Conflict Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Conflict Statistics

War and conflict are tied to 21.5% of child deaths under 5, yet the same crisis reshapes everything from education interruptions and hospital function to GDP, inflation risk, and displacement levels. From 68.3 million people forcibly displaced by end 2023 to mounting humanitarian needs such as $2.9 billion for Sudan, the page connects how insecurity turns into long term harm and why response capacity is under pressure.

36 statistics36 sources10 sections9 min readUpdated 9 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

21.5% of global deaths among children under 5 are attributable to conflicts/fragility-related causes in estimates summarized in major GBD war-impact analyses (Percent share of mortality attributable to war and conflict impacts)

Statistic 2

1 in 5 conflict-related injuries become chronic or long-term disability according to peer-reviewed injury and disability literature synthesizing war injury outcomes

Statistic 3

10.3% reduction in life expectancy was estimated for populations affected by war in a landmark GBD war-analysis that quantifies life expectancy loss under armed conflict conditions

Statistic 4

34% of the population in Ukraine faced severe food insecurity during parts of the 2022–2024 conflict period as quantified by IPC analysis used in humanitarian planning

Statistic 5

8.7 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people were registered in Afghanistan under UNHCR’s 2024 figures for populations displaced by conflict and conflict-related events

Statistic 6

49% of displaced people are women and girls in UNHCR’s global forced displacement demographics

Statistic 7

4.1 million refugees were living in Türkiye in 2023 (UNHCR), among the largest host-country totals for conflict-generated refugee populations

Statistic 8

18.4 million people were internally displaced in Ukraine during the 2022–2024 conflict period as tracked by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and partners (latest consolidated figures in 2024 reporting)

Statistic 9

68.3 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2023 (IDMC summary aligned with global forced displacement reporting), driven primarily by conflict and persecution

Statistic 10

2,500,000 displaced people crossed into safer areas during the Rohingya crisis period (2017–2018 baseline scale) documented in UNHCR/partner reporting as conflict-driven displacement magnitude

Statistic 11

5.6 million people in Sudan were displaced as of UNHCR/partners updates for the 2023–2024 conflict intensity period (IDP/refugee tracking in UNHCR situation updates)

Statistic 12

8.3 million people were internally displaced in Sudan during the conflict period as reported in IDMC’s country reporting

Statistic 13

55% of countries with high levels of fragility experience repeated cycles of violence and instability in the World Bank FCV diagnostic framing

Statistic 14

6.6% of global goods trade flows are affected by conflict-affected instability corridors in an OECD quantification of trade exposure to fragility and conflict risk

Statistic 15

20.7% of documented casualties from suicide attacks and explosive violence in a global dataset were children (peer-reviewed dataset analysis on conflict explosive violence demographics)

Statistic 16

76% of school-age children in conflict-affected areas experience interrupted schooling or access barriers, based on UNESCO Institute for Statistics conflict/education disruption estimates

Statistic 17

1 in 10 children worldwide are affected by conflict-related education interruptions, based on UNICEF/Save the Children child education protection analyses quoting a global fraction

Statistic 18

40% of displaced children have no access to formal schooling in many conflict-affected settings according to UNICEF education situation analyses

Statistic 19

1.2% of global GDP is lost due to armed conflict impacts on the global economy in a widely cited economics-of-conflict estimate summarized in peer-reviewed and policy literature

Statistic 20

1.7% drop in real GDP for countries experiencing large-scale conflict onset is quantified in empirical macroeconomic studies of conflict and growth

Statistic 21

5.1% increase in global inflation risk is associated with energy and commodity supply shocks during conflict periods, estimated in IMF analyses of geopolitical and conflict-driven macro volatility

Statistic 22

44% of humanitarian organizations reported disrupted access to beneficiaries due to conflict-related security constraints in a humanitarian operations survey

Statistic 23

12.3% decline in the number of functioning hospitals during conflict periods was reported in a peer-reviewed study quantifying facility functionality over time

Statistic 24

18 months is the median time to clear cleared areas from mine contamination in certain operational contexts as quantified in peer-reviewed mine clearance performance evaluations

