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The number of people internally displaced by conflict, violence, and natural disasters reached an all-time high in 2024, according to the latest report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
By the end of the year, 75.9 million people were living in internal displacement across 116 countries and territories—the highest figure ever recorded. The report attributes the spike to ongoing armed conflicts, particularly in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Middle East, alongside an increasing frequency of climate-related disasters such as floods, storms, and wildfires.
Sudan alone accounted for over 9 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in 2024, due to the brutal civil conflict that erupted in April 2023 and escalated through 2024. In Gaza, the war between Israel and Hamas led to more than 1.7 million displacements, with the majority occurring in the last quarter of the year.
Natural disasters also played a major role. The report highlights significant displacement in Asia and the Pacific, driven by cyclones and floods in countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, and China.
“These figures reflect a global system under immense strain,” said Alexandra Bilak, Director of the IDMC. “Conflict and climate shocks are compounding vulnerabilities, with millions of people displaced for years without a clear path to return or rebuild their lives.”
The IDMC report also warns that protracted displacement is becoming more common. More than 68% of all IDPs had been displaced for over a year, pointing to the deepening complexity of global displacement crises.
The findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable solutions, increased humanitarian funding, and coordinated international efforts to address both the causes and consequences of displacement.
