Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran
Iran: Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled was 158,166 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran, 1980–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran is 158,166, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 92.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran peaked at 158,166 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48, in 1980.
That places Iran 19th out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 48 | — |
| 1981 | 803 | +1572.9% |
| 1982 | 2,480 | +208.8% |
| 1983 | 5,577 | +124.9% |
| 1984 | 5,244 | -6.0% |
| 1985 | 88,245 | +1582.8% |
| 1986 | 87,921 | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 10,992 | -87.5% |
| 1988 | 58,259 | +430.0% |
| 1989 | 52,798 | -9.4% |
| 1990 | 75,889 | +43.7% |
| 1991 | 130,366 | +71.8% |
| 1992 | 128,781 | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 115,516 | -10.3% |
| 1994 | 121,288 | +5.0% |
| 1995 | 112,360 | -7.4% |
| 1996 | 104,122 | -7.3% |
| 1997 | 93,986 | -9.7% |
| 1998 | 89,967 | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 86,845 | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 88,266 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 92,490 | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 138,362 | +49.6% |
| 2003 | 122,530 | -11.4% |
| 2004 | 115,171 | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 99,430 | -13.7% |
| 2006 | 102,479 | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 68,398 | -33.3% |
| 2008 | 69,051 | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 72,771 | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 68,785 | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 72,366 | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 75,932 | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 75,061 | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 82,202 | +9.5% |
| 2015 | 84,950 | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 94,102 | +10.8% |
| 2017 | 118,639 | +26.1% |
| 2018 | 129,941 | +9.5% |
| 2019 | 128,998 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 135,018 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 142,989 | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 122,759 | -14.1% |
| 2023 | 151,752 | +23.6% |
| 2024 | 158,166 | +4.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 158,166 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,552, 62.0× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Iran's 158,166 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 8,800, 18.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +1582.8% | 5,244 | 88,245 |
| 1981 | +1572.9% | 48 | 803 |
| 1988 | +430.0% | 10,992 | 58,259 |
| 1982 | +208.8% | 803 | 2,480 |
| 1983 | +124.9% | 2,480 | 5,577 |
| 1987 | -87.5% | 87,921 | 10,992 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31,237 | 48 | 88,245 | 10 |
| 1990s | 105,912 | 75,889 | 130,366 | 10 |
| 2000s | 96,895 | 68,398 | 138,362 | 10 |
| 2010s | 93,098 | 68,785 | 129,941 | 10 |
| 2020s | 142,137 | 122,759 | 158,166 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 16 Rwanda 249,087 compare
- 17 Western Sahara 174,578 compare
- 18 Ethiopia 164,418 compare
- 20 China 153,564 compare
- 21 Azerbaijan 153,154 compare
- 22 Burkina Faso 150,081 compare
More population data for Iran
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.6632 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.5902 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 99,007 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4819 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5653 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 49.33 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.09 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran?
- Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Iran was 158,166 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 158,166 in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 48 in 1980.
- How does Iran rank for refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled?
- Iran ranks 19th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 92.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugee population by country or territory of origin with 133 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees by country of origin UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugee population by country or territory of origin with 133 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.