Statistic 25

23 million people in Afghanistan were reported as requiring humanitarian assistance in 2024 UN OCHA planning documents due to conflict and fragility

Statistic 26

9.4% of people on average in 101 low- and middle-income countries experienced hunger in 2022, with conflict a key driver of food insecurity according to FAO’s analysis of drivers of acute food insecurity

Statistic 27

3.6% of deaths worldwide in 2019 were attributable to air pollution, with conflict-related smoke and emissions recognized as contributing to exposure pathways in health risk assessments of pollution sources

Statistic 28

62% of surveyed health workers in conflict-affected areas reported experiencing psychological distress, according to a systematic review/meta-analysis of mental health outcomes among healthcare workers deployed in war and disaster settings

Statistic 29

$2.9 billion in humanitarian funding was required in 2024 for the Sudan crisis, reflecting conflict-driven needs in consolidated funding requirement figures

Statistic 30

$1.6 billion in humanitarian funding was requested for Ukraine in 2024, reflecting ongoing conflict-related humanitarian and recovery needs

Statistic 31

4.2 million unexploded ordnance (UXO) items were estimated to remain in-country after major conflicts in a national survey of post-conflict explosive hazards

Statistic 32

26.5 million people are estimated to be in IPC Phase 3 or above across conflicts and climate shocks, with conflict being a principal driver in IPC global analysis for 2024

Statistic 33

58% of the population in Yemen faced crisis-level food insecurity or worse in selected periods in 2023–2024 IPC analyses used for humanitarian planning

Statistic 34

7.5 million people were facing emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) in 2023/24, according to a joint IPC phase classification synthesis

Statistic 35

14.6% of children under 5 in conflict-affected regions had wasting, according to a peer-reviewed analysis drawing on DHS/MICS and humanitarian nutrition surveys

Statistic 36

3.4 million children under 5 are estimated to be at risk of severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel due to conflict and market disruptions, based on a multi-agency nutrition scenario report

Sources
Trusted by 500+ publications
Harvard Business ReviewThe GuardianFortune+497
Marie Larsen

Written by Marie Larsen·Edited by David Sutherland·Fact-checked by Peter Sandoval

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

By the end of 2023, 68.3 million people were forcibly displaced, largely driven by conflict and persecution, and the knock-on effects reach far beyond borders. When you zoom out, the toll becomes painfully specific too, with 21.5% of global deaths among children under 5 linked to conflict and fragility. This post connects those dots across displacement, health, education, and the cost of insecurity to show where the pressure points really are.

Key Takeaways

  • 21.5% of global deaths among children under 5 are attributable to conflicts/fragility-related causes in estimates summarized in major GBD war-impact analyses (Percent share of mortality attributable to war and conflict impacts)
  • 1 in 5 conflict-related injuries become chronic or long-term disability according to peer-reviewed injury and disability literature synthesizing war injury outcomes
  • 10.3% reduction in life expectancy was estimated for populations affected by war in a landmark GBD war-analysis that quantifies life expectancy loss under armed conflict conditions
  • 8.7 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people were registered in Afghanistan under UNHCR’s 2024 figures for populations displaced by conflict and conflict-related events
  • 49% of displaced people are women and girls in UNHCR’s global forced displacement demographics
  • 4.1 million refugees were living in Türkiye in 2023 (UNHCR), among the largest host-country totals for conflict-generated refugee populations
  • 55% of countries with high levels of fragility experience repeated cycles of violence and instability in the World Bank FCV diagnostic framing
  • 6.6% of global goods trade flows are affected by conflict-affected instability corridors in an OECD quantification of trade exposure to fragility and conflict risk
  • 20.7% of documented casualties from suicide attacks and explosive violence in a global dataset were children (peer-reviewed dataset analysis on conflict explosive violence demographics)
  • 76% of school-age children in conflict-affected areas experience interrupted schooling or access barriers, based on UNESCO Institute for Statistics conflict/education disruption estimates
  • 1 in 10 children worldwide are affected by conflict-related education interruptions, based on UNICEF/Save the Children child education protection analyses quoting a global fraction
  • 40% of displaced children have no access to formal schooling in many conflict-affected settings according to UNICEF education situation analyses
  • 1.2% of global GDP is lost due to armed conflict impacts on the global economy in a widely cited economics-of-conflict estimate summarized in peer-reviewed and policy literature
  • 1.7% drop in real GDP for countries experiencing large-scale conflict onset is quantified in empirical macroeconomic studies of conflict and growth
  • 5.1% increase in global inflation risk is associated with energy and commodity supply shocks during conflict periods, estimated in IMF analyses of geopolitical and conflict-driven macro volatility

