Behind the staggering figure of 6.8 million registered Syrian refugees lies a crisis defined by its youth, its overwhelming vulnerability, and the immense resilience of millions forced to rebuild their lives across the globe.
Key Takeaways
- As of mid-2023, there were 6.8 million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR globally
- Approximately 53% of Syrian refugees are women and girls, according to 2022 UNHCR data
- Children under 18 make up 41% of the Syrian refugee population worldwide as per 2023 figures
- 5.6 million Syrians are internally displaced within Syria as of 2023
- Over 13 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance in 2023
- 1.3 million Syrian refugees returned to Syria between 2016-2023, per UNHCR
- 65% unemployment rate among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 2022 World Bank
- Syrian refugees in Turkey contribute $4.5 billion annually to the economy, per 2023 study
- 35% of working-age Syrian refugees in Jordan are employed, 2022 data
- 75% of Syrian refugees suffer from mental health issues due to trauma, WHO 2022
- Vaccination coverage among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon is 70% for measles, 2023
- 30% of Syrian refugees in Turkey have chronic diseases, MoH 2022 data
- 92% of Syrian refugees in Sweden enrolled in integration language courses, 2023
- Housing adequacy for Syrian refugees in Germany improved to 75% by 2023
- 60% of Syrian refugees in Canada achieve citizenship within 5 years, IRCC 2023
Syrian refugees remain disproportionately young, female, and vulnerable despite a decade of crisis.
Demographics and Population
- As of mid-2023, there were 6.8 million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR globally
- Approximately 53% of Syrian refugees are women and girls, according to 2022 UNHCR data
- Children under 18 make up 41% of the Syrian refugee population worldwide as per 2023 figures
- The average age of Syrian refugees is around 22 years old based on 2021 demographic surveys
- Over 90% of Syrian refugee households in Lebanon are female-headed, per 2022 UNHCR assessment
- In Jordan, 58% of Syrian refugees live in non-camp settings as of 2023
- Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees under temporary protection as of 2023
- Lebanese nationals outnumber Syrian refugees by 1:4 in the Bekaa Valley region per 2022 data
- 25% of Syrian refugees in Turkey are from Aleppo governorate, according to 2021 registration data
- In Egypt, 70% of Syrian refugees are urban dwellers as per 2023 UNHCR figures
- Syrian refugees in Iraq number around 250,000 as of 2023
- 15% of Syrian refugees globally are elderly (over 60), based on 2022 UNHCR demographics
- In Germany, 45% of Syrian asylum seekers are under 18, per 2022 BAMF data
- Jordan's Zaatari camp houses 78,000 Syrian refugees as of 2023
- Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees reside in Lebanon, comprising 25% of the population, per 2023 estimates
- 62% of Syrian refugees in Turkey are children and youth under 18, 2023 data
- In the EU, Syrians represent 20% of all asylum applicants in 2022
- 80% of Syrian refugees in urban Jordan live below the poverty line, per 2022 survey
- Female Syrian refugees in Lebanon have a literacy rate of 85%, 2021 data
- Syrian refugees from Rural Damascus make up 18% of those in Jordan
- In Sweden, 70% of resettled Syrian refugees are families with children, 2022 stats
- 33% of Syrian refugees in Turkey hold work permits as of 2023
- Average household size of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is 4.2 persons, 2022 VASyR
- 12% of Syrian refugees globally are persons with disabilities, per 2021 UNHCR
- In the Netherlands, 55% of Syrian refugees granted status are women, 2023 IND data
- Syrian refugees in Greece number 25,000 as of 2023
- 40% of Syrian refugee children in Turkey are out of school, 2022 UNICEF
- In Canada, 60% of Syrian refugees resettled since 2015 are women and children
Demographics and Population Interpretation
Behind every staggering number lies a human story—a majority of them young, often female-led, and disproportionately shouldering the weight of exile, where 'temporary protection' has tragically become the defining feature of a generation.
Displacement and Migration Numbers
- 5.6 million Syrians are internally displaced within Syria as of 2023
- Over 13 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance in 2023
- 1.3 million Syrian refugees returned to Syria between 2016-2023, per UNHCR
- Turkey received 1.8 million Syrian asylum applications since 2011
- Lebanon hosts 805,000 registered Syrian refugees as of 2023
- Jordan has registered 660,000 Syrian refugees since 2012
- 120,000 Syrian refugees crossed into Iraq since 2011
- Egypt shelters 147,000 Syrian refugees as of mid-2023
- Germany granted protection to 1.1 million Syrians since 2015
- 25,000 Syrian refugees were resettled in the US from 2016-2023
- Sweden issued residence permits to 200,000 Syrians since 2011
- 450,000 Syrian refugees live in Europe outside Germany as of 2023
- Monthly arrivals of Syrian refugees to Turkey peaked at 150,000 in 2015
- 90% of Syrian refugees fled due to conflict and violence, per 2022 UNHCR surveys
- 1 million Syrian refugees crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece since 2011
- Canada resettled 45,000 Syrian refugees via government programs by 2023
- 70% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon arrived before 2014
- Australia granted visas to 15,000 Syrians since 2011
- 300,000 Syrian refugees registered in urban areas of Jordan
- UK resettled 20,000 Syrian refugees through vulnerable persons schemes
- 50,000 Syrian refugees in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia combined), 2023
- Netherlands hosted 100,000 Syrian refugees with status by 2023
- 2.5 million Syrian refugee visits to Europe via land routes since 2011
- 15% annual increase in Syrian asylum claims in EU in 2022
- 80,000 Syrian refugees in Armenia and Georgia combined, 2023 data
- 40% of Syrian refugees in Turkey arrived via formal border crossings
Displacement and Migration Numbers Interpretation
The staggering and sorrowful exodus of over thirteen million displaced Syrians, both within and beyond their shattered homeland, paints a brutally simple picture of people perpetually fleeing a decade-long nightmare, yet the world's response remains a frustratingly complex mosaic of open arms, closed borders, and precarious returns.
