Report: 70M Refugees Worldwide, Highest Since WWII

The number of refugees fleeing war, conflict and persecution exceeded 70 million in 2018, the highest level seen in almost 70 years, according to a report issued by the United Nations Refugee Agency.

The number increased by 2.3 million in just one year, with children below the age of 18 constituting about half of the refugee population.

Venezuelan refugees and asylum-seekers grew in number, with some 3.4 million fleeing the country due to political and economic turmoil.  

Most of the increase in refugees during the last 10 years has been driven mainly by the Syrian conflict. Overall, the refugee population under UNHCR’s mandate has nearly doubled since 2012.

The main country of origin for refugees in 2018 was Syria with 6.7 million refugees, followed by Afghanistan (2.7 million), South Sudan (2.3 million),Myanmar and Somalia (1.1 million each.)

Turkey has hosted the largest number of refugees worldwide with 3.7 million people followed by Pakistan (1.4 million), Uganda (1.2 million), Sudan (1.1 million) and Germany (1.1 million.)

“What we are seeing in these figures is further confirmation of a longer-term rising trend in the number of people needing safety from war, conflict and persecution,” Filippo Grandi said in the report.

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