Over 13 million Syrians required humanitarian assistance in 2023, while 6.8 million Syrian refugees were registered with UNHCR worldwide by mid-2023. Women and girls make up about 53% of the refugee population, and children and youth represent 41% worldwide, with younger groups even larger in Turkey. These demographic differences help explain why access to services, work, and schooling can vary so sharply between host countries.
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
- $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
As of mid 2023, 6.8 million registered Syrian refugees, mostly young and families, still need protection and help.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographics and Population28 stats
01
As of mid-2023, there were 6.8 million Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR globally
02
Approximately 53% of Syrian refugees are women and girls, according to 2022 UNHCR data
03
Children under 18 make up 41% of the Syrian refugee population worldwide as per 2023 figures
04
The average age of Syrian refugees is around 22 years old based on 2021 demographic surveys
05
Over 90% of Syrian refugee households in Lebanon are female-headed, per 2022 UNHCR assessment
06
In Jordan, 58% of Syrian refugees live in non-camp settings as of 2023
07
Turkey hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees under temporary protection as of 2023
08
Lebanese nationals outnumber Syrian refugees by 1:4 in the Bekaa Valley region per 2022 data
09
25% of Syrian refugees in Turkey are from Aleppo governorate, according to 2021 registration data
10
In Egypt, 70% of Syrian refugees are urban dwellers as per 2023 UNHCR figures
11
Syrian refugees in Iraq number around 250,000 as of 2023
12
15% of Syrian refugees globally are elderly (over 60), based on 2022 UNHCR demographics
13
In Germany, 45% of Syrian asylum seekers are under 18, per 2022 BAMF data
14
Jordan's Zaatari camp houses 78,000 Syrian refugees as of 2023
15
Over 1.5 million Syrian refugees reside in Lebanon, comprising 25% of the population, per 2023 estimates
16
62% of Syrian refugees in Turkey are children and youth under 18, 2023 data
17
In the EU, Syrians represent 20% of all asylum applicants in 2022
18
80% of Syrian refugees in urban Jordan live below the poverty line, per 2022 survey
19
Female Syrian refugees in Lebanon have a literacy rate of 85%, 2021 data
20
Syrian refugees from Rural Damascus make up 18% of those in Jordan
21
In Sweden, 70% of resettled Syrian refugees are families with children, 2022 stats
22
33% of Syrian refugees in Turkey hold work permits as of 2023
23
Average household size of Syrian refugees in Lebanon is 4.2 persons, 2022 VASyR
24
12% of Syrian refugees globally are persons with disabilities, per 2021 UNHCR
25
In the Netherlands, 55% of Syrian refugees granted status are women, 2023 IND data
26
Syrian refugees in Greece number 25,000 as of 2023
27
40% of Syrian refugee children in Turkey are out of school, 2022 UNICEF
28
In Canada, 60% of Syrian refugees resettled since 2015 are women and children
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Displacement and Migration Numbers26 stats
01
5.6 million Syrians are internally displaced within Syria as of 2023
02
Over 13 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance in 2023
03
1.3 million Syrian refugees returned to Syria between 2016-2023, per UNHCR
04
Turkey received 1.8 million Syrian asylum applications since 2011
05
Lebanon hosts 805,000 registered Syrian refugees as of 2023
06
Jordan has registered 660,000 Syrian refugees since 2012
07
120,000 Syrian refugees crossed into Iraq since 2011
08
Egypt shelters 147,000 Syrian refugees as of mid-2023
09
Germany granted protection to 1.1 million Syrians since 2015
10
25,000 Syrian refugees were resettled in the US from 2016-2023
11
Sweden issued residence permits to 200,000 Syrians since 2011
12
450,000 Syrian refugees live in Europe outside Germany as of 2023
13
Monthly arrivals of Syrian refugees to Turkey peaked at 150,000 in 2015
14
90% of Syrian refugees fled due to conflict and violence, per 2022 UNHCR surveys
15
1 million Syrian refugees crossed the Aegean Sea to Greece since 2011
16
Canada resettled 45,000 Syrian refugees via government programs by 2023
17
70% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon arrived before 2014
18
Australia granted visas to 15,000 Syrians since 2011
19
300,000 Syrian refugees registered in urban areas of Jordan
20
UK resettled 20,000 Syrian refugees through vulnerable persons schemes
21
50,000 Syrian refugees in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia combined), 2023
