. The availa-bility of disaggregated data was high-bility of disaggregated data was high-est inest in 20112011, with information broken, with information brokendown by sex available fordown by sex available for 6969 per centper centof persons of concern. This availabil-of persons of concern. This availabil-ity dropped toity dropped to 6262 per cent inper cent in 20122012, as, asa result of new emergency situationsa result of new emergency situationsin which reliable demographic datain which reliable demographic datawere more difficult to obtain in thewere more difficult to obtain in theinitial stages.initial stages.

Statistical coverage for refugeesStatistical coverage for refugeeswas better than for other groups ofwas better than for other groups ofconcern: inconcern: in 20122012, data disaggregated, data disaggregated

Collecting comprehensive demographic information on forcibly displaced populations remainsa key challenge for UNHCR and other humanitarian actors.

IX

Demographic and location characteristics

DATA ARE MORE READ-ATA ARE MORE READ-ILYILY available for popula-available for popula-tions for whom UNHCRtions for whom UNHCRhas an operational role inhas an operational role indata collection, as opposeddata collection, as opposed

to those for whom governments areto those for whom governments aresolely responsible for gathering andsolely responsible for gathering and

reporting population data. This isreporting population data. This isin particularly true for industrial-in particularly true for industrial-

ized countries which provide littleized countries which provide littleto no demographic data, impeding ato no demographic data, impeding aglobal understanding of the demo-global understanding of the demo-graphic profile of the populationsgraphic profile of the populationsrepresented in this report. Wher-represented in this report. Wher-ever possible, UNHCR disaggregatesever possible, UNHCR disaggregatespopulation data by sex and age. Thepopulation data by sex and age. The

consistent gathering and regularconsistent gathering and regularreporting of this information is areporting of this information is a

priority for the organization, essen-priority for the organization, essen-tial for designing and delivering antial for designing and delivering aneffective humanitarian response. Ineffective humanitarian response. Inaddition to demographic informa-addition to demographic informa-tion, location data are also crucial totion, location data are also crucial tounderstand the needs of the popu-understand the needs of the popu-lations, plan appropriate respons-lations, plan appropriate respons-

es, and monitor gaps in legal andes, and monitor gaps in legal andphysical protection.physical protection.

Demographic characteristics

Fig. 13 Demographic characteristics available on UNHCR’spopulation of concern| 2006-2012

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0 ‘06 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12‘07

Sex data availablePop. of concern Age data available

(in millions)




gium (42%), France (42%), Germany (43%),and Switzerland (44%).

Information on the age breakdownwas available for 14.9 million (41%) ofthe 35.8 million persons of concern toUNHCR. The data coverage was higherfor refugees (65%) and others of concern(87%) than for stateless persons (25%) andIDPs (27%). On average,50 per cent of allpersons of concern were children underthe age of18, including 13 per cent underthe age of five. Forty-six per cent of the

population were adults between the agesof18 and 59 years, while 4 per cent werepeople of60 years or more.

Among refugees and people in ref-ugee-like situations, children below18 years constituted 46 per cent of thepopulation in 2012. This proportion hasranged over the past decade from a low

2012 was the 20th anniversaryof the world’sbiggest refugee camp: Dadaab in north-easternKenya. UNHCR, which manages the Dadaabcomplex, set up the first camps there betweenOctober 1991 and June 1992, to host refugeesfleeing a civil war in Somalia culminating in thefall of Mogadishu and overthrow of the central

government in 1991. The now five Dadaab camps were originallyintended to host up to 90,000 people.Today they host more than half a millionrefugees and asylum-seekers, including some

10,000 third-generation refugees bornin Dadaab.

Dadaab has been able to provide refuge forso many years and to so many people due tothe generosity and extensive efforts of theGovernment and the people of Kenya. UNHCR,together with the Government of Kenya andaid agencies has provided protection, shelterand humanitarian assistance, often underdifficult and complex circumstances. Chronicovercrowding, risk of disease, and seasonalfloods are among the major challenges.•

by sex were available for 75 per cent ofthe global refugee population, but foronly 27 per cent of stateless persons.Data availability was also relatively highfor IDPs (61%), refugee returnees (65%),asylum-seekers (58%) and others of con-

cern to UNHCR (93%); but low for IDPreturnees (34%).According to available data, nearly

half (49%) of the persons of concernto UNHCR were female, a value un-changed since 2006 . Women andgirls accounted for 48 per cent of therefugee population in 2012. The low-est proportion of female refugees wasin Europe (44%) and in the SouthernAfrica region (46%). In the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, 51 to52 per cent of refu-

gees were female. In other regions, thepercentage of female refugees was 46 to47 per cent.

In most industrialized countries, few-er women than men apply for asylum. In2012, the proportion of females applyingfor asylum was around 30 per cent orbelow in Belgium (27%), Bulgaria (12%),Czech Republic (29%), Denmark (31%),Finland (30%), Hungary (19%), Italy (15%),Norway (33%), and Switzerland (29%).In Germany, France and Sweden - the

three major recipients in Europe in 2012 - the proportion of female asylum-seek-ers ranged between 37 and 39 per cent.Although the gender balance improvesonce asylum-seekers are recognizedand thus entitled to family reunifica-tion, complete parity is not achieved asindicated by refugee registers in Bel-

The world’s biggestrefugee camp is 20 years old

of41 per cent in 2009 , to a high of50 percent in 2004 [seeTable 6]. The return ofmillions of Afghan refugees from Pa-kistan and the Islamic Republic of theIran significantly impacted global fig-ures, as more than half of the returneepopulation were children below the ageof18. In some years, the proportion of re-turning children exceeded 60 per cent.In the recent outflows from the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, So-malia, and the Syrian Arab Republic,

the proportion of children was esti-mated to be approximately 55 per cent.While not fully conclusive, the globalnumber of refugee children below theage of 18 has increased from a low of41 per cent in 2009 , to the current levelof46 per cent.

The availability of information accord-ing to age breakdown is particularly limit-ed for countries in Europe, North Americaand Oceania. Thus, the figures are not ful-ly representative of the entire populationunder UNHCR’s responsibility.

In 2012, in an effort to improve the glob-al understanding of the environmentswhere people of concern live, UNHCRoffices were requested to report if ben-eficiaries resided in urban areas, ruralareas, or a mixed/unknown location.They were also requested to report onthe type of accommodation people wereusing according to the following catego-ries: planned/managed camp, self-set-tled camp, collective centre, reception/transit camp, individual accommodation

Locations

TABLE 6 Demographic characteristics of refugees| 2003-2012 (% of total population)

Year Women <18 years 18-59 >60 years2003 48% 49% 46% 5%2004 48% 50% 45% 5%2005 48% 46% 49% 5%2006 47% 47% 49% 4%2007 47% 46% 49% 5%2008 48% 44% 51% 5%2009 47% 41% 54% 5%2010 47% 44% 51% 5%2011 48% 46% 49% 5%2012 48% 46% 49% 5%

The percentages are bas ed on available data and exclude countries where no demographic information isavailable. This is in particular the case for indus trialized countries.




