This article provides a list of data to rank the largest refugee crises in modern history by the event(s) that caused them. Only those events that resulted in the creation of at least one million refugees—not including internally displaced persons—are listed below.
For events for which estimates vary, the geometric mean of the lowest and highest estimates is calculated in order to rank them. As the dates for some events are disputed, the provided data only covers the time since or between the listed years.
Rows that are highlighted in blue denote crises that are ongoing, as of 2025. Data for these events may be outdated or disputed, and may be adjusted to reflect smaller or larger figures with newer analyses and reports.
| Event | Refugees (est.) | Origin | From | Until | Duration | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World War II | 60 million | Europe | 1939 | 1945 | 6 years | |
| Partition of India | 20 million | South Asia | 1947 | 1948 | 1 year | |
| World War I | 15 million | Europe | 1914 | 1918 | 4 years | |
| Bangladesh genocide | 9.9 million | East Pakistan (Bangladesh) | 1971 | 1971 | 8 months | |
| Venezuelan crisis | 8.9 million | Venezuela | 2014 | Present | 11 years | |
| Russian invasion of Ukraine | 7 million | Europe | 2022 | Present | 3 years, 9 months | |
| Syrian civil war | 6.7 million | Syria | 2011 | 2024 | 13 years | |
| Soviet–Afghan War | 6.2 million | Afghanistan | 1978 | 1989 | 11 years | |
| Yemeni civil war (2014–present) | 4.5 million | Yemen | 2014 | Present | 11 years | |
| Sudanese civil war (2023–present) | 3.5 million | Republic of the Sudan | 2023 | Present | 2 years, 8 months | |
| Indochina crisis | 3 million | Mainland Southeast Asia | 1975 | 2000 | 25 years | |
| War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) | 2.6–2.7 million | Afghanistan | 2001 | 2021 | 20 years | |
| Yugoslav Wars | 2.4 million | Yugoslavia | 1991 | 2001 | 10 years | |
| Korean War | 1–5 million | Korea | 1950 | 1953 | 3 years | |
| Iraq War | 2.2 million | Iraq | 2003 | 2011 | 8 years | |
| Rwandan genocide | 2.1 million | Rwanda | 1994 | 1996 | 2 years | |
| Iraqi uprisings | 1.8 million | Iraq | 1991 | 1991 | 1 month | |
| Wars in the Caucasus | 1.5–2 million | Caucasus | 1988 | 1996 | 8 years | |
| Mozambican Civil War | 1.7 million | Mozambique | 1977 | 1992 | 15 years | |
| Arab–Israeli conflict | 1.6 million (700,000+ Palestinians and 900,000+ Jews) | West Asia and North Africa | 1947 | Present | 78 years | |
| South Sudanese Civil War | 1.5 million | Republic of South Sudan | 2011 | 2020 | 9 years | |
| Rohingya genocide | 1.3 million | Myanmar | 2016 | Present | 9 years | |
| Armenian genocide | 1 million | Ottoman Empire | 1915 | 1923 | 8 years | |
| Algerian War | 1 million | Algeria | 1954 | 1962 | 8 years | |
| Irish Great Famine | 1 million | Ireland | 1845 | 1849 | 4 years | |
| First Libyan Civil War | 1 million | Libya | 2011 | 2011 | 8 months | |
| Somali Civil War | 1 million | Somalia | 1991 | Present | 34 years |
See also
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