By the end of 2016, the total number of refugees and asylum-seekers registered with UNHCR in Jordan stood at 720,812. Compared to 2015, the population has remained relatively stable in terms of numbers even though there was an increase in new arrival admissions by mid-2016. Resettlement departures almost tripled compared to 2015 (19,299 in 2016 compared to 6,325 in 2015).
90 per cent of refugees (648,829) in Jordan are of Syrian nationality, of which 53,626 were registered in 2016. 26,045 individuals were registered as new arrivals admitted from the north-eastern border with Syria, mostly during March-June 2016. 27,581 individuals of Syrian nationality were registered as in situ refugees. The overwhelming majority, 514,274 people (79%) of Syrian refugees live in non-camp settings (urban, semi-urban and rural areas), while 21 per cent reside in the three main refugee camps: Zaatari (12%), Azraq (8%), and the Emirati Jordanian Camp (1%). In terms of the urban caseload, the Amman Governorate hosts the largest number of Syrian refugees outside of camps (180,026 individuals; 27.5%of the Syrian non-camp caseload), followed by Irbid (136,496; 20.8%), Mafraq (79,188; 12.1%) and Zarqa (48,343; 7.4%).
With regard to the area of origin for Syrian refugees registered in Jordan, of the non-camp population, 42 per cent originate from Dar’a, 16 per cent originate from Homs, 11.9 per cent from Rural Damascus, 10 per cent from Aleppo and 7.5 per cent from Damascus. Syrians in camps originate mostly from Dara’a (53.1%), Rural Damascus (12.5%), Homs (10%), Aleppo (11.1%), and Damascus (2%).
Jordan is also host to 72,095 refugees and asylum-seekers from other countries, most of whom are Iraqi (61,004). The overall number of people of concern of nationalities other than Iraq constitutes a 10 per cent increase in the population compared with 2015 and is explained by the steady inflow of applications of Yemeni and Iraqi nationals.
The number of new Iraqi registrations was relatively stable at an average of 880 individuals per month. This was a slight increase in new arrivals compared to 2015 (820 individuals a month). In total, 10,564 Iraqis registered with UNHCR in 2016. In light of the situation in Iraq, a number of Iraqi nationals who were residing in Jordan before June 2014 approached UNHCR to apply for international protection. Most Iraqis registered with the Office originate from Bagdad (31,810), followed by Erbil (6,586), Basrah (3,946), Anbar (3,727), Ninewa (3,655).
Jordan witnessed a reduction of 30 per cent in arrivals of asylum-seekers from Sudan (431), compared to 2015 (645). In all, 3,266 Sudanese were registered with the Office by the end of December. New registration trends for Somali and Yemeni nationals continued at a relatively stable pace, similar to 2015. 90 per cent of the Yemeni population registered with UNHCR are pre-2016 arrivals, which indicates that most of the Yemeni people of concern are in situ. However, the trend of asylum-seekers of other nationalities witnessed a reduction in new applications compared to 2015, mainly due to visa regulations and stricter border management policies. The total number of Yemeni applicants was 5,697, Somalis was 773, and other nationalities was 1,355.