Figures at a Glance

We are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record.

An unprecedented 65.3 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 21.3 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18.

There are also 10 million stateless people who have been denied a nationality and access to basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment and freedom of movement. 

In a world where nearly 34,000 people are forcibly displaced every day as a result of conflict or persecution, our work at UNHCR is more important than ever before.

How we gather our data

Full-time statisticians in UNHCR's Field Information and Coordination Section track the number of people forced to flee so that when a major displacement crisis erupts, we are able to predict how many people need help, how much help they need and how many staff we must deploy.

These figures are released every year in our Global Trends and Global Appeal reports.

Staff figures

Our staff are the backbone of UNHCR. At the end of 2015, we employed over 9,700 people. Around 89 per cent of our staff are based in the field.

We work in 126 countries, with staff based in a mixture of regional and branch offices and sub and field offices. Our staff work hard to help the displaced, specializing in a wide range of disciplines, including legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs and health.

Financial figures

We are funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions, with 86 per cent from governments and the European Union. Six per cent comes from other inter-governmental organizations and pooled funding mechanisms, while a further six per cent is from the private sector, including foundations, corporations and the public. Additionally, we receive a limited subsidy (two per cent) from the UN budget for administrative costs, and accept in-kind contributions, including items such as tents, medicines and trucks.

UNHCR was launched on a shoestring annual budget of US$ 300,000 in 1950. But as our work and size have grown, so too have the costs. Our annual budget rose to more than US$ 1 billion in the early 1990s and reached a new annual high of US$ 5.3 billion in 2013.

Our yearly budget includes programmes that support continuing operations and supplementary programmes to cover emergencies, such as the Syria crisis or large-scale repatriation operations.

For up-to-date information about how UNHCR is financed, visit our Global Focus website.

Statistics and operational data

Our accurate, relevant and timely data and statistics are crucial to refugee operations. This key resource is used by all partners to respond to the needs of refugee populations.

UNHCR's Statistics Database provides data, reports and other information essential for field operations. It also carries statistical reports on people of concern – refugees, asylum seekers, returned refugees, the internally displaced and stateless people. Detailed information on country of asylum, place of origin, gender, age, location and legal status of refugees is available. Indicators on the quality of refugee protection and UNHCR operations are increasingly being collected.

For more information, please see our Statistical Yearbooks.

More figures and data sources