Iran dropped from top refugee host to fifth in 2025
Refugees and others needing international protection, by host country, end-2025, millions.
Iran hosted the most refugees at end-2024; a year later it was fifth.
Afghans returned from Iran during 2025, including 1.4 million refugees.
Colombia, hosting mostly Venezuelans, is now the largest host.
the numbers
| Hosted, end-2025 (M) | |
|---|---|
| Colombia | 2.8 |
| Germany | 2.7 |
| Türkiye | 2.4 |
| Uganda | 1.9 |
| Iran | 1.7 |
| Chad | 1.5 |
| Pakistan | 1.3 |
source notes & method
End-2025 host totals as published by UNHCR, rounded to 0.1 million (Global Trends 2025, p. 27). Includes refugees and other people in need of international protection (e.g. Venezuelans in Colombia). Iran end-2024: about 3.5 million and 'the largest refugee-hosting country in the world', per UNHCR (press release 21 June 2025, citing Global Trends 2024). Afghan refugees in Iran fell 53% during 2025; returns of 1.9 million from Iran (p. 17). Counting refugees only (UNHCR Refugee Data Finder, mid-2025) gives a different order. UNHCR-style estimates for Iran include people of varied documentation status.
Published 3 Nov 2026
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