United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Pakistan

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Afghan Refugee Statistics (6 May 2001)

 

Afghan Repatriation Statistics
From	Pakistan (assisted)	Pakistan (spontaneous)	Pakistan Subtotal	Iran (assisted)	Iran (spontaneous)	Iran Subtotal	Grand Total
1988/89	---	200,000	200,000	---	---	---	200,000
1990	63,000	87,000	150,000	---	---	---	150,000
1991	174,000	26,000	200,000	---	---	---	200,000
1992	1,274,000	---	1,274,000	7,000	287,000	294,000	1,568,000
1993	133,000	225,000	358,000	337,000	269,000	606,000	964,000
1994	32,000	71,000	103,000	121,000	106,000	227,000	330,000
1995	77,000	76,000	153,000	92,000	103,000	195,000	348,000
1996	101,000	20,000	121,000	8,000	6,000	14,000	135,000
1997	71,000	13,000	84,000	2,000	---	2,000	87,000
1998	93,000	---	93,000	14,000	---	14,000	107,000
1999	92,000	---	92,000	9,000	152,000	161,000	253,000
2000	77,000	---	77,000	184,000	31,000	216,000	293,000
Total H	2,187,000	718,000	2,905,000	775,000	954,000	1,730,000	4,635,000

^H Some totals may not add up due to rounding

Afghan Refugee Populations, 1980-2001 (as of 1 January)
Year	Pakistan	Iran	India	Russian F.	Kazakstan	Kyrgystan	Tajikistan	Turkmenistan	Uzbekistan	Total
1980	400,000	200,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	600,000
1981	1,400,000	500,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	1,900,000
1982	2,375,000	800,000	3,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	3,178,000
1983	2,700,000	1,200,000	4,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	3,904,000
1984	2,800,000	1,500,000	5,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	4,305,000
1985	2,900,000	1,800,000	6,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	4,706,000
1986	2,700,000	2,000,000	6,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	4,706,000
1987	2,878,000	2,221,000	6,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	5,105,000
1988	3,156,000	2,700,000	5,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	5,861,000
1989	3,255,000	2,900,000	5,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	6,160,000
1990	3,272,000	2,940,000	8,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	6,220,000
1991	3,185,000	3,000,000	12,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	6,197,000
1992	3,077,000	2,900,000	10,000	!	!	!	!	!	!	5,987,000
1993	1,627,000	2,700,000	11,000	12,000	!	!	!	!	!	4,350,000
1994	1,477,000	1,850,000	24,000	16,000	!	!	!	!	!	3,367,000
1995	1,053,000	1,623,000	22,000	17,000	!	!	!	!	!	2,715,000
1996	*1,200,000	1,420,000	20,000	19,000	2,000	1,000	1,000	2,000	30,000	2,695,000
1997	*1,200,000	1,400,000	19,000	20,000	2,000	1,000	1,000	2,000	30,000	2,675,000
1998	*1,200,000	1,400,000	20,000	17,000	2,000	1,000	2,000	1,000	3,000	2,646,000
1999	*1,200,000	1,400,000	16,100	I 16,000	2,100	600	3,600	1,100	1,100	2,646,000
2000	*1,200,000	1,326,000	14,500	I 100,000	2,300	700	4,500	1,400	1,000	2,650,000
2001	*2,000,000	1,482,000	12,800	I 100,000	2,500	800	15,400	1,500	8,300	3,623,000

* From 1996 to 2000, estimates of the Afghan refugee population in Pakistan included all those residing in refugee villages -- whether registered or unregistered. Prior to 1996, Pakistan statistics only include registered refugees. Unregistered Afghans living outside refugee villages were excluded from all Pakistan statistics. The figure for 2001 is a government estimate and includes Afghans living outside refugee villages.

^I Figures for Russian Federation up until 1999 only include asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR. The figures for 2000 and 2001 include asylum-seekers pending temporary asylum and are a UNHCR estimate.

⁵ 1999 figures for the Central Asian Republics include only recognized Afghan refugees registered by UNHCR or by the relevant Government. Asylum-seekers were not included.

All figures for the Islamic Republic of Iran are based on government estimates. A very small proportion of Afghan refugees in Iran live in camps.

Tens of thousands of Afghan refugees live in countries other than those listed. However, no accurate estimate of their total number exists.