Global Displacement Reaches Record 83.4 Million in 2024

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The number of people internally displaced within their own countries reached a record high of 83.4 million by the end of 2024, according to a new report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The sharp increase was driven by relentless conflict, violence, and climate-related disasters across multiple regions.

The data, presented in the Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025 by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), paints a grim picture of the growing humanitarian crisis, with millions forced to flee their homes but remaining within national borders, often with limited access to aid or protection.

The report reveals that 73.5 million people were displaced due to conflict and violence by the end of 2024 — an 80 percent increase compared to 2018. Sudan emerged as the country with the highest number of internally displaced people, with 11.6 million uprooted due to ongoing armed conflict, widespread insecurity, and political instability.

Meanwhile, the Gaza Strip witnessed near-total displacement of its population amid escalating violence and humanitarian collapse. Other conflict zones such as Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, and parts of the Sahel region also contributed significantly to the global total.

“These figures are a stark warning,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Without urgent and coordinated international action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to rise — with profound implications for peace, development, and human dignity.”

In addition to conflict, natural disasters were a major driver of internal displacement. In 2024 alone, disasters triggered 45.8 million displacement events — nearly double the average annual figure recorded over the past decade.

From floods and cyclones in South and Southeast Asia, to wildfires in North America and droughts in the Horn of Africa, climate and weather-related disasters forced millions to flee their homes. Although many were able to return after the immediate crisis passed, some 9.8 million people remained displaced by disasters at the close of the year.

The report underscores how climate change is compounding existing vulnerabilities and driving new patterns of displacement — often overlapping with conflict zones, making humanitarian responses more complex and costly.

The IOM and IDMC are urging governments, humanitarian agencies, and the international community to take urgent and coordinated measures to address the root causes of displacement. This includes investing in conflict prevention, strengthening disaster preparedness, ensuring safe return and reintegration of displaced people, and upholding human rights.

“The rising number of internally displaced persons is not just a statistic — it represents millions of lives disrupted, families torn apart, and communities destabilised,” said Pope. “The world must do more to prevent displacement and support those already affected.”

As the world grapples with intersecting crises, from protracted conflicts to climate emergencies, the record figures for 2024 serve as a sobering reminder that displacement is no longer a temporary phenomenon, but a growing global reality demanding sustained attention and action.