40.5 percent of the total Palestinian population of the oPt were registered refugees as of the
end of 2020, corresponding to 23.9 percent of the population in the West Bank and 64.8
percent of the population in the Gaza Strip.216
The remaining 35 percent of the Palestinian refugee population displaced during the Nakba
sought refuge in neighboring states, including Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Egypt.
Additionally, an unknown number of Palestinians were abroad at the time of the Nakba and
were unable to return following the cessation of hostilities, thereby becoming refugees sur place.217
In 2021, approximately 38.3 percent (2,504,333) of UNRWA-registered persons were
registered in Jordan, of which 2,337,780 were registered refugees (RRs) and 166,553 were other
registered persons (ORPs) eligible to receive services and married to non-refugees (MNRs).
Followed by the Gaza Strip, which has about 26.2 percent (1,710,567) of UNRWA-registered
persons: 1,520,653 RRs, 104,720 ORPs and 85,194 MNRs. Around 16.9 percent (1,103,862)
of UNRWA-registered persons were registered in the West Bank, of which 887,009 were RRs,
99,763 ORPs and 117,090 were MNRs. Almost 10.2 percent (667,861) of UNRWA-registered
persons were registered in Syria, of which 576,357 were RRs and 91,504 were ORPs. Lebanon
has about 8.5 percent (553,221) of UNRWA-registered persons, of which 485,854 were RRs,
22,967 were ORPs, and 44,400 were MNRs.218
Table 2.2: UNRWA-Registered Palestinians by Category and Area, End of 2021
Registered Refugees (RR)
Jordan
Lebanon
Syria219
West
Bank
Gaza
Strip
Total
2,337,780
485,854
576,357
887,009
1,520,653
5,807,653
Other Registered Persons (ORPs)
166,553
67,367
91,504
216,853
189,914
732,191
Total Registered Persons
2,504,333
553,221
667,861
1,103,862
1,710,567
6,539,844
Graph 2.3: Percentage Distribution of UNRWA-Registered Persons by Area, End of 2021
Gaza Strip
26.2%
Jordan
38.3%
West Bank
16.9%
Syria
10.2%
216
Lebanon
8.5%
PCBS, Statistical Yearbook of Palestine 2021 (PCBS 2021), 25 [hereinafter PCBS, Statistical Yearbook 2021] <https://
www.pcbs.gov.ps/Downloads/book2593.pdf> accessed 3 October 2022.
217
A “refugee sur place” refers to a person who is not a refugee when they leave their country of origin, but who becomes
a refugee, that is, acquires a well-founded fear of persecution, at a later date.
218
UNRWA, ‘Registered population dashboard’ (UNRWA, 2021) [hereinafter UNRWA, Population Dashboard]
<https://bit.ly/3Ma0jF2> accessed 3 October 2022.
219
All Syria figures represent a working estimate as the situation in Syria remains volatile.
44