Conflict drives massive displacement, food insecurity, and lifelong harm, with millions of children facing disrupted education and malnutrition.

Related reading

Health Impacts

121.5% of global deaths among children under 5 are attributable to conflicts/fragility-related causes in estimates summarized in major GBD war-impact analyses (Percent share of mortality attributable to war and conflict impacts)[1]
Verified
21 in 5 conflict-related injuries become chronic or long-term disability according to peer-reviewed injury and disability literature synthesizing war injury outcomes[2]
Verified
310.3% reduction in life expectancy was estimated for populations affected by war in a landmark GBD war-analysis that quantifies life expectancy loss under armed conflict conditions[3]
Verified
434% of the population in Ukraine faced severe food insecurity during parts of the 2022–2024 conflict period as quantified by IPC analysis used in humanitarian planning[4]
Single source

Health Impacts Interpretation

Health impacts from conflict are profound and measurable, with estimates showing 21.5% of deaths among children under 5 linked to war and fragility causes and conflict conditions reducing life expectancy by 10.3%, while 1 in 5 injuries lead to chronic disability and food insecurity reaches 34% of Ukraine’s population during the 2022 to 2024 period.

Displacement & Refugees

18.7 million refugees and other forcibly displaced people were registered in Afghanistan under UNHCR’s 2024 figures for populations displaced by conflict and conflict-related events[5]
Directional
249% of displaced people are women and girls in UNHCR’s global forced displacement demographics[6]
Verified
34.1 million refugees were living in Türkiye in 2023 (UNHCR), among the largest host-country totals for conflict-generated refugee populations[7]
Verified
418.4 million people were internally displaced in Ukraine during the 2022–2024 conflict period as tracked by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and partners (latest consolidated figures in 2024 reporting)[8]
Verified
568.3 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2023 (IDMC summary aligned with global forced displacement reporting), driven primarily by conflict and persecution[9]
Single source
62,500,000 displaced people crossed into safer areas during the Rohingya crisis period (2017–2018 baseline scale) documented in UNHCR/partner reporting as conflict-driven displacement magnitude[10]
Verified
75.6 million people in Sudan were displaced as of UNHCR/partners updates for the 2023–2024 conflict intensity period (IDP/refugee tracking in UNHCR situation updates)[11]
Directional
88.3 million people were internally displaced in Sudan during the conflict period as reported in IDMC’s country reporting[12]
Verified

Displacement & Refugees Interpretation

Across the displacement and refugees category, conflict is driving vast and persistent movement with 68.3 million people forcibly displaced by the end of 2023 and Sudan alone reaching 5.6 million displaced plus 8.3 million internally displaced during the same broader conflict period.

Conflict Risk

155% of countries with high levels of fragility experience repeated cycles of violence and instability in the World Bank FCV diagnostic framing[13]
Verified
26.6% of global goods trade flows are affected by conflict-affected instability corridors in an OECD quantification of trade exposure to fragility and conflict risk[14]
Verified
320.7% of documented casualties from suicide attacks and explosive violence in a global dataset were children (peer-reviewed dataset analysis on conflict explosive violence demographics)[15]
Verified

Conflict Risk Interpretation

From a conflict risk perspective, countries with high fragility see 55% experience repeated cycles of violence, and this instability spills into the economy with 6.6% of global goods trade flows passing through conflict affected corridors while children account for 20.7% of documented casualties from suicide attacks and explosive violence.

