What Is a Refugee?
The United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, adopted in 1951, defines a refugee as “any person who: owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.” According to the UN Refugee Agency, persecution and conflict forced almost 66 million (one in every 113 people in the world) to flee their homes in 2016. (UNHCR 2001-2022).
Refugees Resettled in the U.S. from 2001-2017
Refugee Resources
- The Refugee ProjectThis interactive map allows users to explore refugee migration across the world over the past half century. Also included is information related to the major refugee crises of the past fifty years.
- World MigrationThis interactive map allows users to look at migration in and out of different countries across the globe in 2015.
- What Is a RefugeeThis article provides simple definitions of “refugees” and other terms related to forced migration.
- Refugee Arrivals by Nationality and FFY of ResettlementThis document provides the numbers of refugees resettled in Arizona by country of origin since 1981.
- Refugee Resettlement FactsThis article provides interesting infographics to explain global resettlement as well as the resettlement process in the United States.
- Refugee Resettlement in the United StatesThis simple document explains the process of refugee resettlement in the United States, including the President’s role in determining the number of refugees allowed in the country each year.
- International Rescue CommitteeThis site details current issues and provides statistics. "The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future."