Iran vs Turkey: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Iran
157,912
in 2025
Turkey
149,405
in 2025
Iran rank
21st
Turkey rank
23rd
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Iran
- Turkey
How they compare
Iran currently reports 157,912 against 149,405 in Turkey, a difference of 8,507.
That makes Iran's figure about 1.1 times Turkey's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Iran ahead.
Iran ranks 21st and Turkey ranks 23rd of 205 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Iran averaged higher in 4 and Turkey in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | Turkey | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 38,940 | 942.38 | 37,997 | Iran |
| 1990s | 105,912 | 29,928 | 75,984 | Iran |
| 2000s | 96,895 | 162,807 | 65,912 | Turkey |
| 2010s | 93,098 | 88,332 | 4,765 | Iran |
| 2020s | 144,769 | 118,178 | 26,591 | Iran |
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 Turkey?
- Iran, at 157,912 against 149,405 in Turkey as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Iran and Turkey?
- 8,507, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and Turkey?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2025.
- How do Iran and Turkey rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Iran ranks 21st and Turkey ranks 23rd 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.