42 For a definition of each category, seehttp://goo.gl/4oKn843 Although UNHCR of fices reported information on locations of a total of 29.6 million persons of concern,this information was either unclear or a mixt ure of types in the ca se of 9.1 million persons (mostly IDPs).44 Because of a limited number of highly populated refugee cam ps skewing the calculation, the median isthe preferred statistical measure for such type of analysis.

(private), or undefined if the type wasunclear. (42)Offices reported on the type oflocation for more than 1,300 individuallocations covering 20 .5 million personsof concern.(43)This was the highest cov-erage in many years and the result ofefforts to collect location data in a morestructured and harmonized way, acrossinternational actors operating in the hu-

manitarian context.As in the case of demographic data,

the availability of location informa-tion was higher for refugees than forother population categories. The avail-able data on 20.5 million people revealedthat more IDPs, returned IDPs and re-turned refugees resided in rural areasthan in urban areas. On the contrary,refugees and asylum-seekers were moreoften found living in urban areas (53%for refugees).

The analysis of refugee camp dataover time has revealed interesting pat-

terns. The average, or mean, size ofrefugee camps was over 15,000 personsin 2003 , falling to a low of8,800 per-sons in 2009 . With new arrivals incamps in Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, andTurkey, the mean population size in-creased to 11,400 persons in 2012. Look-ing at the median size reveals a similartrend, albeit with a much lower camp

population size. The median popula-tion size in camps was 4,200 personsin 2003 , dropped to 2,400 by 2006 andthen increased slowly, remaining below6,000 persons [seeFigure 14].(44)

Among the five largest refugee campsin the world, the top four are located inKenya and are known collectively as the

“Dadaab camps”, hosting together abouthalf a million refugees. Nyaragusu campin the United Republic of Tanzania -the fifth largest camp in 2012 - hosted68,100 refugees, mainly from the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo.

Types of accommodation were knownfor 80 per cent of refugees (8.4 million),a higher percentage than in previousyears. UNHCR’s offices reported thatmore than half of this number was liv-ing in individual accommodation (54%).Planned/managed refugee camps werereported as type of accommodation forapproximately one-third of refugees. Farfewer refugees were living in self-settledcamps (6%) and collective centres (4%).This was consistent compared to 2011.

Planned/managed refugee camps andself-settled camps were mainly found inrural areas, whereas individual accom-modation was the prevailing type of resi-dence in urban areas. By the end of 2011,planned/managed refugee camps wereestablished almost exclusively either insub-Saharan Africa (60 %) or Asia (35%).The distribution had slightly shifted in2012, with sub-Saharan Africa account-ing for 63 per cent of camps, Asia for29 per cent and Europe for 5 per cent. In

principle, there was no difference in theuse of accommodation types by male andfemale refugees. Refugee children, how-ever, constituted more than half of theresidents across all types of accommoda-tion, with the exception of those livingin individual accommodation, where theproportion dropped to 39 per cent. n

TABLE 7 Accommodation of refugees| end-2012

Type of accommodation No. of refugees Distribution % women % children % Urban*Planned/managed camp 2,955,500 35.3% 50% 56% 0.4%Self-settled camp 542,300 6.5% 52% 58% 0.5%Collective centre 323,500 3.9% 48% 56% 18.0%Individual accommodation (private) 4,551,900 54.3% 46% 39% 93.4%Reception/transit camp 2,100 0.0% 53% 60% 8.3%

Sub-total 8,375,300 100% 48% 46% 53.4%Unknown 2,124,900

Grand Total 10,500,200

*Percentages are based on dat a available for 8.1 million refugees. Calculation excludes accommodation types which are unknown.

Fig. 14 Refugee camp characteristics| 2003-2012

16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12

Median population sizeMean population size




Syrian refugee girlsattend classin Lebanon. This school operates asecond teaching shift in the afternoonto accommodate the new arrivals.




45 Complementary protection refers to protection provided under national, regional or international law to people who do not qualify for protection under refugeelaw instruments but are in need of international protection because they are at risk of serious harm.46 Temporary protection refers to arrangements developed to offer protection of a temporary nature, until the situation in the country of origin improves and allowsfor a safe and dignified return or for individual refugee or complementary protection status determination to be carried out.47 This sub-category is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are ou tside their country or territory of origin, and who face protection risks similarto refugees, but for whom refugee status has not been ascertained, for practical or other reasons.48 See:United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Report of the Rep resentative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Francis M. Deng, submitted pursuant to Commissionresolution 1997/39. Addendum: Guiding P rinciples on Internal Displacement , 11 February 1998.49 This sub-category is descriptive in nature, and includes groups of people who are in side their country of nationality or habitual residence, and who face protectionrisks similar to IDPs but who, for practical or other reasons, could not be reported as such.

Refugeesinclude individualsinclude individualsrecognized under therecognized under the19511951 Convention relating to theConvention relating to theStatus of Refugees; itsStatus of Refugees; its 19671967 Protocol;Protocol;thethe 19691969 OAU ConventionOAU ConventionGoverning the Specific Aspects ofGoverning the Specific Aspects ofRefugee Problems in Africa; thoseRefugee Problems in Africa; thoserecognized in accordance withrecognized in accordance withthe UNHCR Statute; individualsthe UNHCR Statute; individualsgranted complementary forms ofgranted complementary forms ofprotectionprotection 45)(45); or, those enjoying; or, those enjoying

temporary protectiontemporary protection 46)(46)

. The. Therefugee population also includesrefugee population also includespeople in a refugee-like situation.people in a refugee-like situation. 47)(47)

Asylum-seekers(with “pending(with “pendingcases”) are individuals who havecases”) are individuals who havesought international protectionsought international protectionand whose claims for refugee statusand whose claims for refugee statushave not yet been determined.have not yet been determined.Those covered in this report referThose covered in this report referto claimants whose individualto claimants whose individualapplications were pending at the endapplications were pending at the end

ofof20122012, irrespective of when they, irrespective of when theymay have been lodged.may have been lodged.