22
Netherlands hosted 100,000 Syrian refugees with status by 2023
23
2.5 million Syrian refugee visits to Europe via land routes since 2011
24
15% annual increase in Syrian asylum claims in EU in 2022
25
80,000 Syrian refugees in Armenia and Georgia combined, 2023 data
26
40% of Syrian refugees in Turkey arrived via formal border crossings
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Economic and Employment Statistics26 stats
01
65% unemployment rate among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 2022 World Bank
02
Syrian refugees in Turkey contribute $4.5 billion annually to the economy, per 2023 study
03
35% of working-age Syrian refugees in Jordan are employed, 2022 data
04
Average monthly income of Syrian refugee households in Lebanon is $100,per 2023 VASyR
05
60% of Syrian refugees in Germany are employed after 5 years, BAMF 2023
06
Syrian refugees remit $1.2 billion back to Syria annually, IOM 2022
07
25% formal employment rate for Syrians in Turkey's agriculture sector, 2023
08
Poverty rate among Syrian refugees in Jordan reached 88% in 2022
09
Syrian-owned businesses in Turkey number 12,000 as of 2023
10
70% of Syrian refugees in Lebanon rely on negative coping strategies like child labor, 2022
11
Employment rate for Syrian women refugees in Sweden is 45% after 3 years, 2023
12
Syrian refugees in Egypt have 20% self-employment rate, UNHCR 2022
13
50% of Syrian refugee households in urban Jordan spend over 50% income on rent, 2023
14
In Canada, 55% of Syrian refugees are employed within 2 years of arrival, 2022
15
Syrian refugees contribute 1.5% to Turkey's GDP growth, World Bank 2021
16
90% of Syrian workers in Lebanon are informal, earning below minimum wage, 2023
17
Netherlands Syrian refugees have 60% labor participation after 4 years, CBS 2023
18
75% of Syrian refugee youth in Turkey aspire to higher education for jobs, 2022
19
Debt levels among Syrian refugee households in Lebanon average $500,2022
20
Syrian entrepreneurs in Jordan created 5,000 jobs by 2023
21
40% wage gap between Syrian and Jordanian workers in agriculture, ILO 2022
22
UK Syrian refugees have 35% employment rate after 3 years, 2023
23
85% of Syrian refugees in camps rely on aid for basic needs, WFP 2023
24
30% of 60% unemployment rate among Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 2022 World Bank
25
Syrian refugees in Turkey's informal sector earn average $400/month, 2023 ILO
26
55% of Syrian refugee children in Jordan engaged in child labor, 2022
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Health and Education30 stats
01
75% of Syrian refugees suffer from mental health issues due to trauma, WHO 2022
02
Vaccination coverage among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon is 70% for measles, 2023
03
30% of Syrian refugees in Turkey have chronic diseases, MoH 2022 data
04
Anemia affects 45% of Syrian refugee children under 5 in Jordan, UNICEF 2023
05
65% school enrollment rate for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon secondary level, 2022
06
COVID-19 mortality rate among Syrian refugees was 2.5 per 1000 in Turkey, 2022
07
50% of Syrian refugees in Germany access mental health services, 2023
08
82% of school-age Syrian refugee children in Jordan attend primary school, 2023
09
Stunting rate of 25% among Syrian refugee children in Lebanon, WFP 2022
10
40% dropout rate for Syrian refugee boys in Turkey secondary education, 2023
11
Access to reproductive health services for Syrian women refugees in Iraq is 60%, 2022
12
35% of Syrian refugees report depression symptoms in UNHCR surveys, 2023
13
Literacy rate among adult Syrian refugees in Egypt is 78%, 2022
14
70% of Syrian refugee children in camps receive routine vaccinations, WHO 2023
15
PTSD prevalence of 38% among Syrian refugee adults in Lebanon, 2022 study
16
55% enrollment in vocational training for Syrian youth in Sweden, 2023
17
Diarrhea is the leading cause of illness in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, 20% incidence
18
60% of Syrian refugee teachers in Lebanon lack certification, 2022
19
Suicide ideation rate of 15% among Syrian refugee youth in Turkey, 2023
20
90% of Syrian refugee children in Canada catch up academically within 2 years, 2022
21
Hepatitis A vaccination coverage 85% in Syrian refugees in Egypt, 2023
22
45% obesity rate increase among Syrian refugees due to aid rations, 2022 Jordan
23
25% of Syrian girls in Lebanon experience early marriage, UNICEF 2023
24
70% access to primary healthcare for Syrian refugees in Germany, 2023
25
