Forced Migration in the OIC Member Countries:
Policy Framework Adopted by Host Countries
89
3.2.1. The Scale and Profile of Forced Migrants
As of April 2016, nearly 2.8 million forced migrants (including Palestinians) are registered
with international agencies in Jordan as in need of some form of protection.127 Together with
the Palestinian population, UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum seekers are estimated to
comprise nearly 30 percent of the Jordanian population.128
Figure 12: UNHCR registered refugees in Jordan, 2000-2015
Source: UNHCR, “Population Statistics,” accessed July 27, 2016
It is important to note, however, that figures for refugee populations in Jordan have been the
subject of much debate, and obtaining a reliable estimate can be difficult. Not all refugees
choose to register with UNHCR or UNRWA. In particular, refugees from countries like Syria,
Iraq, or Yemen who arrived in Jordan, often for work, prior to the outbreak of conflict in their
home countries may not feel a need to register with an international agency until they are in
need of financial assistance or other support. For some nationalities, such as Iraqis, the
Jordanian government has estimated that the unregistered refugee population is much larger
than the number of registered refugees.
At present, forced migrants in Jordan include large communities of Syrians, Iraqis, and
Palestinians, as well as a number of other nationalities on a smaller scale. The profiles,
duration of stay, settlement patterns, and protection needs of these groups differ widely.
Syrians, 2011 – Present
Syrians comprise the largest group of forced migrants (excluding Palestinians) in Jordan at
present. Syrians began to arrive in Jordan in small numbers in 2011, primarily from southern
127 701,092 refugees are registered with UNHCR. UNHCR, “Jordan UNHCR Operational Update, April 2016,” published April
19, 2016., PDF. 2,117,361 Palestinians are registered with the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), “Where We Work.”
128 MPI calculations from UNRWA, “Where We Work”; UNICEF, “Jordan Population and Housing Census 2015,” accessed July
22, 2016,
and UNHCR, “Population Statistics Database.”
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2000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015 Number of Refugees from Other Countries Number of Iraqi and Syrian Refugees
Sudan Somalia Yemen Egypt
Other Iraq Syrian Arab Rep.