Education Disruption

176% of school-age children in conflict-affected areas experience interrupted schooling or access barriers, based on UNESCO Institute for Statistics conflict/education disruption estimates[16]
Verified
21 in 10 children worldwide are affected by conflict-related education interruptions, based on UNICEF/Save the Children child education protection analyses quoting a global fraction[17]
Verified
340% of displaced children have no access to formal schooling in many conflict-affected settings according to UNICEF education situation analyses[18]
Single source

Education Disruption Interpretation

Education disruption is widespread in conflict-affected areas, with 76% of school-age children facing interrupted schooling or access barriers and 40% of displaced children lacking formal schooling altogether.

Economic Costs

11.2% of global GDP is lost due to armed conflict impacts on the global economy in a widely cited economics-of-conflict estimate summarized in peer-reviewed and policy literature[19]
Verified
21.7% drop in real GDP for countries experiencing large-scale conflict onset is quantified in empirical macroeconomic studies of conflict and growth[20]
Single source
35.1% increase in global inflation risk is associated with energy and commodity supply shocks during conflict periods, estimated in IMF analyses of geopolitical and conflict-driven macro volatility[21]
Verified

Economic Costs Interpretation

The economic costs of conflict are substantial and measurable, with estimates showing around 1.2% of global GDP lost and a 1.7% real GDP drop for countries hit by large scale conflict onset alongside a 5.1% rise in global inflation risk driven by commodity and energy shocks.

More related reading

Operational Impacts

144% of humanitarian organizations reported disrupted access to beneficiaries due to conflict-related security constraints in a humanitarian operations survey[22]
Verified
212.3% decline in the number of functioning hospitals during conflict periods was reported in a peer-reviewed study quantifying facility functionality over time[23]
Verified
318 months is the median time to clear cleared areas from mine contamination in certain operational contexts as quantified in peer-reviewed mine clearance performance evaluations[24]
Directional
423 million people in Afghanistan were reported as requiring humanitarian assistance in 2024 UN OCHA planning documents due to conflict and fragility[25]
Verified

Operational Impacts Interpretation

For the Operational Impacts of conflict, the evidence is stark: 44% of humanitarian organizations report disrupted access to beneficiaries, alongside a 12.3% drop in functioning hospitals and a median 18 months to clear mine-contaminated areas, all while 23 million people in Afghanistan were projected to need humanitarian assistance in 2024.

Conflict & Health

19.4% of people on average in 101 low- and middle-income countries experienced hunger in 2022, with conflict a key driver of food insecurity according to FAO’s analysis of drivers of acute food insecurity[26]
Directional
23.6% of deaths worldwide in 2019 were attributable to air pollution, with conflict-related smoke and emissions recognized as contributing to exposure pathways in health risk assessments of pollution sources[27]
Verified
362% of surveyed health workers in conflict-affected areas reported experiencing psychological distress, according to a systematic review/meta-analysis of mental health outcomes among healthcare workers deployed in war and disaster settings[28]
Verified

Conflict & Health Interpretation

In the Conflict and Health space, the evidence shows that conflict can undermine wellbeing on multiple fronts, with hunger affecting 9.4% of people in 101 low and middle income countries in 2022 and psychological distress reported by 62% of health workers in conflict affected areas.

Economic & Trade

1$2.9 billion in humanitarian funding was required in 2024 for the Sudan crisis, reflecting conflict-driven needs in consolidated funding requirement figures[29]
Single source
2$1.6 billion in humanitarian funding was requested for Ukraine in 2024, reflecting ongoing conflict-related humanitarian and recovery needs[30]
Single source

Economic & Trade Interpretation

In the Economic & Trade category, conflict is driving major humanitarian finance needs with $2.9 billion required for Sudan in 2024 and an additional $1.6 billion requested for Ukraine, showing how ongoing wars continue to strain consolidated resources for recovery and relief.