Internally displaced personsarearepeople or groups of individualspeople or groups of individualswho have been forced to leavewho have been forced to leavetheir homes or places of habitualtheir homes or places of habitualresidence, in particular as a resultresidence, in particular as a resultof, or in order to avoid the effectsof, or in order to avoid the effectsof armed conflict, situations ofof armed conflict, situations ofgeneralized violence, violations ofgeneralized violence, violations ofhuman rights, or natural or man-human rights, or natural or man-made disasters, and who have notmade disasters, and who have not

crossed an international border.crossed an international border. 48)(48) For the purposes of UNHCR’sFor the purposes of UNHCR’sstatistics, this population onlystatistics, this population onlyincludes conflict-generated IDPs toincludes conflict-generated IDPs towhom the Office extends protectionwhom the Office extends protectionand/or assistance. The IDPand/or assistance. The IDPpopulation also includes people inpopulation also includes people inan IDP-like situation.an IDP-like situation. 49)(49)

Returned refugees (returnees)are former refugees who haveare former refugees who have

returned to their country ofreturned to their country oforigin spontaneously or in anorigin spontaneously or in anorganized fashion but are yet toorganized fashion but are yet tobe fully integrated. Such returnbe fully integrated. Such returnwould normally only take place inwould normally only take place inconditions of safety and dignity. Forconditions of safety and dignity. Forthe purposes of this report, onlythe purposes of this report, onlyrefugees who returned betweenrefugees who returned betweenJanuary and December January and December 20122012 areareincluded. However, in practice,included. However, in practice,operations may assist returnees foroperations may assist returnees forlonger periods.longer periods.

Returned IDPsrefer to thoserefer to thoseIDPs who were beneficiaries ofIDPs who were beneficiaries ofUNHCR’s protection and assistanceUNHCR’s protection and assistanceactivities and who returned toactivities and who returned totheir areas of origin or habitualtheir areas of origin or habitualresidence between January andresidence between January andDecemberDecember 20122012. However, in. However, inpractice, operations may assistpractice, operations may assistIDP returnees for longer periods.IDP returnees for longer periods.

Stateless personsare defined underare defined underinternational law as persons whointernational law as persons who

are not considered as nationalsare not considered as nationalsby any State under the operationby any State under the operationof its law. In other words, they doof its law. In other words, they donot possess the nationality of anynot possess the nationality of anyState. UNHCR statistics refer toState. UNHCR statistics refer topersons who fall under the agency’spersons who fall under the agency’sstatelessness mandate becausestatelessness mandate becausethey are stateless according to thisthey are stateless according to thisinternational definition, but datainternational definition, but datafrom some countries may alsofrom some countries may alsoinclude persons with undeterminedinclude persons with undetermined

nationality. UNHCR has beennationality. UNHCR has beengiven a global mandate by thegiven a global mandate by theUnited Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assemblyto contribute to the preventionto contribute to the preventionand reduction of statelessness andand reduction of statelessness andthe protection of stateless persons.the protection of stateless persons.The Office also performs a specificThe Office also performs a specificfunction under Articlefunction under Article 1111 of theof the19611961 Convention on the ReductionConvention on the Reductionof Statelessness by receiving claimsof Statelessness by receiving claimsfrom persons who may benefitfrom persons who may benefitfrom the statelessness safeguardsfrom the statelessness safeguards

contained in that Conventioncontained in that Conventionand by assisting them and theand by assisting them and theStates concerned to resolveStates concerned to resolvethe claims.the claims.

Other groups or people of concernrefer to individuals who dorefer to individuals who donot necessarily fall directly intonot necessarily fall directly intoany of the groups above, butany of the groups above, butto whom UNHCR extends itsto whom UNHCR extends itsprotection and/or assistanceprotection and/or assistanceservices, based on humanitarianservices, based on humanitarianor other special grounds.or other special grounds.

X

Who are included in the statistics?






Country/territory of asylum 1

REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5

IDPs protected/assisted by

UNHCR, incl.people in IDP-like situations 6

ReturnedIDPs 7

Persons underUNHCR’s

statelessnessmandate 8 Various 9

Totalpopulationof concernRefugees 2

People inrefugee-

likesituations 3

Total refugeesand people inrefugee-likesituations

Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Equatorial Guinea - - -

- - 1 - - - - 1Eritrea 3,600 - 3,600 3,567 14 6 - - - 64 3,684

Estonia 63 - 63 - 7 - - - 94,235 - 94,305Ethiopia 376,393 - 376,393 376,393 844 32 - - - 1,490 378,759Fiji 6 - 6 6 7 - - - - - 13Finland 9,919 - 9,919 - 1,881 - - - 2,017 - 13,817France 217,865 - 217,865 - 49,885 - - - 1,210 - 268,960Gabon 1,663 - 1,663 1,663 2,380 - - - - 320 4,363Gambia 9,853 - 9,853 9,828 - - - - - 320 10,173Georgia 329 140 469 469 467 - 279,778 - 1,156 - 281,870Germany 589,737 - 589,737 - 85,560 - - - 5,683 - 680,980Ghana 16,016 - 16,016 16,016 2,605 1 - - - - 18,622Greece 2,100 - 2,100 - 36,183 - - - 154 - 38,437

Grenada - - - - - - - - - - -Guatemala 159 - 159 6 3 - - - - - 162Guinea 10,371 - 10,371 10,371 532 - - - - - 10,903Guinea-Bissau 7,784 - 7,784 7,784 108 - - - - - 7,892Guyana 7 - 7 7 - - - - - - 7Haiti - - - - 12 - - - - - 12Honduras 16 - 16 - - - - - 1 - 17Hungary 4,054 - 4,054 - 386 - - - 111 - 4,551Iceland 68 - 68 - 69 - - - 119 - 256India 185,656 - 185,656 18,491 3,559 - - - - - 189,215Indonesia 1,819 - 1,819 1,819 6,126 35 - - - - 7,980Iran, Islamic Rep. of 868,242 - 868,242 868,242 17 6 - - - - 868,265Iraq 98,822 - 98,822 98,822 4,914 82,270 1,131,810 218,800 120,000 - 1,656,616

Ireland 6,327 - 6,327 - 5,471 - - - 73 - 11,871Israel 104 48,401 48,505 4,726 5,699 - - - 14 - 54,218Italy 64,779 - 64,779 - 14,330 - - - 470 - 79,579 Jamaica 20 - 20 14 - - - - - - 20 Japan 14 2,581 - 2,581 793 4,711 - - - 1,100 - 8,392 Jordan 15 302,707 - 302,707 147,594 2,936 - - - - - 305,643Kazakhstan 564 - 564 370 85 - - - 6,935 3,675 11,259Kenya 564,933 - 564,933 564,933 41,944 - 412,000 - 20,000 - 1,038,877Kuwait 674 - 674 674 829 - - - 93,000 - 94,503Kyrgyzstan 16 437 4,504 4,941 724 351 - 168,600 3,400 15,473 - 192,765Lao People’s Dem. Rep. - - - - - - - - - - -Latvia 125 - 125 - 172 - - - 280,759 - 281,056Lebanon 133,538 402 133,940 133,940 1,912 - - - - - 135,852

