»Zahl der Flüchtlinge auf dem höchsten Stand seit 1994«

Introduction

In 2012, forced population displacement continued to affect large numbers of people worldwide. UNHCR’s 2012 Global Trends report analyses statistical trends and changes from January to December 2012, for the populations for whom UNHCR has been entrusted with a responsibility by the international community. These people include refugees, asylum-seekers, returnees, stateless persons and certain groups of internally displaced persons (IDPs), and are collectively referred to as “persons of concern“.

The year 2012 was marked by refugee crises reaching levels unseen in the previous decade. Conflicts such as those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the border area between South Sudan and Sudan forced more than 1.1 million refugees into neighbouring countries. An average of 3,000 people per day became refugees in 2012, five times more than in 2010. These new refugees joined the more than 800,000 people who had become refugees in 2011. Throughout the year, neighbouring States kept their borders open and provided a safe haven for these hundreds of thousands of refugees, despite the significant social and economic implications for their own nationals.

In addition, an estimated 6.5 million people were displaced within the borders of their countries, almost twice as many as in 2011 and the second highest of the past decade.As a result of conflict and persecution, on average during 2012, 23,000 people per day were forced to abandon their homes and seek protection, either within or outside the borders of their countries.

By the end of 2012, some 45.2 million people worldwide were considered as forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, generalized violence and human rights violations. They included 15.4 million refugees, 28.8 million IDPs and close to one million individuals whose asylum applications had not yet been adjudicated by the end of the reporting period. The 2012 level was the highest since 1994, when an estimated 47 million people were considered forcibly displaced worldwide.

Largely due to escalating crises in the Syrian Arab Republic and Mali, the total number of refugees and IDPs under UNHCR’s care in 2012 increased by 2.3 million people, reaching 28.2 million persons by yearend. The number of refugees increased slightly to 10.5 million from 10.4 in 2011, and the number of IDPs protected or assisted by UNHCR increased to 17.7 million from 15.5 in 2011. In addition, UNHCR estimates that at least 10 million per- sons were stateless globally, with official statistics covering only some 3.3 million.

The number of individual asylum applications registered with Governments or UNHCR in 2012 reflects a continued increasing demand for international protection throughout the year. The total of 893,700 claims submitted was a three per cent increase over 2011 and the second highest level of the past 10 years. More than 21,300 unaccompanied or separated children, mainly from Afghanistan and Somalia, filed an asylum application during the year, the highest number since UNHCR started collecting such information in a systematic way in 2006. According to UNHCR data, at least 113,000 unaccompanied or separated children lodged asylum claims since 2006.

Fortunately, some 526,000 refugees were able to return home voluntarily during the year, similar to 2011.

UNHCR submitted over 74,800 refugees for resettlement in 2012, one-fifth less than in 2011, largely due to security constraints and processing backlogs. Where UNHCR was engaged with IDPs, an estimated 1.6 million people were able to return home in 2012. Unfortunately, the situation in many countries prevented the return of millions of forcibly displaced people. For example, the number of refugees considered to be in protracted situationswas 6.4 million at year-end.

The figures in 2012 Global Trends are based on data reported by governments, non-governmental organizations and UNHCR. The numbers are rounded to the closest hundred or thousand. As some adjustments may appear in the 2012 Statistical Yearbook, to be released later this year, the figures contained in this report should be considered as provisional, and may be subject to change. Unless otherwise specified, the report does not refer to events occurring after 31 December 2012.

Global Trends

The 10.5 million refugees under UNHCR’s responsibility included some 619,000 people in refugeelike situations.The number of people whose asylum applications had not yet been adjudicated by the end of the reporting period was estimated at 937,000. A total of 17.7 million IDPs, including more than 401,000 people in IDP-like situations, received humanitarian assistance under arrangements in which UNHCR was either a lead agency or a key partner. This was the highest figure on record.

In countries where UNHCR was engaged with IDPs, an estimated .6 million IDPs were able to return home during the year.During the same period, some 526,000 refugees repatriated voluntarily.

