552,200 2.0 REFUGEES RETURNED MILLION NEW CLAIMS Refugee returns increased from recent years. During 2016, 552,200 refugees returned to their countries of origin, often in less than ideal conditions. The number is more than double the previous year and most returned to Afghanistan (384,000). The number of new asylum claims remained high at 2.0 million. With 722,400 such claims, Germany was the world’s largest recipient of new individual applications, followed by the United States of America (262,000), Italy (123,000), and Turkey (78,600). IN 2.9 1 6 Lebanon continued to host the largest number of refugees relative to its national population, where 1 in 6 people was a refugee. Jordan (1 in 11) and Turkey (1 in 28) ranked second and third, respectively. 5 55% More than half (55 per cent) of all refugees worldwide came from just three countries: Syrian Arab Republic Afghanistan South Sudan (5.5 million) MILLION PEOPLE For the third consecutive year, Turkey hosted the largest number of refugees worldwide, with 2.9 million people. The main countries of asylum for refugees were: Turkey 2.9 million Pakistan 1.4 million Lebanon 1.0 million Islamic Republic of Iran 979,400 Uganda 940,800 Ethiopia 791,600 (2.5 million) (1.4 million) SOUTH SUDAN 189,300 REFUGEES FOR RESETTLEMENT In 2016, UNHCR referred 162,600 refugees to States for resettlement. According to government statistics, 37 countries admitted 189,300 refugees for resettlement during the year, including those resettled with UNHCR’s assistance. The United States of America admitted the highest number (96,900). 75,000 UNACCOMPANIED OR SEPARATED CHILDREN Unaccompanied or separated children – mainly Afghans, and Syrians – lodged some 75,000 asylum applications in 70 countries during the year, although this figure is assumed to be an underestimate. Germany received the highest number of these applications (35,900). SYRIA More than half of the Syrian population lived in displacement in 2016, either displaced across borders or within their own country. The fastest-growing refugee population was spurred by the crisis in South Sudan. This group grew by 64 per cent during the second half of 2016 from 854,100 to over 1.4 million, the majority of whom were children. UNHCR > GLOBAL TRENDS 2016 3