Lesotho 34 - 34 - 3 - - - - - 37Liberia 65,901 8 65,909 65,909 48 29,472 - - - 1,606 97,035Libya 7,065 - 7,065 7,065 6,552 1,055 59,425 177,452 - - 251,549Liechtenstein 102 - 102 - 17 - - - 5 - 124Lithuania 871 - 871 - 76 - - - 4,130 - 5,077Luxembourg 2,910 - 2,910 - 1,239 - - - 177 - 4,326Madagascar 9 - 9 - 1 - - - - 1 11Malawi 6,544 - 6,544 6,544 10,120 - - - - - 16,664Malaysia 89,210 975 90,185 90,185 11,650 - - - 40,001 80,000 221,836Mali 13,928 - 13,928 13,928 240 28 227,930 - - - 242,126Malta 8,248 - 8,248 - 767 - - - - - 9,015Mauritania 54,496 26,000 80,496 80,496 798 6,208 - - - - 87,502Mauritius - - - - - - - - - - -

Mexico 1,520 - 1,520 206 357 - - - 7 - 1,884Micronesia(Federated States of) - - - - - - - - - - -

Monaco 37 - 37 - - - - - - - 37Mongolia 4 - 4 4 9 - - - 220 - 233Montenegro 11,198 - 11,198 11,198 109 - - - 3,383 5,406 20,096

...⁄ ...

TABLE 1 Refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs),returnees (refugees and IDPs), stateless persons, and others of concern to UNHCRby country/territory of asylum| end-2012 (ctnd)

13,68494,305

378,75913

13,817268,960

4,36310,173

281,870680,980

18,62238,437

-162

10,903,892

7

174,55256

189,215,980

868,2651,656,616

11,87154,21879,579

208,392

305,64311,259

1,038,87794,503192,765

-281,056135,852

97,03551,549

124,077

4,326

16,664221,836242,126

9,01587,502

-1,884

-

37233

20,096





REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7




People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Montserrat - - -

- 5 - - - - - 5Morocco 744 - 744 744 2,178 - - - - - 2,922

Mozambique 4,398 - 4,398 2,586 8,200 - - - - - 12,598Myanmar - - - - - - 430,400 - 808,075 - 1,238,475Namibia 1,806 - 1 ,806 1,806 1,089 - - - - - 2,895Nauru - - - - 379 - - - - - 379Nepal 17 56,264 - 56,264 41,264 23 - - - - 447 56,734Netherlands 18 74,598 - 74,598 - 10,420 - - - 2,005 - 87,023New Zealand 1,517 - 1,517 - 276 - - - - - 1,793Nicaragua 129 - 129 86 10 - - - 1 - 140Niger 50,510 - 50,510 50,510 108 - - - - - 50,618Nigeria 3,154 - 3,154 3,154 1,042 - - - - - 4,196Norway 42,822 - 42,822 - 9,354 - - - 2,313 - 54,489

Oman 138 - 138 138 20 - - - - - 158Pakistan 1,638,456 - 1,638,456 1,638,456 3,284 2 757,996 56,181 - - 2,455,919Palau 1 - 1 1 2 - - - - - 3Panama 2,429 15,000 17,429 4,434 365 - - - 2 - 17,796Papua New Guinea 4,802 4,581 9,383 2,565 155 - - - - - 9,538Paraguay 133 - 133 23 10 - - - - - 143Peru 1,122 - 1,122 123 956 1 - - - - 2,079Philippines 141 - 141 18 32 - 1,159 336,215 6,015 68 343,630Poland 15,911 - 15,911 - 2,390 - - - 10,825 - 29,126Portugal 483 - 483 - 197 - - - 553 - 1,233Qatar 80 - 80 80 57 - - - 1,200 - 1,337Rep. of Korea 487 - 487 115 1,548 - - - 179 - 2,214Rep. of Moldova 185 - 185 185 75 - - - 1,998 - 2,258

Romania 1,262 - 1,262 132 35 - - - 248 - 1,545Russian Federation 19 3,178 - 3,178 3,178 844 11 - - 178,000 9,068 191,101Rwanda 58,212 - 58,212 58,212 1,477 11,249 - - - 89 71,027Saint Kitts and Nevis - - - - 1 - - - - - 1Saint Lucia 2 - 2 2 1 - - - - - 3Saint Maarten 3 - 3 3 4 - - - - - 7Saint Vincentand the Grenadines - - - - - - - - - - -

Sao Tome and Principe - - - - - - - - - - -Saudi Arabia 550 27 577 577 99 1 - - 70,000 - 70,677Senegal 14,237 - 14,237 14,237 2,333 - - - - - 16,570Serbia (and Kosovo:S/RES/1244 (1999)) 66,370 - 66,370 9,443 332 193 227,821 798 8,500 723 304,737

Sierra Leone 4,204 - 4,204 4,188 67 - - - - - 4,271Singapore 3 - 3 - - - - - - - 3Slovakia 662 - 662 - 194 - - - 1,523 69 2,448Slovenia 176 - 176 - 100 - - - 4 - 280Solomon Islands - - - - 3 - - - - - 3Somalia 2,264 45 2,309 2,309 8,465 48 1,132,963 10,188 - 51 1,154,024South Africa 65,233 - 65,233 6,831 230,442 1 - - - - 295,676South Sudan 20 202,581 - 202,581 202,581 35 2,238 345,670 - - - 550,524Spain 4,510 - 4,510 - 2,790 - - - 36 - 7,336Sri Lanka 110 - 110 110 263 1,480 93,482 44,610 - - 139,945State of Palestine - - - - - - - - - - -Sudan 21 126,218 25,976 152,194 96,367 7,683 19,485 1,873,300 91,554 - 3,381 2,147,597Suriname - - - - 3 - - - - - 3Swaziland 505 - 505 164 422 - - - - - 927Sweden 92,872 - 92,872 - 18,014 - - - 9,596 - 120,482Switzerland 50,747 - 50,747 - 21,709 - - - 69 - 72,525Syrian Arab Rep. 22 476,506 - 476,506 67,815 2,222 68,573 2,016,500 - 221,000 - 2,784,801Tajikistan 2,248 - 2,248 2,155 2,139 - - - 2,300 - 6,687The former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia 750 327 1,077 1,077 516 - - - 905 - 2,498

...⁄ ...