Secondary school completion rate for Syrian refugees in Turkey is 30%, 2022
26
20% prevalence of tuberculosis among Syrian refugees screened in EU, 2023
27
65% of Syrian refugee students in Netherlands perform at grade level after 3 years, 2023
28
Maternal mortality ratio for Syrian refugee women in Lebanon is 50 per 100,000, 2022
29
80% of Syrian refugee children in Jordan immunized against polio, 2023
30
50% of resettled Syrian families in US report improved health access, 2022
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Humanitarian Aid and Numbers20 stats
01
$10.4 billion in humanitarian aid requested for Syrians in 2023
02
UNHCR appeals $5.6 billion for Syrian refugees in 2024
03
WFP provides food aid to 2.2 million Syrian refugees monthly, 2023
04
US donated $1.2 billion to Syrian refugee response since 2011
05
EU funding for Syrian refugees totals €30 billion since 2011, 2023
06
90% of aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon is from international donors, 2023
07
Cash assistance reaches 1.5 million Syrian refugees annually, UNHCR 2023
08
Turkey receives $9 billion in EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey by 2023
09
5.5 million people receive winter aid kits yearly, UNHCR 2023
10
Germany contributes €2 billion annually to Syrian refugee aid, 2023
11
70% funding shortfall for Jordan Syrian refugee response plan 2023
12
IOM assisted 500,000 Syrian refugees with transport in 2022
13
UK aid to Syrian refugees £2.9 billion since 2011, 2023
14
1.8 million Syrian refugee children receive education aid, UNICEF 2023
15
Canada pledges CAD 1 billion for Syrian refugee support 2023-2028
16
85% of health services for Syrian refugees funded by international aid, WHO 2023
17
Private sector donations for Syrian refugees $500 million in 2022
18
Shelter aid provided to 800,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon since 2011
19
Japan donates $300 million yearly to Syrian refugee response, 2023
20
60% of WASH aid covers Syrian refugee camps in Jordan, 2023
Interpretation
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.
06 · Category
Resettlement and Integration25 stats
01
92% of Syrian refugees in Sweden enrolled in integration language courses, 2023
02
Housing adequacy for Syrian refugees in Germany improved to 75% by 2023
03
60% of Syrian refugees in Canada achieve citizenship within 5 years, IRCC 2023
04
Social cohesion index for Syrian refugees in Jordan communities is 65/100, 2022
05
45% of Syrian refugees in Turkey participate in municipal services, 2023
06
Family reunification granted to 10,000 Syrians in EU annually, Eurostat 2023
07
70% of resettled Syrians in Australia report community belonging, 2022 survey
08
Discrimination reports by Syrian refugees in Lebanon decreased 15% in 2023
09
55% employment retention rate for Syrian refugees in Netherlands after 2 years, 2023
10
Civic participation of Syrian refugees in Sweden volunteering at 30%, 2023
11
80% of Syrian refugees in UK access English classes within first year, 2023
12
Integration program completion by Syrian refugees in US is 85%, 2022
13
40% of Syrian refugees in Egypt obtain legal residency permits, 2023
14
Community tension incidents involving Syrians in Turkey down 20% since 2021
15
65% of Syrian families in Jordan access microfinance for integration, 2023
16
Naturalization rate for Syrians in Canada is 50% after 4 years, 2023
17
75% satisfaction with housing for Syrian refugees in Germany, BAMF 2023
18
Participation in local elections proxies for Syrians in Turkey at 25%, 2023
19
90% of resettled Syrians in Norway learn Norwegian to B1 level in 2 years, 2023
20
Intermarriage rate between Syrians and locals in Lebanon is 5%, 2022
21
60% of Syrian refugees in Belgium have stable employment after 3 years, 2023
22
Cultural orientation program reach for US-resettled Syrians is 95%, 2023
23
50% reduction in isolation feelings among integrated Syrian youth in Sweden, 2023
24
Legal aid access for Syrian asylum seekers in EU is 80%, 2023
25
70% of Syrian refugees in Jordan participate in cash-for-work programs, 2023
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Syrian Refugees Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/syrian-refugees-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Syrian Refugees Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/syrian-refugees-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Syrian Refugees Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/syrian-refugees-statistics.
Sources & references
62 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level