Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran

Iran: Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled was 3.49 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
3.49 million people
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
1st
of 183 countries
All-time high
4.41 million people
in 1991
All-time low
300 people
in 1968
Years of data
50
1962–2024

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran, 1962–2024

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M196219932024

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran is 3.49 million people, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and up 255.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran peaked at 4.41 million people in 1991 and was at its lowest, 300 people, in 1968.

That places Iran 1st out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran, 1962 to 2024.
Year people Change
1962 2,000 people —
1963 1,500 people -25.0%
1968 300 people -80.0%
1969 300 people +0.0%
1979 130,100 people +43266.7%
1980 330,000 people +153.7%
1981 1.56 million people +374.2%
1982 1.70 million people +8.6%
1983 1.90 million people +11.8%
1984 2.00 million people +5.3%
1985 2.30 million people +15.0%
1986 2.59 million people +12.6%
1987 2.76 million people +6.6%
1988 2.85 million people +3.3%
1989 2.85 million people +0.0%
1990 4.17 million people +46.5%
1991 4.41 million people +5.5%
1992 4.15 million people -5.8%
1993 2.50 million people -39.9%
1994 2.24 million people -10.4%
1995 2.07 million people -7.3%
1996 2.03 million people -2.0%
1997 1.98 million people -2.4%
1998 1.93 million people -2.6%
1999 1.84 million people -5.0%
2000 1.87 million people +1.8%
2001 1.87 million people +0.0%
2002 1.31 million people -30.1%
2003 984,895 people -24.6%
2004 1.05 million people +6.2%
2005 974,301 people -6.9%
2006 968,368 people -0.6%
2007 963,544 people -0.5%
2008 980,104 people +1.7%
2009 1.07 million people +9.2%
2010 1.07 million people +0.3%
2011 886,465 people -17.4%
2012 868,239 people -2.1%
2013 857,352 people -1.3%
2014 982,025 people +14.5%
2015 979,435 people -0.3%
2016 979,435 people +0.0%
2017 979,435 people +0.0%
2018 979,435 people +0.0%
2019 979,435 people +0.0%
2020 800,025 people -18.3%
2021 798,343 people -0.2%
2022 3.43 million people +329.0%
2023 3.76 million people +9.9%
2024 3.49 million people -7.3%

Iran compared with similar countries

  • Iran's 3.49 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,251 people, 558.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
  • Iran's 3.49 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16,250 people, 214.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran 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.

YearChange FromTo
1979 +43266.7% 300 people 130,100 people
1981 +374.2% 330,000 people 1.56 million people
2022 +329.0% 798,343 people 3.43 million people
1980 +153.7% 130,100 people 330,000 people
1968 -80.0% 1,500 people 300 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 1,025 people 300 people 2,000 people 4
1970s 130,100 people 130,100 people 130,100 people 1
1980s 2.08 million people 330,000 people 2.85 million people 10
1990s 2.73 million people 1.84 million people 4.41 million people 10
2000s 1.20 million people 963,544 people 1.87 million people 10
2010s 956,462 people 857,352 people 1.07 million people 10
2020s 2.46 million people 798,343 people 3.76 million people 5

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 2 Turkey 2.94 million people compare
  2. 3 Germany 2.75 million people compare
  3. 4 Uganda 1.76 million people compare

See the full ranking of 183 places →

More reference data data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran?
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran was 3.49 million people in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 4.41 million people in 1991.
What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 300 people in 1968.
How does Iran rank for refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled?
Iran ranks 1st out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
Is refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is up 255.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iran data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-by-country-of-asylum-gaps-filled/iran-islamic-rep/

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How this figure is calculated

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Refugees by country of asylum, gaps filled
Unit
people
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
183 places, 7,634 data points, 1951–2024
Last refreshed

Refugees by country of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.