Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jun 23, 2025

Record numbers displaced by conflict and disaster

Record numbers displaced by conflict and disaster

New data shows an all-time high of 71.1 million internally displaced people, with war in Ukraine exacerbating food insecurity
The number of people displaced by conflict and disaster in their home countries hit a record high last year, according to new data from a leading international monitor.

In its annual report, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) writes that 71.1 million people were living in internal displacement at the end of 2022, a massive increase on the 59.2 million figure at the end of 2021.

Fully 17 million of last year's displacements were driven by the conflict in Ukraine, the organisation said, while monsoon floods in Pakistan were responsible for 8.2 million.

“Today’s displacement crises are growing in scale, complexity and scope, and factors like food insecurity, climate change and escalating and protracted conflicts are adding new layers to this phenomenon,” said IDMC director Alexandra Bilak. "There is an increasing need for durable solutions to meet the scale of the challenges facing displaced people."

Crucially, the report draws a clear link between internal displacement and food security, a relationship that flows in two directions. The war in Ukraine has sent a shockwave through the world food system, as vitally important grain cultivation and exports were both suddenly endangered. The ensuing supply crunch, according to the IDMC, has hit already internally displaced people the hardest.

That finding dovetails with another recent report, this one from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, which detailed how the Russian invasion “triggered an unprecedented peak in international food prices”. And many of the countries most affected by both conflict and food insecurity have been experiencing mass internal displacement for years.

In fact, the two reports overlap substantially when it comes to the worst-affected countries. According to the IDMC, almost 75% of the world’s internally displaced people live in 10 countries: Syria, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ukraine, Colombia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan; the FAO, meanwhile, reports that 40% of the world's hungriest people live in DRC, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Yemen alone.

The IDMC report gives detailed accounts of the way different factors are interacting. In DRC there are more than 120 different armed groups still involved in violent conflict, and some 5.7 million people were living in internal displacement in the country by the end of the year.

Some of the armed groups involved have deliberately targeted food stocks – and as the report explains, this leaves displaced people in especially dire situation. "Forced to leave their homes, lands and livelihoods behind when they flee, they become less able to produce food for themselves and their communities, rendering staple items increasingly rare and expensive."

Other countries saw existing displacement crises badly exacerbated by disasters, with around of 31.8 million people forced to leave their homes around the world by floods, droughts and storms alone. The worst-affected region was South Asia, mainly thanks to the massive floods in Pakistan, but the Philippines and China also saw millions of people displaced by natural catastrophes.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×