Over the past decade, the number of refugees worldwide has more than doubled, exceeding 30 million in 2022. Most refugees tend to seek shelter in neighboring countries, contrary to the common belief that they travel far beyond their continent.
Turkey is the leader in accepting refugees over the past 10 years, but it’s also important to consider the number of refugees relative to a country’s population. Here are the top 10 countries that have accepted the most refugees in proportion to their population:
10th – Estonia: 4.1% of its population are refugees, mostly from Ukraine. With a population of 1.3 million, over 50,000 Ukrainians found refuge in Estonia.
9th – Moldova: 4.1% of its population, despite being a small country with a population under 3 million, Moldova has hosted over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.
8th – Czech Republic: 5.1% of its population are refugees, with the country welcoming more Ukrainians per capita than its neighbors, such as Poland and Hungary.
7th – Colombia: 5.6% of its population, Colombia has taken in nearly 2.9 million Venezuelans from 2018 to 2023, offering temporary protection.
6th – Lebanon: 8.7% of its population, Lebanon has hosted 1.2 million Syrians since 2011, despite facing severe economic difficulties.
5th – Armenia: 8.7% of its population, Armenia saw over 140,000 ethnic Armenians flee to the country after the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2023.
4th – Nauru: 9% of its population, this small island accepts refugees rejected by Australia, though it faces international criticism for its policies.
3rd – Montenegro: 10.7% of its population, Montenegro has become a leader in refugee acceptance, especially from Ukraine.
2nd – Curaçao: 14.4% of its population, Curaçao has accepted a significant number of Venezuelan refugees, despite their difficult living conditions.
1st – Aruba: 16.1% of its population, Aruba has sheltered 17,000 Venezuelans, but many are forced to work illegally due to strict immigration policies.