During 2012, UNHCR identified more than 3.34 million stateless persons in 72 countries, and estimated the total number of stateless persons worldwide at more than 10 million people.In addition, 1.3 million individuals outside any of the above categories received protection and/ or assistance from UNHCR based on humanitarian or other special grounds. These individuals are referred to as “other groups or persons of concern”.

Refugee Population

The global number of refugees under UNHCR’s mandate was estimated at 10.5 million at the end of 2012. Outflows of more than 1.1 million refugees, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, and the Syrian Arab Republic stretched emergency response systems globally for the third year in a row. 

The 2012 increase, not seen since the early 1990’s, was partly offset by the voluntary return of some half a million refugees, primarily to Afghanistan, Côte d’Ivoire and Iraq. Further reductions in global refugee figures resulted from the application of the cessation clause to Angolan and Liberian refugees across sub-Saharan Africaand from the revision of Government estimates for Iraqi refugees in Jordan and in the Syrian Arab Republic. Despite the significant number of new arrivals, the global refugee population thus grew by only 97,700 people compared to 2011.

Table 1 shows that 3.5 million or one-third (34%) of all refugees were residing in countries covered by UNHCR’s Asia and Pacific region. Of these, 2.5 million were Afghans (70%). Sub-Saharan Africa was host to almost 2.8 million or one-quarter of all refugees, primarily from Somalia (799,300), Sudan (527,800), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (476,500). The Middle East and North Africa region hosted some 1.6 million or 15 per cent of the world’s refugees, mainly from Iraq (554,500) and the Syrian Arab Republic (442,300), while Europe hosted some 1.8 million (17%). In Europe, refugees from the Syrian Arab Republic (283,900) and Serbia (and Kosovo: S/RES/1244 (1999)) (155,600) were the largest groups. With 806,600 refugees, the Americas region hosted the smallest share of refugees (8%) globally. Here, Colombians (391,100) constituted the largest number.

Two major developments impacted refugee figures in the Middle East and North Africa region. First, conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic forced some 647,000 people to seek refuge in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and other countries in the region. Second, Government estimates of Iraqi refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan were revised downward to 534,400 at the end of 2012. This revision reflects that a number of Iraqis have returned to Iraq or moved onward to other countries since their arrival. In addition, some 54,000 Malian refugees fled to Mauritania in early 2012, while more than 22,000 Somali refugees arrived in Yemen.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of refugees increased for the third consecutive year. By the end of 2012, there were close to 2.8 million refugees in sub-Saharan Africa, 81,000 more than at the beginning of the year and more than half a million more than two years earlier. Nevertheless, the numbers remained below those in 2000 when more than 3.4 million people were refugees in sub- Saharan Africa.

Major refugee outflows in sub-Saharan Africa were reported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Somalia, and Sudan. The outbreak of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to new internal displacement of more than one million people, as well as outflows of tens of thousands of Congolese into Uganda (40,200), Rwanda (17,000), and Burundi (8,200).As observed in earlier years, on-going violence and drought in southern and central Somalia continued to force large numbers to flee; in 2012 75,000 Somalis sought refuge abroad, mainly in Ethiopia (35,800), Yemen (22,300), and Kenya (13,800).

Overall, some 763,000 Somalis or an estimated 8 per cent of the population have left the country during the past six years. The outbreak of war in Mali resulted in a large-scale refugee movement in 2012, when an estimated 143,000 people fled to Mauritania (54,000), Niger (50,200), and Burkina Faso (38,400). Conflict in Sudan led to the outflow of 112,500 refugees to South Sudan (100,000) and Ethiopia (12,500) while more than 35,000 refugees from South Sudan arrived in Ethiopia.

A total of 272,800 refugees across sub-Saharan Africa were able to return home in safety and dignity, including to Côte d’Ivoire (72,800), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (71,900), Burundi (35,700), Liberia (29,400), and Angola (19,700).

In the Americas, the refugee population remained virtually unchanged, at roughly 806,600. The United States of America accounted for one third of refugees in this region according to UNHCR estimates (262,000).Some 1,500 Colombians were granted refugee status in Ecuador bringing the total number of Colombian refugees (54,600) and people in a refugee-like situation (68,300) to almost 123,000 at the end of 2012. In the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the estimated number of Colombian refugees and persons in a refugee-like situation remained unchanged at 203,600.

