Ethiopia vs Iran: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Ethiopia
164,215
in 2025
Iran
157,912
in 2025
Ethiopia rank
20th
Iran rank
21st
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Ethiopia
- Iran
How they compare
Ethiopia currently reports 164,215 against 157,912 in Iran, a difference of 6,303.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 46 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 20th and Iran ranks 21st of 205 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 3 and Iran in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | Iran | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.59 million | 31,237 | 1.56 million | Ethiopia |
| 1990s | 281,190 | 105,912 | 175,278 | Ethiopia |
| 2000s | 63,848 | 96,895 | 33,047 | Iran |
| 2010s | 82,131 | 93,098 | 10,966 | Iran |
| 2020s | 156,190 | 144,769 | 11,421 | Ethiopia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Ethiopia or Iran?
- Ethiopia, at 164,215 against 157,912 in Iran as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Ethiopia and Iran?
- 6,303, with Ethiopia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and Iran?
- 46 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2025.
- How do Ethiopia and Iran rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Ethiopia ranks 20th and Iran ranks 21st of 205 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.