52,92212,598

1,238,4752,895

37956,73487,023

1,793140

50,6184,196

54,489

158,455,919

317,7969,538

142,079

343,6329,1261,2331,3372,2142,258

1,545191,10171,027

137

-

0,67716,570

304,737

4,2713

2,448280

31,154,024295,676550,524

7,336139,945

-2,147,597

327

120,4827 ,5 5

2,784,8016,687

2,498





REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7




People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Thailand 84,479 - 84,479

84,479 14,580 - - - 506,197 - 605,256Timor-Leste - - - - 1 - - - - - 1

Togo 23,540 - 23,540 13,643 405 91 - - - - 24,036Tonga 3 - 3 3 - - - - - - 3Trinidad and Tobago 18 - 18 18 7 - - - - - 25Tunisia 1,435 - 1,435 1,376 340 1 - - - 1 1,777Turcs and Caicos Islands - - - - 22 - - - - - 22Turkey 267,063 - 267,063 267,063 14,051 - - - 780 306 282,200Turkmenistan 46 - 46 46 - - - - 8,947 - 8,993Uganda 197,877 - 197,877 197,877 28,072 20 - - - - 225,969Ukraine 2,807 - 2,807 493 5,082 - - - 35,000 - 42,889United Arab Emirates 631 - 631 631 91 - - - - - 722United Kingdom 149,765 - 149,765 - 18,916 - - - 205 - 168,886

United Rep. of Tanzania 101,021 - 101,021 78,794 522 44 - - - 162,256 263,843United States 23 262,030 - 262,030 - 18,966 - - - - - 280,996Uruguay 181 - 181 83 39 - - - - - 220Uzbekistan 176 - 176 176 - - - - - - 176Vanuatu 2 - 2 2 - - - - - - 2Venezuela(Bolivarian Rep. of) 3 ,644 200,000 203,644 23,637 916 - - - - - 204,560

Viet Nam - - - - - - - - 11,500 - 11,500Yemen 237,182 - 237,182 237,182 6,483 - 385,320 106,868 - - 735,853Zambia 25,653 - 25,653 22,792 1,193 2 - - - 23,550 50,398Zimbabwe 4,356 - 4,356 4,356 436 21 57,926 - - 22 62,761Various - - - - - 26 - - - - 26

Grand Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48

UNHCR-BUREAUXCentral Africa-Great Lakes 479,256 - 479,256 413,515 21, 383 121,328 2,799,696 340,029 1,302 235,759 3,998,753East and Horn of Africa 1 ,866,700 26,021 1 ,892,721 1,812,948 90,333 23,555 3,853,933 136,742 20,000 4,986 6 ,022,270Southern Africa 134,736 - 134,736 52,942 272,454 19,748 57,926 - - 24,016 508,880Western Africa 267,750 8 267,758 257,542 8,825 102,439 272,930 96,010 700,000 2,258 1,450,220Asia and Pacific 3,299,340 226,172 3,525,512 2,817,149 70 ,394 100,132 1,937,935 459,236 1 ,427,952 963,566 8 ,484,727Middle Eastand North Africa 1,519,027 74,830 1,593,857 912,082 53,868 158,119 3,593,055 503,120 505,274 1 6,407,294

Europe 1,799, 350 501 1,799,851 304,990 345,270 583 1,211,384 10,349 681,225 93,759 4,142,421Americas 515,379 291,171 806 ,550 103,782 74,213 11 3,943,509 - 24 5,582 4,829,889Various/unknown - - - - - 26 - - - - 26

Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48

UN MAJOR REGIONSAfrica 3,016,248 52,029 3,068,277 2,756,561 421,551 274,345 7,043,910 750,233 721,362 267,020 12,546,698Asia 4,789,492 270,561 5,060,053 3,778,371 92 ,546 250,977 6 ,351,679 784,904 1,938,722 969,372 15,448,253Europe 1,524,005 361 1,524,366 33,659 327,598 582 331,270 10,349 675,669 87,953 2,957,787Latin Americaand the Caribbean 89,593 291,171 380,764 103,782 22,604 11 3,943,509 - 24 5,582 4,352,494

Northern America 425,786 - 425,786 - 51,609 - - - - - 477,395Oceania 36,414 4,581 4 0,995 2,577 20,832 - - - - - 61,827Various - - - - - 26 - - - - 26

Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48

See notes on page 46.


605,256124,036

325

1,77722

282,2008,993

225,96942,889

722168,886

263,843280,996

220176

2

204,560

11,500735,85350,39862,761

26

3,998,753,022,27508,880

1,450,2208,484,727

6,407,294

4,142,4214,829,889

26

12,546,69815,448,25

2,957,787

4,352,494

477,39561,827

26






TABLE 2 Refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees (refugees and IDPs),stateless persons, and others of concern to UNHCR by origin| end-2012 (ctnd)

Origin 1

REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7

Personsunder

UNHCR’sstatelessness

mandate 8 Various 9


People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Egypt 9,976 4 9,980

156 3,954 4 - - - - 13,938El Salvador 8,170 - 8,170 521 1,635 - - - - - 9,805

Equatorial Guinea 228 - 228 28 85 1 - - - - 314Eritrea 247,795 37,347 285,142 157,422 20,511 6 - - - 64 305,723Estonia 456 - 456 2 29 - - - - - 485Ethiopia 74,940 29 74,969 41,258 38,719 32 - - - 4,760 118,480Fiji 1,317 - 1,317 2 268 - - - - - 1,585Finland 7 - 7 - 6 - - - - - 13France 100 - 100 - 49 - - - - - 149French Guiana - - - - - - - - - - -French Polynesia - - - - - - - - - - -Gabon 183 - 183 3 66 - - - - - 249Gambia 3,076 - 3,076 15 1,746 - - - - - 4,822

Georgia 9,290 - 9,290 1,483 4,515 - 279,778 - - - 293,583Germany 182 - 182 2 25 - - - - - 207Ghana 24,297 2 24,299 7,583 2,804 1 - - - - 27,104Gibraltar 2 - 2 - - - - - - - 2Greece 51 - 51 - 125 - - - - - 176Grenada 316 - 316 - 48 - - - - - 364Guatemala 6,386 - 6,386 74 1,332 - - - - - 7,718Guinea 14,206 - 14,206 181 9,514 - - - - - 23,720Guinea-Bissau 1,182 - 1,182 11 904 - - - - - 2,086Guyana 801 - 801 - 77 - - - - - 878Haiti 38,567 - 38,567 418 2,773 - - - - 5,580 46,920Holy See (the) - - - - - - - - - - -Honduras 2,613 - 2,613 77 810 - - - - - 3,423

