People displaced internally by natural disasters in China
China: People displaced internally by natural disasters was 4.70 million number of cases in 2023. ◆ Volatile
People displaced internally by natural disasters in China, 2008–2023
Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in number of cases.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people displaced internally by natural disasters in China is 4.70 million number of cases, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 29.5% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people displaced internally by natural disasters in China peaked at 18.66 million number of cases in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.60 million number of cases, in 2015.
That places China 1st out of 146 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People displaced internally by natural disasters in China, year by year
| Year | number of cases | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 18.66 million number of cases | — |
| 2009 | 4.03 million number of cases | -78.4% |
| 2010 | 15.92 million number of cases | +294.9% |
| 2011 | 4.49 million number of cases | -71.8% |
| 2012 | 5.73 million number of cases | +27.6% |
| 2013 | 5.92 million number of cases | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 3.61 million number of cases | -39.0% |
| 2015 | 3.60 million number of cases | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 7.43 million number of cases | +106.4% |
| 2017 | 4.46 million number of cases | -40.0% |
| 2018 | 4.03 million number of cases | -9.6% |
| 2019 | 4.03 million number of cases | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5.07 million number of cases | +25.8% |
| 2021 | 6.04 million number of cases | +19.0% |
| 2022 | 3.63 million number of cases | -39.8% |
| 2023 | 4.70 million number of cases | +29.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 4.70 million number of cases is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,000 number of cases, 783.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- China's 4.70 million number of cases is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8,600 number of cases, 546.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People displaced internally by natural disasters in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +294.9% | 4.03 million number of cases | 15.92 million number of cases |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.35 million number of cases | 4.03 million number of cases | 18.66 million number of cases | 2 |
| 2010s | 5.92 million number of cases | 3.60 million number of cases | 15.92 million number of cases | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.86 million number of cases | 3.63 million number of cases | 6.04 million number of cases | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people displaced internally by natural disasters in China?
- People displaced internally by natural disasters in China was 4.70 million number of cases in 2023, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 18.66 million number of cases in 2008.
- What is the lowest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.60 million number of cases in 2015.
- How does China rank for people displaced internally by natural disasters?
- China ranks 1st out of 146 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people displaced internally by natural disasters rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People displaced internally by natural disasters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Internally-displaced persons are defined as people or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, as a result of natural or human-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border.