Fig.10 Resettlement of refugees | 1993-2015 (end-year) Number of resettled refugees Total resettlement arrivals UNHCR-assisted departures 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 During 2015, some 201,400 refugees returned to their countries of origin, with the majority (115,800 or 57%) receiving UNHCR assistance.23 This is a significant increase compared to 2014, when 126,000 refugees returned, but it is still below the number of returned refugees reported in 2013 (414,600) Figure 9 . Comparing figures over the past 20 years, 2015 witnessed the third-lowest level of refugee returns, with smaller numbers being recorded only in 2010 and 2014. During the past two decades, an estimated 17.1 million refugees returned to their country of origin. However, while some 12.9 million refugees were able to return between 1996 and 2005, just 4.2 million did so in the following 10 years. The level of return was particularly low during the second half of the past decade (2011-2015), accounting for only 10 per cent of all returns over the last 20 years. The prolonged and renewed conflicts around the world over the past five years have contributed to the recent low levels of voluntary repatriation. Refugees from 39 countries returned home over the course of 2015, compared to 37 during 2014. With 61,400 returned refugees, Afghanistan reported the largest number of returned refugees during the year, although this number is still very small given the size of the Afghan refugee population. Other countries that reported large numbers of refugee returns 23 Based on consolidated reports from countries of asylum (departure) and origin (return). 24 Resettled refugees are not included in UNHCR’s estimated refugee population figures, as they are considered to have found a durable solution. 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 included Sudan (39,500), Somalia (32,300), and the Central African Republic (21,600). These four nationalities combined accounted for 77 per cent (154,800) of the total number of refugees who returned home during 2015. During 2015, UNHCR offices in 101 countries reported that at least one refugee had departed, compared to 93 countries in 2013 and 90 in 2014. Pakistan reported the largest number of refugee departures (55,700 to Afghanistan), with all benefiting from UNHCR assistance during the year. Other countries that reported large numbers of refugee departures included Chad (49,200), Yemen (26,700), Cameroon (11,200), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (9,600). Resettlement Many refugees are unable to go home because of continued conflict, war, and persecution. They also may have sought protection in countries where their specific needs cannot be met. In these circumstances, UNHCR helps to resettle refugees in a third country, transferring them from an asylum country to another State that has agreed to admit them as refugees and ultimately grant them permanent residence.24 Resettlement States provide a refugee with legal and physical protection, including access to civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals. UNHCR, in cooperation with States, promotes and negotiates the implementation of resettlement as a durable solution. An increasing number of countries take part in UNHCR’s UNHCR Global Trends 2015 25