Where Afghan Refugees Are Located

According to the UNHCR, there were around 2.6 million Afghan refugees abroad at the end of 2020 that hadn’t entered or completed asylum processes. A rundown of their locations gives an overview of where Afghans typically seek refuge. 85 percent of Afghan refugees can be found in Afghanistan’s neighboring countries Iran and Pakistan, while Germany comes third with 148,000 – or around 5.5 percent – of Afghan refugees counted in late 2020.

Austria, France and Sweden are other major destinations for Afghan refugees in Europe. According to the latest report by the European Union, around 7,000 Afghans were granted permanent or temporary legal status in the EU in Q1 of 2021. At least 2,200 of them were located in Greece, 1,800 in France, 1,000 in Germany and around 700 in Italy, leaving smaller contingents for other EU states. Overall, Afghan refugees had a 62 percent chance of gaining recognition in the EU, even though many are only granted the temporary right to remain. Conversely, France and Germany are also the countries rejecting the most Afghan asylum-seekers, but European countries have now suspended deportations in the light of the developments in the country.

11,000 Afghan refugees were located in Australia, surpassing the number found in the UK, India and the U.S. The latter country has expanded its program for Afghans who worked with the U.S. government and other entities during the military mission in the country. The Associated Press reports that around 20,000 could be expected to apply. With two months to go in the fiscal year, the U.S. has admitted close to 500 Afghan refugees in 2021, compared with 600 in FY2020 and 1,200 in FY2019.