Facts and figures about refugees
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Who is a refugee?
A refugee is legally defined as a person who is outside his or her country of nationality and is unable to return due to a well-founded fear of persecution because of his or her race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. By receiving refugee status, individuals are guaranteed protection of their basic human rights, and cannot be forced to return to a country where they fear persecution.
In 2014, there were 19.5 million refugees around the world, including 5.1 million Palestinian refugees. According to the UN Refugee Agency, the leading countries of origin for refugees in 2014 were:
- Syria: 3.88 million
- Afghanistan: 2.59 million
- Somalia: 1.1 million
Find more refugee statistics from the UN Refugee Agency (http://www.unhcr.org/556725e69.html).
Who is an internally displaced person (IDP)?
Internally displaced people (IDPs) have been forced to leave their homes as a result of armed conflict, generalised violence, or h...
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