June 16 (UPI) -- Venezuela now leads the world in the number of refugees and people in need of international protection, according to the latest Global Trends report from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
A drop in Afghan refugee numbers and the return of nearly 2 million Syrians after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad made Venezuela the country with the highest combined total of refugees and people in need of international protection in 2024 -- 370,200 and 5.9 million, respectively. The total marked a 2% increase from the previous year.
Most Venezuelans seeking refuge remain in Latin America. Colombia hosts the largest number, with 2.8 million -- making it the third-largest refugee-hosting country in the world. It is followed by Peru (1.1 million), Brazil (605,700), Chile (523,800) and Ecuador (441,600).
The UNHCR reported that Venezuelans were the second-largest group worldwide to request asylum in 2024, with 268,100 new claims.
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