Table 2.1: Palestinian Refugees and IDPs by Group, 1950-2021
Year
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
UNRWA Registered
1948 Refugees211
Non-Registered 1948
Refugees212
1967
Refugees
1948
IDPs
1967
IDPs213
914,221214
905,986
1,120,889
1,280,823
1,425,219
1,632,707
1,844,318
2,093,545
2,422,514
3,172,641
3,737,494
4,283,892
4,966,664
4,797,723
4,871,341
4,976,920
5,094,886
5,266,603
5,340,443
5,442,947
5,545,540
5,629,829
5,708,400
5,807,653
304,740
301,995
373,630
426,941
475,073
544,236
614,773
697,848
840,838
1,057,547
827,022
935,641
1,042,420
1,028,130
1,007,027
1,026,634
1,049,848
1,110,619
1,118,992
1,143,480
1,161,812
1,186,145
1,204,286
1,220,018
–
–
–
–
266,092
316,034
375,349
445,797
529,467
628,841
743,257
861,639
993,939
1,022,546
1,051,995
1,082,293
1,113,463
1,145,753
1,177,835
1,207,280
1,237,462
1,268,399
1,300,109
1,331,311
47,610
56,546
67,159
79,763
94,734
112,514
133,631
158,712
188,500
223,879
264,613
306,759
351,488
359,924
367,842
375,935
384,205
391,889
399,727
407,721
415,876
423,778
431,406
439,171
–
–
–
–
16,240
23,901
31,920
41,041
49,889
59,444
72,758
98,673
156,182
159,447
223,948
225,693
334,618
314,082
321,719
329,119
344,599
353,546
363,020
372,793
These estimates do not include a further unknown number of displaced Palestinians who are
neither 1948 nor 1967 refugees, but who have been displaced outside the area of Mandatory
Palestine and are also likely to qualify as refugees under international law. The majority of
the latter have likely been forcibly displaced from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip
since 1967 as a result of the policies and practices of Israel’s colonial- apartheid regime. They
now reside abroad and are unable or unwilling to return owing to a well-founded fear of
persecution.
211
Recent digitization of UNRWA’s registration records enables us to present more detailed beneficiary statistics. Other
registered persons include those eligible to receive services.
212
The figures were revised starting from 2007 based on the final percentage of non-registered refugees in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip, which is estimated at 1.43%, while it was 1.66% for 2017 and 2018 then the growth rate is
considered for the recent years.
213
This includes refugees displaced at least secondarily. The figures above reflect estimates according to the best available
sources and population growth projections. Figures are therefore indicative rather than conclusive. For more details
about these estimates, see Section 2.4.
214
Excluding the 45,800 persons (1948) in 1948 Palestine who received relief from UNRWA until June 1952.
42