Hungary 1,089 - 1 ,089 2 3,734 - - - - - 4,823Iceland 3 - 3 - 1 - - - - - 4India 14,258 - 14,258 16 5,127 - - - - 446 19,831Indonesia 10,054 5,472 15,526 3,452 503 35 - - - - 16,064Iran, Islamic Rep. of 75,613 2 75,615 12,177 23,719 6 - - - - 99,340Iraq 11 746,424 16 746,440 165,921 23,920 82,270 1,131,810 218,800 - - 2,203,240Ireland 9 - 9 - 17 - - - - - 26Israel 1,341 - 1,341 16 414 - - - - - 1,755Italy 66 - 66 - 64 - - - - - 130 Jamaica 1,379 - 1,379 8 505 - - - - - 1,884 Japan 173 - 173 - 41 - - - - - 214 Jordan 2,360 10 2,370 110 600 - - - - - 2,970Kazakhstan 3,582 - 3,582 10 824 - - - - - 4,406

Kenya 8,948 - 8,948 4,049 1,454 - 412,000 - - - 422,402Kiribati 33 - 33 - 10 - - - - - 43Kuwait 1,213 - 1,213 56 136 - - - - - 1,349Kyrgyzstan 12 3,489 - 3,489 278 1,088 - 168,600 3,400 - - 176,577Lao People’s Dem. Rep. 7,983 1 7,984 3 8 - - - - - 7,992Latvia 662 - 662 2 103 - - - - - 765Lebanon 15,112 - 15,112 68 1,885 - - - - - 16,997Lesotho 13 - 13 - 173 - - - - - 186Liberia 23,453 27 23,480 17,674 2,003 29,472 - - - - 54,955Libya 5,250 2 5,252 38 1,856 1,055 59,425 177,452 - - 245,040Liechtenstein - - - - - - - - - - -Lithuania 491 - 491 2 87 - - - - - 578Luxembourg - - - - 1 - - - - - 1

Madagascar 300 1 301 1 33 - - - - 1 335Malawi 277 - 277 4 3,604 - - - - - 3,881Malaysia 530 - 530 - 174 - - - - - 704Maldives 24 - 24 - 32 - - - - - 56Mali 149,942 1 149,943 143,202 1,838 28 227,930 - - - 379,739Malta 6 - 6 - - - - - - - 6

...⁄ ...

13,9389,805314

305,723485

118,4801,585

13149

-

2494,822

293,58307

27,1042

1763

7,7183,722,086

87846,920

-,423

4,8234

19,83116,06499,340

2,203,24026

1,755130

1,884214

2,9704,406

422,40243

1,34176,577

7,765

1 ,99186

54,955245,040

-578

1335

3,881704

5679,739

6





Origin 1

REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7

Personsunder


mandate 8 Various 9


People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Marshall Islands 2 - 2

- - - - - - - 2Mauritania 33,774 - 33,774 26,236 3,040 6,208 - - - - 43,022

Mauritius 62 - 62 - 118 - - - - - 180Mexico 8,435 - 8,435 12 3,603 - - - - - 12,038Micronesia(Federated States of) - - - - - - - - - - -

Monaco 4 - 4 - - - - - - - 4Mongolia 2,121 - 2,121 - 832 - - - - - 2,953Montenegro 4,054 - 4,054 3 360 - - - - 3 4,417Montserrat - - - - - - - - - - -Morocco 2,405 2 2,407 30 1,743 - - - - - 4,150Mozambique 160 - 160 11 401 - - - - - 561Myanmar 215 ,312 200,031 415 ,343 227,197 25,621 - 430,400 - - - 871,364Namibia 1,098 - 1 ,098 999 583 - - - - - 1,681Nauru - - - - - - - - - - -Nepal 7,569 2 7,571 37 2,498 - - - - - 10,069Netherlands 67 - 67 1 34 - - - - - 101New Caledonia - - - - - - - - - - -New Zealand 20 - 20 - 9 - - - - - 29Nicaragua 1,531 - 1,531 814 113 - - - - - 1,644Niger 842 - 842 11 364 - - - - - 1,206Nigeria 18,020 1 18,021 3,452 11,854 - - - - - 29,875Niue 10 - 10 - - - - - - - 10Norway 8 - 8 - 6 - - - - - 14Oman 65 - 65 1 5 - - - - - 70Pakistan 33,624 16,112 49,736 17,103 21,635 2 757,996 56,181 - - 885,550Palau - - - - 1 - - - - - 1Palestinian 13 94,804 97 94,901 15,873 2,416 - - - - - 97,317Panama 106 - 106 20 31 - - - - - 137Papua New Guinea 174 - 174 - 86 - - - - - 260Paraguay 101 - 101 4 24 - - - - - 125Peru 5,212 - 5,212 476 340 1 - - - - 5,553Philippines 966 20 986 30 377 - 1,159 336,215 - 80,000 418,737Pitcairn - - - - - - - - - - -Poland 1,640 - 1,640 4 323 - - - - - 1,963Portugal 32 - 32 1 49 - - - - - 81Puerto Rico - - - - - - - - - - -Qatar 124 - 124 - 6 - - - - - 130Rep. of Korea 559 - 559 - 186 - - - - - 745

Rep. of Moldova 6,149 - 6,149 16 440 - - - - - 6,589Romania 2,814 1 2,815 8 616 - - - - - 3,431Russian Federation 110,699 2 110,701 1,269 15,022 11 - - - 10,557 136,291Rwanda 97,471 - 97,471 43,190 10,239 11,249 - - - 89 119,048Saint Kitts and Nevis 12 - 12 - 24 - - - - - 36Saint Lucia 566 - 566 - 516 - - - - - 1,082Saint Vincentand the Grenadines 1,316 - 1,316 - 489 - - - - - 1,805

Samoa 1 - 1 - 12 - - - - - 13San Marino 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 1Sao Tome and Principe 32 - 32 31 1 - - - - - 33Saudi Arabia 816 1 817 20 149 1 - - - - 967Senegal 18,721 - 18,721 16,769 2,585 - - - - - 21,306Serbia (and Kosovo:S/RES/1244 (1999)) 157,858 306 158,164 10,013 16,146 193 227,821 798 - 2,576 405,698Seychelles 29 - 29 - 1 - - - - - 30Sierra Leone 7,365 - 7,365 1,002 2,316 - - - - 1,606 11,287Singapore 68 - 68 - 30 - - - - - 98Slovakia 247 - 247 - 631 - - - - - 878Slovenia 34 - 34 - 12 - - - - 1 47

...⁄ ...

