A record 108.4 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide last year due to persecution, conflict, violence and human rights violations, according to a report from the United Nations Refugee Agency. That's an increase of 19 million people from the year prior, the agency notes.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a major driver in the higher number of displacements.
"At the end of 2022, a total of 11.6 million Ukrainians remained displaced, including 5.9 million within their country and 5.7 million who fled to neighboring countries and beyond," the U.N. Refugee Agency says.
There's often a question of where refugees are supposed to go. The U.N. says a majority of refugees, 58%, never cross their country's border. Instead, they seek refuge in other parts of their country, away from their home. For those who do leave their country, most are hosted by neighboring countries.
Experts fear that the refugee crisis will not get better anytime soon. Conflicts in Africa and Southeast Asia are forcing millions of people to flee.
The U.N. notes, however, that the refugee crisis is not just one born out of conflict. Officials say 32.6 million displacements in 2022 were due to disasters. Those disasters include the earthquake in Turkey and the drought in Somalia.