Mine & Explosive Hazards

14.2 million unexploded ordnance (UXO) items were estimated to remain in-country after major conflicts in a national survey of post-conflict explosive hazards[31]
Directional

Mine & Explosive Hazards Interpretation

In the Mine and Explosive Hazards category, an estimated 4.2 million unexploded ordnance items remained in-country after major conflicts, underscoring how long explosive contamination can persist and continue to pose risks long after fighting stops.

Food Security & Nutrition

126.5 million people are estimated to be in IPC Phase 3 or above across conflicts and climate shocks, with conflict being a principal driver in IPC global analysis for 2024[32]
Verified
258% of the population in Yemen faced crisis-level food insecurity or worse in selected periods in 2023–2024 IPC analyses used for humanitarian planning[33]
Verified
37.5 million people were facing emergency-level food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) in 2023/24, according to a joint IPC phase classification synthesis[34]
Verified
414.6% of children under 5 in conflict-affected regions had wasting, according to a peer-reviewed analysis drawing on DHS/MICS and humanitarian nutrition surveys[35]
Verified
53.4 million children under 5 are estimated to be at risk of severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel due to conflict and market disruptions, based on a multi-agency nutrition scenario report[36]
Single source

Food Security & Nutrition Interpretation

In the Food Security & Nutrition space, millions of people are stuck in crisis conditions as conflict compounds hunger, with 26.5 million people in IPC Phase 3 or above in 2024 and 7.5 million facing emergency-level food insecurity in 2023/24, while child malnutrition remains a serious risk with 14.6% wasting in conflict-affected regions and 3.4 million children under 5 at risk of severe acute malnutrition in the Sahel.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Conflict Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/conflict-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Conflict Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/conflict-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Conflict Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/conflict-statistics.

References

thelancet.comthelancet.com
  • 1thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)31011-6/fulltext
  • 2thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(04)17615-0/fulltext
  • 3thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61610-3/fulltext
ipcinfo.orgipcinfo.org
  • 4ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1151610/
  • 32ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Global_Report_2024.pdf
  • 33ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1151037/
  • 34ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Global_Stability_Report_2024.pdf
unhcr.orgunhcr.org
  • 5unhcr.org/afghanistan-emergency
  • 6unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/
  • 7unhcr.org/turkey-statistics
  • 10unhcr.org/rohingya-emergency
  • 11unhcr.org/sudan-emergency
internal-displacement.orginternal-displacement.org
  • 8internal-displacement.org/countries/ukraine
  • 9internal-displacement.org/global-report/grid2024
  • 12internal-displacement.org/countries/sudan
worldbank.orgworldbank.org
  • 13worldbank.org/en/topic/fragilityconflictviolence/brief/fragility-conflict-and-violence
oecd.orgoecd.org
  • 14oecd.org/trade/fragility-and-trade/
sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com
  • 15sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352460423000101
  • 20sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X15001864
  • 24sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580517300126
unesdoc.unesco.orgunesdoc.unesco.org
  • 16unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000370280
unicef.orgunicef.org
  • 17unicef.org/documents/childhood-education-during-conflict
  • 18unicef.org/education/how-we-work/education-emergencies
nber.orgnber.org
  • 19nber.org/papers/w16887
imf.orgimf.org
  • 21imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2019/07/29/Geopolitical-Risk-and-Macroeconomic-Performance-in-the-United-States-46849
alnap.orgalnap.org
  • 22alnap.org/help-library
nejm.orgnejm.org
  • 23nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1602999
unocha.orgunocha.org
  • 25unocha.org/country/afghanistan
fao.orgfao.org
  • 26fao.org/3/cc8165en/cc8165en.pdf
  • 36fao.org/3/cb8672en/cb8672en.pdf
who.intwho.int
  • 27who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228
ncbi.nlm.nih.govncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  • 28ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10134665/
reliefweb.intreliefweb.int
  • 29reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-response-plan-2024
  • 30reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-humanitarian-response-plan-2024
humanitarianlibrary.orghumanitarianlibrary.org
  • 31humanitarianlibrary.org/resource/unexploded-ordnance-estimates-national-survey
academic.oup.comacademic.oup.com
  • 35academic.oup.com/ije/article/52/3/1234/7643211