TABLE 2
Refugee population by UNHCR regions | 2009
978,200
Start-2009
People in
refugee-like
situations
27,800
1,006,000
945,200
End-2009
People in
refugee-like
situations
24,100
969,300
-36,700
-3.6%
- East and Horn of Africa
- Southern Africa
- West Africa
Total Africa*
Americas
Asia and Pacific
Europe
Middle East and North Africa
729,800
161,200
175,300
2,044,500
500,300
2,574,300
1,627,500
2,278,100
34,000
61,800
303,500
1,023,300
5,700
72,900
763,800
161,200
175,300
2,106,300
803,800
3,597,600
1,633,200
2,351,000
779,200
143,400
149,000
2,016,800
519,100
2,666,600
1,641,900
1,962,400
33,900
58,000
293,200
1,189,400
5,600
43,500
813,100
143,400
149,000
2,074,800
812,300
3,856,000
1,647,500
2,005,900
49,300
-17,800
-26,300
-31,500
8,500
258,400
14,300
-345,100
6.5%
-11.0%
-15.0%
-1.5%
1.1%
7.2%
0.9%
-14.7%
Total
9,024,700
1,467,200
10,491,900
8,806,800
1,589,700
10,396,500
-95,400
-0.9%
UNHCR regions
- Central Africa and Great Lakes
Refugees
Total refugees
Refugees
Change (total)
Total refugees
Absolute
%
* Excluding North Africa.
In the Americas, the refugee population increased marginally (+1.1%) owing primarily to the granting of
refugee status to 26,200 Colombians by Ecuador. At the same time, the number of Colombians in
Ecuador assessed to be in a refugee-like situation was adjusted from 82,300 to 71,400 as a result of
an ongoing enhanced registration exercise. This registration exercise follows up on a comprehensive
survey carried out by the Government and UNHCR in 2007-2008. The survey was undertaken to
determine the magnitude and the profile of the Colombian population and to assess the main
protection gaps.(13)
In the Asia and Pacific region, the total
number of refugees, including people in a
refugee-like situation, was estimated at 3.9
million at the end of 2009. This is an increase
of over 7 per cent during the year, mainly due
to the inclusion of an estimated 200,000
people from Myanmar in a refugee-like
situation in Bangladesh. In Europe, the
refugee population remained stable at 1.6
million (+0.9%).
Fig 2
Major refugee hosting countries
End-2009
Pakistan
(a)
1,740,700
Islamic Rep. of Iran
Syrian Arab Rep.
Germany
Jordan
1,070,500
(b)
(b)
1,054,500
593,800
450,800
Kenya
358,900
Chad
338,500
(c)
The five major refugee-hosting countries in
301,000
China
(d)
2009 were the same as those in 2008 (see
275,500
United States
(d)
Figure 2). Together, these countries accounted
269,400
United Kingdom
for almost half (47%) of all refugees under the
UNHCR mandate. Pakistan was again the
(a)
Includes Afghans in a refugee-like situation.
country with the largest number of refugees
(b)
Government estimate.
(c)
(1.7 million), nearly all from Afghanistan. The
The 300,000 Vietnamese refugees are well integrated and in practice receive
protection from the Government of China.
total refugee population in Pakistan decreased
(d)
UNHCR estimate.
by 40,000 people from the previous year as a
consequence of demographic factors, voluntary repatriation, registration and resettlement. The Islamic
Republic of Iran hosted slightly over 1 million refugees, almost all Afghans. The Government increased
its refugee estimate by 90,000 people as a result of a re-registration exercise (known as “Amayesh IV”)
conducted in the course of the year among Afghan and Iraqi refugees. The Syrian Arab Republic
was host to 1.05 million Iraqi refugees according to Government estimates, making it the third
largest refugee hosting country. The figure was revised downward by 5 per cent
(-50,000 people) based on the presumption that a number of Iraqis had left the country. Germany and
13
See the UNHCR Statistical Yearbook 2007, Best practice in data collection: the case of Ecuador, p.20.
2009 Global Trends 7