Population figures
Total country population
24,348,053
Forcibly displaced population
Refugees (under UNHCR's mandate):
11,316
Asylum-seekers:
4,552
IDPs (of concern to UNHCR):
7,414,806
Other people in need of international protection:
0
Other
Statelessness persons
160,000
Host community
16,217,034
Others of concern to UNHCR
18,152
Country context
Syria is situated on the western most edge of Asia, forming the northeastern corner of the Levant. It is bounded by Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Following the change of regime in Syria in early December 2024, refugees in neighbouring countries have expressed elation and hope about the prospect of returning to their homes, together with caution. However, the security situation in the country remains unpredictable, and the humanitarian and economic conditions are dire, with limited access to basic services.
Syria is not a party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol and has not enacted refugee or asylum-specific legislation. Most of the refugees registered with UNHCR are from Iraq and reside primarily in urban areas in Damascus, Al-Hasakeh, Aleppo, Homs, Tartous, and Latakia governorates. No specific refugee documentation is issued by the national authorities. However, the authorities issue residency permits to refugees and asylum-seekers who meet immigration law criteria, possess a UNHCR-issued document, a national passport and legally entered into Syria.
...Syria has one of the largest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the world, arising from conflict, security operations or natural hazards. Since the regime change, some are returning to their areas of origin. While ad hoc administrative measures have facilitated return and reintegration, there remains no formal instrument defining rights or entitlements for IDPs.
Syria has not acceded to the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Under Legislative Decree No. 276/1969 (the Syrian Citizenship Act), nationality is primarily transmitted by paternity, with limited pathways for naturalization.
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