Germany hosts over four million refugees and displaced persons

According to the Federal Statistical Office’s 2025 Mikrozensus, more than four million people living in Germany today have arrived as refugees, asylum seekers or displaced persons. This includes 3.3 million individuals who migrated since 1950 because of war, persecution or the search for international protection, and an additional 713 000 people displaced by the Second World War who later settled in present‑day Germany.

Of the post‑1950 refugees, one‑quarter (25 %) were born in Ukraine and about one‑fifth (22 %) in Syria, together accounting for roughly half of all recent arrivals. Other major countries of origin include Afghanistan, Iraq, Turkey, Poland and Iran, each contributing over 100 000 migrants. In 2025 the average age of these refugees was 39 years, with women making up 45 % and men 55 %. The WWII‑era displaced population averages 85 years old, 61 % women. The highest regional shares of refugees are found in Bremen (7.3 % of its population), Hamburg (6.3 %), Saarland (5.7 %) and Hesse (4.8 %).

The office notes that the true number of post‑1950 refugees could be higher—potentially around 3.8 million—because the survey only counts individuals who listed “flight” as their main migration reason, excluding those who cited family reunification despite originating from conflict zones.