Economic and Employment Statistics
- 65% unemployment rate among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 2022 World Bank
- Syrian refugees in Turkey contribute $4.5 billion annually to the economy, per 2023 study
- 35% of working-age Syrian refugees in Jordan are employed, 2022 data
- Average monthly income of Syrian refugee households in Lebanon is $100, per 2023 VASyR
- 60% of Syrian refugees in Germany are employed after 5 years, BAMF 2023
- Syrian refugees remit $1.2 billion back to Syria annually, IOM 2022
- 25% formal employment rate for Syrians in Turkey's agriculture sector, 2023
- Poverty rate among Syrian refugees in Jordan reached 88% in 2022
- Syrian-owned businesses in Turkey number 12,000 as of 2023
- 70% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon rely on negative coping strategies like child labor, 2022
- Employment rate for Syrian women refugees in Sweden is 45% after 3 years, 2023
- Syrian refugees in Egypt have 20% self-employment rate, UNHCR 2022
- 50% of Syrian refugee households in urban Jordan spend over 50% income on rent, 2023
- In Canada, 55% of Syrian refugees are employed within 2 years of arrival, 2022
- Syrian refugees contribute 1.5% to Turkey's GDP growth, World Bank 2021
- 90% of Syrian workers in Lebanon are informal, earning below minimum wage, 2023
- Netherlands Syrian refugees have 60% labor participation after 4 years, CBS 2023
- 75% of Syrian refugee youth in Turkey aspire to higher education for jobs, 2022
- Debt levels among Syrian refugee households in Lebanon average $500, 2022
- Syrian entrepreneurs in Jordan created 5,000 jobs by 2023
- 40% wage gap between Syrian and Jordanian workers in agriculture, ILO 2022
- UK Syrian refugees have 35% employment rate after 3 years, 2023
- 85% of Syrian refugees in camps rely on aid for basic needs, WFP 2023
- 30% of 60% unemployment rate among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 2022 World Bank
- Syrian refugees in Turkey's informal sector earn average $400/month, 2023 ILO
- 55% of Syrian refugee children in Jordan engaged in child labor, 2022
Economic and Employment Statistics Interpretation
These statistics paint a stark portrait of a resilient population caught in a cruel paradox: while their drive to work, build, and contribute generates billions for host economies, they themselves remain trapped in staggering levels of unemployment, poverty, and exploitation, revealing a global response that often values their labor more than their dignity.
Health and Education
- 75% of Syrian refugees suffer from mental health issues due to trauma, WHO 2022
- Vaccination coverage among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon is 70% for measles, 2023
- 30% of Syrian refugees in Turkey have chronic diseases, MoH 2022 data
- Anemia affects 45% of Syrian refugee children under 5 in Jordan, UNICEF 2023
- 65% school enrollment rate for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon secondary level, 2022
- COVID-19 mortality rate among Syrian refugees was 2.5 per 1000 in Turkey, 2022
- 50% of Syrian refugees in Germany access mental health services, 2023
- 82% of school-age Syrian refugee children in Jordan attend primary school, 2023
- Stunting rate of 25% among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon, WFP 2022
- 40% dropout rate for Syrian refugee boys in Turkey secondary education, 2023
- Access to reproductive health services for Syrian women refugees in Iraq is 60%, 2022
- 35% of Syrian refugees report depression symptoms in UNHCR surveys, 2023
- Literacy rate among adult Syrian refugees in Egypt is 78%, 2022
- 70% of Syrian refugee children in camps receive routine vaccinations, WHO 2023
- PTSD prevalence of 38% among Syrian refugee adults in Lebanon, 2022 study
- 55% enrollment in vocational training for Syrian youth in Sweden, 2023
- Diarrhea is the leading cause of illness in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, 20% incidence
- 60% of Syrian refugee teachers in Lebanon lack certification, 2022
- Suicide ideation rate of 15% among Syrian refugee youth in Turkey, 2023
- 90% of Syrian refugee children in Canada catch up academically within 2 years, 2022
- Hepatitis A vaccination coverage 85% in Syrian refugees in Egypt, 2023
- 45% obesity rate increase among Syrian refugees due to aid rations, 2022 Jordan
- 25% of Syrian girls in Lebanon experience early marriage, UNICEF 2023
- 70% access to primary healthcare for Syrian refugees in Germany, 2023
- Secondary school completion rate for Syrian refugees in Turkey is 30%, 2022
- 20% prevalence of tuberculosis among Syrian refugees screened in EU, 2023
- 65% of Syrian refugee students in Netherlands perform at grade level after 3 years, 2023
- Maternal mortality ratio for Syrian refugee women in Lebanon is 50 per 100,000, 2022
- 80% of Syrian refugee children in Jordan immunized against polio, 2023
- 50% of resettled Syrian families in US report improved health access, 2022
- Language barriers affect 70% of Syrian refugee healthcare access in Turkey, 2023
Health and Education Interpretation
Even amid flickers of progress in education and health, the staggering and sustained psychological wounds of displacement are the silent, stubborn crisis that underpins every other struggle these survivors face.