243,022180

12,038

42,9534,417

4,150

871,3641,68

-10,069

101-

291,6441,206

29,875101470

885,5501

97,317137

260125

5,553418,737

-1,963

81

130

6,5893,431

136,291119,048

361,082

1,805

131

33967

21,306

405,69830

1,2878

87847





Origin 1

REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7

Personsunder


mandate 8 Various 9


People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

Solomon Islands 61 - 61

1 5 - - - - - 66Somalia 1,136,142 1 1,136,143 1,023,580 32,978 48 1,132,963 10,188 - 38 2,312,358

South Africa 420 - 420 6 240 1 - - - - 661South Sudan 14 86,909 100 87,009 86,892 18,681 2 ,238 345,670 - - - 453,598Spain 52 - 52 4 89 - - - - - 141Sri Lanka 132,782 10 132,792 2,676 14,008 1,480 93,482 44,610 - - 286,372Sudan 15 558,468 10,744 569, 212 528,368 21,525 19,485 1,873,300 91,554 - - 2,575,076Suriname 15 - 15 - 19 - - - - - 34Swaziland 65 - 65 2 157 - - - - - 222Sweden 19 1 20 1 19 - - - - - 39Switzerland 17 - 17 - 4 - - - - 1 22Syrian Arab Rep. 728,218 324 728,542 571,374 25,671 68,573 2,016,500 - - 6,900 2,846,186Tajikistan 665 - 665 53 439 - - - - - 1,104

The former YugoslavRepublic of Macedonia 7,591 - 7,591 5 4,515 - - - - 45 12,151Thailand 368 12 380 17 175 - - - - - 555Tibetan 15,068 - 15,068 2 2 - - - - 1 15,071Timor-Leste 9 - 9 - 7 - - - - - 16Togo 15,722 1 15,723 6,076 3,028 91 - - - - 18,842Tonga 13 - 13 - 39 - - - - - 52Trinidad and Tobago 332 - 332 - 92 - - - - - 424Tunisia 1,935 1 1,936 37 2,273 1 - - - - 4 ,210Turkey 135,448 2 135,450 15,557 8,810 - - - - - 144,260Turkmenistan 723 - 723 24 129 - - - - - 852Turks and Caicos Islands 14 - 14 - 9 - - - - - 23Tuvalu 1 - 1 - 5 - - - - - 6Uganda 5,572 - 5,572 1,081 2,585 20 - - - - 8,177Ukraine 25,283 2 25,285 36 1,180 - - - - - 26,465United Arab Emirates 584 - 584 3 24 - - - - - 608United Kingdom 153 - 153 1 48 - - - - - 201United Rep. of Tanzania 1,128 - 1,128 80 723 44 - - - - 1,895United States 16 4,453 3 4,456 17 432 - - - - - 4,888Uruguay 171 - 171 1 36 - - - - - 207US Virgin Islands - - - - - - - - - - -Uzbekistan 7,099 4,505 11,604 653 1,340 - - - - - 12,944Vanuatu 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 1Venezuela(Bolivarian Rep. of) 8,208 - 8,208 264 505 - - - - - 8,713

Viet Nam 17 336,945 - 336,945 251 1,393 - - - - 68 338,406Western Sahara 18 90,452 26,000 116,452 116,268 126 - - - - - 116,578Yemen 2,589 1 2,590 394 1,557 - 385,320 106,868 - - 496,335Zambia 242 - 242 3 209 2 - - - - 453Zimbabwe 22,098 - 22,098 1,138 38,385 21 57,926 - - 22 118,452Stateless 19,755 - 19,755 95 3,007 - - - 3,335,777 - 3,358,539Various/unknown 125,927 7,865 133,792 5,550 255,545 26 - - - 583 389,946

Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48

UNHCR-BUREAUXCentral Africa-Great Lakes 869,921 2,334 872,255 686,936 88,106 121,328 2,799,696 340,029 - 163,284 4,384,698East and Horn of Africa 2,135,258 72,071 2,207,329 1,860,439 140,544 23,555 3,853,933 136,742 - 4,862 6,366,965Southern Africa 45,528 1 45,529 3,614 45,240 19,748 57,926 - - 96,421 264,864Western Africa 379,449 39 379,488 285,634 51,077 102,439 272,930 96,010 - 1,939 903,883Asia and Pacific 3,717,078 226,203 3,943,281 2,789,057 175,632 100,132 1,937,935 459,236 - 960,983 7,577,199Middle Eastand North Africa 1,743,439 26,462 1,769,901 896,692 72,212 158,119 3,593,055 503,120 - 6,900 6,103,307

Europe 632,722 370 633,092 49,661 70,656 583 1,211,384 10,349 - 89,373 2 ,015,437Americas 212,466 283,358 495,824 97,273 34,721 11 3,943,509 - - 5,582 4,479,647Various/Stateless 145,677 7,865 153,542 5,644 258,552 26 - - 3,335,777 583 3,748,480

Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48...⁄ ...

662,312,358661

453,598141

286,3722,575,076

34222

922

2,846,1861,104

12,151

55515,071

1618,842

52424

4,210144,260

852236

8,17726,465

608201

1,8954,888

207-

2,941

8,71

38,406116,578

496,335453

118,4523,358,539

389,946

4,384,6986,366,965

264,864,

,577,199

6,103,307

2,015,4374,479,647,748,480




Origin 1

REFUGEES

Returnedrefugees 5



ReturnedIDPs 7

Personsunder


mandate 8 Various 9


People inrefugee-

likesituations 3


Of whomassisted by

UNHCR

Asylum-seekers

(pendingcases) 4

UN MAJOR REGIONSAfrica 3,579,650 100,458 3,680,108 2,979,477 340,318 274,345 7,043,910 750,233 - 266,506 12,355,420Asia 5,486,061 226,655 5,712,716 3,561,811 250,274 250,977 6,351,679 784,904 - 967,883 14,318,433Europe 456,003 367 456,370 30,742 52,431 582 331,270 10,349 - 89,373 940,375Latin Americaand the Caribbean 207,894 283,351 491,245 97,251 34,275 11 3,943,509 - - 5,582 4,474,622

Northern America 4,572 7 4,579 22 446 - - - - - 5,025Oceania 1,683 - 1,683 3 444 - - - - - 2,127Various/Stateless 145,675 7,865 153,540 5,644 258,552 26 - - 3,335,777 583 3,748,478

Total 9,881,538 618,703 10,500,2416,674,950 936,740 525,941 17,670,368 1,545,486 3,335,777 1,329,927 35,844,48


