Iran vs Sri Lanka: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Iran
157,912
in 2025
Sri Lanka
148,369
in 2025
Iran rank
21st
Sri Lanka rank
24th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Iran
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Iran currently reports 157,912 against 148,369 in Sri Lanka, a difference of 9,543.
That makes Iran's figure about 1.1 times Sri Lanka's.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 41 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Iran ahead.
Iran ranks 21st and Sri Lanka ranks 24th of 205 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 1 and Sri Lanka in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 59,643 | 2,355 | 57,288 | Iran |
| 1990s | 105,912 | 132,314 | 26,402 | Sri Lanka |
| 2000s | 96,895 | 125,934 | 29,040 | Sri Lanka |
| 2010s | 93,098 | 123,428 | 30,330 | Sri Lanka |
| 2020s | 144,769 | 147,107 | 2,338 | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Iran or Sri Lanka?
- Iran, at 157,912 against 148,369 in Sri Lanka as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Iran and Sri Lanka?
- 9,543, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Sri Lanka?
- 41 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2025.
- How do Iran and Sri Lanka rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Iran ranks 21st and Sri Lanka ranks 24th 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.