Humanitarian Aid and Numbers
- $10.4 billion in humanitarian aid requested for Syrians in 2023
- UNHCR appeals $5.6 billion for Syrian refugees in 2024
- WFP provides food aid to 2.2 million Syrian refugees monthly, 2023
- US donated $1.2 billion to Syrian refugee response since 2011
- EU funding for Syrian refugees totals €30 billion since 2011, 2023
- 90% of aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon is from international donors, 2023
- Cash assistance reaches 1.5 million Syrian refugees annually, UNHCR 2023
- Turkey receives $9 billion in EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey by 2023
- 5.5 million people receive winter aid kits yearly, UNHCR 2023
- Germany contributes €2 billion annually to Syrian refugee aid, 2023
- 70% funding shortfall for Jordan Syrian refugee response plan 2023
- IOM assisted 500,000 Syrian refugees with transport in 2022
- UK aid to Syrian refugees £2.9 billion since 2011, 2023
- 1.8 million Syrian refugee children receive education aid, UNICEF 2023
- Canada pledges CAD 1 billion for Syrian refugee support 2023-2028
- 85% of health services for Syrian refugees funded by international aid, WHO 2023
- Private sector donations for Syrian refugees $500 million in 2022
- Shelter aid provided to 800,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon since 2011
- Japan donates $300 million yearly to Syrian refugee response, 2023
- 60% of WASH aid covers Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, 2023
Humanitarian Aid and Numbers Interpretation
The staggering scale of humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees reveals a world both profoundly generous and tragically reliant on Band-Aid solutions for a bleeding wound that politics has failed to stitch.
Resettlement and Integration
- 92% of Syrian refugees in Sweden enrolled in integration language courses, 2023
- Housing adequacy for Syrian refugees in Germany improved to 75% by 2023
- 60% of Syrian refugees in Canada achieve citizenship within 5 years, IRCC 2023
- Social cohesion index for Syrian refugees in Jordan communities is 65/100, 2022
- 45% of Syrian refugees in Turkey participate in municipal services, 2023
- Family reunification granted to 10,000 Syrians in EU annually, Eurostat 2023
- 70% of resettled Syrians in Australia report community belonging, 2022 survey
- Discrimination reports by Syrian refugees in Lebanon decreased 15% in 2023
- 55% employment retention rate for Syrian refugees in Netherlands after 2 years, 2023
- Civic participation of Syrian refugees in Sweden volunteering at 30%, 2023
- 80% of Syrian refugees in UK access English classes within first year, 2023
- Integration program completion by Syrian refugees in US is 85%, 2022
- 40% of Syrian refugees in Egypt obtain legal residency permits, 2023
- Community tension incidents involving Syrians in Turkey down 20% since 2021
- 65% of Syrian families in Jordan access microfinance for integration, 2023
- Naturalization rate for Syrians in Canada is 50% after 4 years, 2023
- 75% satisfaction with housing for Syrian refugees in Germany, BAMF 2023
- Participation in local elections proxies for Syrians in Turkey at 25%, 2023
- 90% of resettled Syrians in Norway learn Norwegian to B1 level in 2 years, 2023
- Intermarriage rate between Syrians and locals in Lebanon is 5%, 2022
- 60% of Syrian refugees in Belgium have stable employment after 3 years, 2023
- Cultural orientation program reach for US-resettled Syrians is 95%, 2023
- 50% reduction in isolation feelings among integrated Syrian youth in Sweden, 2023
- Legal aid access for Syrian asylum seekers in EU is 80%, 2023
- 70% of Syrian refugees in Jordan participate in cash-for-work programs, 2023
Resettlement and Integration Interpretation
The data paints a mosaic of arduous progress, showing that while Syrian refugees are tenaciously building new lives—learning languages, finding homes, and seeking citizenship—their full integration remains a complex, uneven journey, measured in percentages of participation, belonging, and persistent legal and social barriers.
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