Notes table 2:The data are generally provided by Governments, bas ed ontheir own definitions and methods of data collection.A dash (-) indicates that t he value is zero, not available or notapplicable.1Country or territory of origin.2 Persons recognized as refugees under the 1951 U NConvention/1967 Protocol, the 1969 OAU Convention, inaccordance with the UNHCR Statute, persons granted acomplementary form of protection and those grantedtemporary protection. In the absence of Governmentfigures, UNHCR has estimated the refugee population in25 industrialized countries based on 10 years of individualrefugee recognition.3This category is descriptive in nature and includes groups ofpersons who are outside t heir country or territory of originand who face protection risks similar to th ose of refugees,

but for whom refugee status has, for practical or otherreasons, not been ascertained.4 Persons whose application for asylum or refugee s tatus ispending at any stage in the a sylum procedure.5Refugees who have returned to their place of origin duringthe calendar year. Source: country of origin and asylum .6 Persons who are displaced within their country an d towhom UNHCR extends protection and/or assistance. It

also includes people in IDP-like situations. This category isdescriptive in nature and includes groups of persons wh o areinside their country of nationality or ha bitual residence andwho face protection risks similar to those of ID Ps but who,for practical or other reasons, could not be reported as such.7 IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR who have returned totheir place of origin during the calendar year.8 Refers to persons who are not co nsidered as nationals byany State under the operation of its law. This category refersto persons who fall under the agency’s statelessness mandatebecause they are st ateless according to this internationaldefinition, but data from some countries may also includepersons with undetermined nationality. See annex table 7 forfootnotes (http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/12-WRD-table-7.xls).9 Refers to individuals who do not necessarily fall directlyinto any of the other groups but to who m UNHCR mayextend its protection and/or assistance services. These

activities might be based on humanitarian or other specialgrounds.10UNHCR’s assistance activities for IDPs in Cyprus endedin 1999. Visit the website of the Internal DisplacementMonitoring Centre (IDMC) for further information.11Refugee figures for Iraqis in Jordan and th e Syrian ArabRepublic are Government estimates. UNHCR has registeredand is assisting 90,500 Iraqis in both countries at year-end.

12IDP figure in Kyrgyzstan includes 168,6 00 people who arein an IDP-like situation.13Refers to Palestinian refugees under the UNHCR mandateonly.14An unknown number of refugees and a sylum-seekersfrom South Sudan may be included under Sudan (in absenceof separate statistics for both countries). IDP figure inSouth Sudan includes 155,200 people who are in an IDP-likesituation.15Figures for refugees and asylum-seekers may includecitizens of South Sudan (in absence of separate statistics forboth countries). IDP figure in Sudan includes 7 7,300 peoplewho are in an I DP-like situation.16A limited number of countries record refugee and asylumstatistics by country of birth rather than country of origin.This affects the number of refugees reported as originatingfrom the United States of America.

17The 300,000 Vietna mese refugees are well integrated andin practice receive protection from the Government of China .18According to the Government of Algeria, there are anestimated 165,000 Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf camps.Source:UNHCR/Governments.

Notes table 1:The data are generally provided by Governments, bas ed ontheir own definitions and methods of data collection.A dash (-) indicates that t he value is zero, not available or notapplicable.1Country or territory of asylum or residence.2 Persons recognized as refugees under the 1951 U NConvention/1967 Protocol, the 1969 OAU Convention, inaccordance with the UNHCR Statute, persons granted acomplementary form of protection and those grantedtemporary protection. In the absence of Governmentfigures, UNHCR has estimated the refugee population in25 industrialized countries based on 10 years of individualrefugee recognition.

3This category is descriptive in nature and includes groups ofpersons who are outside t heir country or territory of originand who face protection risks similar to th ose of refugees,but for whom refugee status has, for practical or otherreasons, not been ascertained.4 Persons whose application for asylum or refugee s tatus ispending at any stage in the a sylum procedure.5Refugees who have returned to their place of origin duringthe calendar year. Source: country of origin and asylum .6 Persons who are displaced within their country an d towhom UNHCR extends protection and/or assistance. Italso includes people in IDP-like situations. This category isdescriptive in nature and includes groups of persons who areinside their country of nationality or ha bitual residence andwho face protection risks similar to those of ID Ps but who,for practical or other reasons, could not be reported as such.

7 IDPs protected/assisted by UNHCR who have returned totheir place of origin during the calendar year.8 Refers to persons who are not co nsidered as nationals byany State under the operation of its law. This category refersto persons who fall under the agency’s statelessness mandatebecause they are st ateless according to this internationaldefinition, but data from some countries may also includepersons with undetermined nationality. See annex table 7 forfootnotes (http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/12-WRD-table-7.xls).9 Refers to individuals who do not necessarily fall directlyinto any of the other groups but to who m UNHCR mayextend its protection and/or assistance services. Theseactivities might be based on humanitarian or other specialgrounds.

10According to the Government of Algeria, there are anestimated 165,000 Sahrawi refugees in the Tindouf camps.11Information on the number of pending cases at 1 January2012 for asylum-seekers who had arrived in Australia by boatwas not available when the number of pending ca ses wascalculated at 31 December 2012.12The 300,000 Viet namese refugees are well integrated andin practice receive protection from the Government of China .13UNHCR’s assistance activities for IDPs in Cyprus endedin 1999. Visit the website of the Internal DisplacementMonitoring Centre (IDMC) for further information.14Figures are UNHCR estimates.15Refugee figure for Iraqis in Jordan is a Governmentestimate. UNHCR has registered and is assisting 27,800 Iraqisat year-end.

16IDP figure in Kyrgyzstan includes 168,60 0 people who arein an IDP-like situation.17In 2011, UNHCR reported the figure of 800,000 as anestimate of individuals who lack citizenship certificatesin Nepal. However, as individuals without citizenshipcertificates are not necessarily stateless. UNHCR has beenin dialogue with the Government of Nepal to clarify andaddress the situation for future reporting.18All figures relate to 31 December 2011 (no updated dataavailable).19The figure of 178,000 stateless persons is based on thenumber of persons who self-identified as stateless in the2010 census and is subject to further discussion/verificationwith the Government.20 IDP figure in South Sudan includes 155,200 people who arein an IDP-like situation.21IDP figure in Sudan includes 77,300 people who are in anIDP-like situation.22Refugee figure for Iraqis in the Syrian Arab Republic is aGovernment estimate. UNHCR has registered and is assisting62,700 Iraqis at year-end.23Asylum-seekers (pending cases) excludes individualspending a decision on their asylum claim with the E xecutiveOffice for Im migration Review.Source:UNHCR/Governments.

12,355,42014,318,43

940,375

4,474,622

5,0252,127

3,748,478




©2013 United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesAll rights reserved. Reproductions and translations areauthorized, provided UNHCR is acknowledged as the source.

For more information, please contact:

Field Information and Coordination Support SectionDivision of Programme Support and Management

Case Postale 25001211 Geneva, [email protected]

This document along with further statistical information on globaldisplacement is available on UNHCR’s website:http://www.unhcr.org/statistics

Cover photo:Syrian refugees arrive in Jordan’s Za’atri refugee camp in the cold, earlymorning hours. Many civilians fleeing the Syrian Arab Republic cross the border at night,when it is less dangerous. The night journey is still a perilous one and very cold, especiallyin the winter months. Young children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable.UNHCR / B . SOKOL

produced and printed by unhcr ( 19 june 2013).

www.unhcr.org




Documents

Global Trends 2012