In the Asia and Pacific region, the total number of refugees, including people in a refugee-like situation, was estimated at 3.5 million at the end of 2012, a decrease of 2 per cent during the year. This was largely due to the voluntary repatriation of almost 100,000 Afghan refugees from Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and departures for resettlement of more than 34,000 refugees out of Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand, facilitated by UNHCR.

In Europe, the refugee population increased by 245,600 people to 1.8 million at the end of 2012 (+16%) largely as a result of the arrival of 308,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey. Some 68,600 of them returned spontaneously to their country in the course of the year. An additional 17,700 Syrian asylum-seekers were granted international protection on an individual basis across Europe. The increase in Syrian refugees across Europe was partly offset by a revision of UNHCR’s refugee estimate for the United Kingdom, from 193,600 to 149,800.

Countries of Asylum

With one exception, the 10 major refugee- hosting countries in 2012 were the same as in 2011. The United States of America dropped out of the list of the top 10, and Turkey moved in into 10th place. Together, these 10 countries hosted 5.8 million or 55 per cent of all refugees worldwide.

Pakistan continued to host the largest number of refugees in the world (1.64 million), nearly all from Afghanistan. The overall figure decreased by 64,000 people compared to the start of the year, mainly due to voluntary repatriation of Afghan refugees. The Islamic Republic of Iran hosted 868,200 refugees by year-end, almost all Afghans. An overall drop of 18,200 refugees was observed, mainly because of repatriating Afghans.

Germany reported 589,700 refugees at the end of 2012, an increase of 3 per cent (+18,000 people), making it the third-largest refugee hosting country in the world.Kenya ranked fourth with 564,900 refugees, virtually unchanged compared to the start of the year (566,500). In light of the deteriorating humanitarian situation and escalating violence in the Syrian Arab Republic, the Government estimate for Iraqi refugees in the country was revised from 750,000 to 471,400 assuming that a number of Iraqis had left the country. UNHCR continued to provide assistance to a registered 62,700 Iraqi refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic by end 2012. Including other groups, the total number of refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic was 476,500 at year-end, making it the fifth largest refugee-hosting country.

Ethiopia continued to receive new arrivals in 2012 with 94,000 people seeking refuge, mostly from Somalia (35,800) and South Sudan (35,200), but also Sudan (12,500) and Eritrea (10,700). Since 2008, when Ethiopia was host to 83,600 refugees, figures have more than quadrupled. By the end of 2012, the refugee population had grown to 376,400 and Ethiopia was hosting the sixth largest refugee population in the world.

The refugee population in Chad remained relatively stable at 373,700 compared to 366,500 at the end of 2011. In Jordan, the Government’s estimate of Iraqi refugees was revised down from 450,000 to 63,000. This reduction was partly offset by the arrival of more than 131,000 Syrian refugees. The total number of refugees in Jordan stood at 302,700 by year-end, making it the eighth largest refugee-hosting country in the world.

Reported numbers of refugees in China remained largely unchanged since the early 1980’s, and the country featured as 9th largest refugee-hosting country accordingly. Meanwhile, in Turkey, there were significant numbers of new arrivals in 2012. More than 307,700 Syrian refugees arrived over the course of the year and were granted temporary protection by the Government of Turkey. With the return of 68,600 people to the Syrian Arab Republic, the number was 248,500 at the end of 2012. Combined with other refugee populations, the total number of refugees in Turkey was 267,100, moving it from the 59th to the 10th most important refugee-hosting country in the space of only one year. In no other country had the change been so dramatic.

Countries of Origin

Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Sudan were the top five source countries of refugees at the end of 2012. With the exception of the Syrian Arab Republic, this was comparable to the end of 2011, when Af- ghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were the top-ranking source countries. The top five countries of 2012 accounted for more than half (55%) of all refugees under UNHCR’s responsibility worldwide.

With close to 2.6 million refugees in 82 countries, Afghanistan remained the leading country of origin of refugees in 2012. The country has remained on top of the list for 32 consecutive years with numbers varying from 500,000 refugees at the onset of the crisis in 1979, to more than 6.3 million at its peak in 1990. On average, one out of four refugees in the world are from Afghanistan with 95 per cent of them located in Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Outside the immediate region, Germany hosted the largest number of Afghans - an estimated 31,700 people.

