Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of

Iran, Islamic Republic of: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 158,171 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
158,171
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
5th
of 72 countries
All-time high
158,171
in 2024
All-time low
48
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1980–2024

050.0k100.0k150.0k1980200220241980: 481981: 8031982: 2.5k1983: 5.6k1984: 5.2k1985: 88.2k1986: 87.9k1987: 11.0k1988: 58.3k1989: 52.8k1990: 75.9k1991: 130.4k1992: 128.8k1993: 115.5k1994: 121.3k1995: 112.4k1996: 104.1k1997: 94.0k1998: 90.0k1999: 86.8k2000: 88.3k2001: 92.5k2002: 138.4k2003: 122.5k2004: 115.2k2005: 99.4k2006: 102.5k2007: 68.4k2008: 69.1k2009: 72.8k2010: 68.8k2011: 72.4k2012: 75.9k2013: 75.1k2014: 82.2k2015: 85.0k2016: 94.1k2017: 118.6k2018: 129.9k2019: 129.0k2020: 135.0k2021: 143.0k2022: 122.8k2023: 151.8k2024: 158.2k

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of is 158,171, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 92.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of peaked at 158,171 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48, in 1980.

Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 5th of 72 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of, year by year

Annual values for Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin in Iran, Islamic Republic of, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 48
1981 803 +1572.9%
1982 2,480 +208.8%
1983 5,577 +124.9%
1984 5,244 -6.0%
1985 88,245 +1582.8%
1986 87,921 -0.4%
1987 10,992 -87.5%
1988 58,259 +430.0%
1989 52,798 -9.4%
1990 75,889 +43.7%
1991 130,366 +71.8%
1992 128,781 -1.2%
1993 115,516 -10.3%
1994 121,288 +5.0%
1995 112,360 -7.4%
1996 104,122 -7.3%
1997 93,986 -9.7%
1998 89,967 -4.3%
1999 86,845 -3.5%
2000 88,266 +1.6%
2001 92,490 +4.8%
2002 138,362 +49.6%
2003 122,530 -11.4%
2004 115,171 -6.0%
2005 99,430 -13.7%
2006 102,479 +3.1%
2007 68,398 -33.3%
2008 69,051 +1.0%
2009 72,771 +5.4%
2010 68,785 -5.5%
2011 72,366 +5.2%
2012 75,932 +4.9%
2013 75,061 -1.1%
2014 82,202 +9.5%
2015 84,950 +3.3%
2016 94,102 +10.8%
2017 118,639 +26.1%
2018 129,941 +9.5%
2019 128,998 -0.7%
2020 135,018 +4.7%
2021 142,994 +5.9%
2022 122,764 -14.1%
2023 151,757 +23.6%
2024 158,171 +4.2%

Iran, Islamic Republic of compared with similar countries

  • Iran, Islamic Republic of's 158,171 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17,235, 9.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
  • Iran, Islamic Republic of's 158,171 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6,895, 22.9× the median. (20 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1985 +1582.8% 5,244 88,245
1981 +1572.9% 48 803
1988 +430.0% 10,992 58,259
1982 +208.8% 803 2,480
1983 +124.9% 2,480 5,577
1987 -87.5% 87,921 10,992

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 31,237 48 88,245 10
1990s 105,912 75,889 130,366 10
2000s 96,895 68,398 138,362 10
2010s 93,098 68,785 129,941 10
2020s 142,141 122,764 158,171 5

Countries ranked near Iran, Islamic Republic of

  1. 2 Ukraine 5.12 million compare
  2. 3 Sudan 2.09 million compare
  3. 4 Iraq 305,504 compare
  4. 6 Azerbaijan 153,154 compare
  5. 7 Türkiye 139,640 compare
  6. 8 Russian Federation 96,869 compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More health data for Iran, Islamic Republic of

All data for Iran, Islamic Republic of →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of was 158,171 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
The highest recorded value was 158,171 in 2024.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
The lowest recorded value was 48 in 1980.
How does Iran, Islamic Republic of rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
Iran, Islamic Republic of ranks 5th out of 72 countries with data for 2024.
Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Republic of?
Over the last ten years it is up 92.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iran, Islamic Republic of data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Iran, Islamic Republic of. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-under-the-mandate-of-the-unhcr-by-country-or-territory-of-origin-2/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
72 places, 2,595 data points, 1963–2024
Last refreshed