Iran vs United Kingdom: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum
Iran
770,514
in 2025
United Kingdom
581,072
in 2025
Iran rank
11th
United Kingdom rank
14th
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum over time
- Iran
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Iran currently reports 770,514 against 581,072 in United Kingdom, a difference of 189,442.
That makes Iran's figure about 1.3 times United Kingdom's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 51 shared years of data; in 1962 it was United Kingdom ahead.
Iran ranks 11th and United Kingdom ranks 14th of 183 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 5 and United Kingdom in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,025 | 160,000 | 158,975 | United Kingdom |
| 1970s | 130,100 | 146,000 | 15,900 | United Kingdom |
| 1980s | 2.08 million | 113,277 | 1.97 million | Iran |
| 1990s | 2.73 million | 88,515 | 2.64 million | Iran |
| 2000s | 1.20 million | 272,145 | 930,882 | Iran |
| 2010s | 956,462 | 144,830 | 811,632 | Iran |
| 2020s | 2.17 million | 357,290 | 1.82 million | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of asylum, Iran or United Kingdom?
- Iran, at 770,514 against 581,072 in United Kingdom as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of asylum between Iran and United Kingdom?
- 189,442, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and United Kingdom?
- 51 years are reported by both, from 1962 to 2025.
- How do Iran and United Kingdom rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Iran ranks 11th and United Kingdom ranks 14th of 183 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.