Somalis were the second largest refugee group under UNHCR’s responsibility, with more than 1.1 million people at the end of 2012 - 61,000 more than at the start of the year. Between 2007 and 2011, more than half a million Somalis arrived in Ethiopia and Kenya as a result of conflict and violence combined with drought and famine. One positive sign was that the refugee outflow slowed down in 2012, with 35,800 arriving in Ethiopia and 13,800 in Kenya. In addition, 3,200 Somalis fled to Djibouti while some 22,300 embarked on a perilous journey across the Gulf of Aden or the Red Sea to Yemen.

Despite signficiant revisions of figures, Iraqis were the third largest refugee group in 2012, with an estimated 746,400 persons mainly in the Syrian Arab Republic (471,400) and Jordan (63,000). This is nearly less than half of the figure reported in 2011 (1.4 million), as Governments reduced their estimates in both countries, on the assumption that many people returned to Iraq or moved elsewhere. Other important host countries of Iraqi refugees were Germany (49,800) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (44,100).

Conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic forced 647,000 people to flee mainly to neighbouring countries. This was the largest annual exodus by a single refugee group since 1999, when more than 867,000 people fled Kosovo (S/RES/1244 (1999)), primarily to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The total number of Syrian refugees at end 2012 was 728,500, making them the fourth largest refugee group in the world – a jump from 36th place a year earlier.

Sudan was the fifth largest country of origin, with 569,200 refugees under UNHCR’s mandate at the end of 2012, up from 387,100two years earlier. Fighting in southern areas of Sudan drove 100,000 persons to seek refuge in South Sudan and 12,500 in Ethiopia during the year. An estimated 218,000 Sudanese have fled the country since the outbreak of conflict in 2011.

Other main source countries of refugees were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and Colombia. The number of Congolese refugees increased for the fifth consecutive year, reaching an all-time high by year-end (509,400). Some 40,000 Congolese were granted prima facie refugee status in Uganda, while an additional 25,300 Congolese were recognized on an individual basis, mainly in Rwanda (15,100), and in Burundi (6,400). The numbers of refugees from Myanmar (415,300) and Colombia (394,100) remained relatively stable compared to 2011. The figure for Myanmar included an estimated 200,000 unregistered people in Bangladesh. The figure for Colombians included refugees as well people in a refugee-like situation in Ecuador, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and Panama.

Contributions of Host Countries

Countries’ contribution to international refugee protection can take many forms. These include providing asylum, offering refugees a durable solution and providing funds for protection and assistance activities including in other, usually less prosperous, countries. Developing countries often host large groups of refugees, placing an extra burden on their communities. To assist these countries, the international community often provides resources through UNHCR, other international agencies, non-governmental organizations or bilaterally.

The ratio of the size of its hosted refugee population to the average income level of a country according to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Purchasing Power Parity)per capitaprovides a proxy measure of the burden of hosting refugees that permits a better comparsion between countries. When the number of refugees per 1 USD GDP (PPP) per capita is high, the relative contribution and effort made by countries, in relation to their national economy, can be considered as high. This indicator shows that in 2012, the 25 countries with the largest number of refugees per 1 USD GDP per capita were all developing countries, and included 16 Least Developed Countries. More than 5.2 million refugees, representing 50 per cent of the world’s refugees, resided in countries whose GDP (PPP) per capita was below USD 5,000.

Pakistan had the highest number of refugees in relation to its national economy, hosting 552 refugees per 1 USD GDP (PPP) per capita. Ethiopia was second with 303 refugees per 1USD GDP (PPP) per capita, followed by Kenya (301), South Sudan (209), Chad (200), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (153). The first developed country was Germany, in 31st place, with 15 refugees per 1USD GDP (PPP) per capita.

Rankings change when the number of refugees is compared to the national population of the host country. Here, Jordan tops the list with 49 refugees per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Chad with 33 refugees per 1,000 inhabitants, Lebanon (32), Congo (24) and the Syrian Arab Republic (23). Chad and South Sudan are the only countries among the top 10 for both indicators. 

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