Why has Jordan hosted a large refugee population?

Jordan has hosted a large refugee population primarily due to its geographic location in a region characterized by persistent political instability and conflict. Throughout its modern history, the country has served as a refuge for people fleeing violence and upheaval in neighboring nations.123

Key factors contributing to this demographic trend include:

• Arab-Israeli Conflicts: Following the 1948–49 Arab-Israeli war and the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sought refuge in Jordan.2
• Regional Wars: During the Persian Gulf War, many Palestinians fled from Kuwait, while the Iraq War and its aftermath led to a significant influx of Iraqi refugees.21
• Syrian Civil War: More recently, the Syrian Civil War resulted in Jordan hosting one of the largest refugee populations per capita in the world.3

Historically, the region also saw the settlement of Circassian and other refugees by the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. Providing for these populations remains a significant economic challenge, necessitating ongoing foreign aid.451