An unprecedented 83.4 million people were living in internal displacement by the end of 2024, according to a joint report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The figure marks a staggering new global record, driven largely by violent conflict and increasingly severe weather-related disasters intensified by climate change.
Conflict Drives Majority of Displacements
Of the total number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), a significant 73.5 million — nearly 90% — were uprooted by conflict and violence. This represents an 80% increase since 2018. Ten countries each reported over three million conflict-related IDPs, with Sudan suffering the worst. Ravaged by civil war, Sudan hosted 11.6 million IDPs — the highest ever recorded in a single country.
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The Gaza Strip also saw near-total displacement. By the end of 2024, around two million Palestinians had been internally displaced, even before further displacements occurred after the breakdown of a ceasefire in March 2025 and the resumption of Israeli bombardments.
Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), called for urgent global cooperation. “These figures are a clear warning: without bold and coordinated action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to grow rapidly,” she said.
Natural Disasters Break Records
Natural disasters caused an additional 45.8 million new internal displacements in 2024 — the highest ever recorded and nearly double the average of the past decade. While many returned home during the year, 9.8 million remained displaced by year-end. Cyclones accounted for 54% of these displacements, with massive storms like Cyclones Helene and Milton triggering mass evacuations, particularly in the United States, which alone accounted for 11 million disaster displacements — nearly a quarter of the global total.
In total, 29 countries and territories reported their highest disaster displacement figures on record. The IDMC and NRC emphasized that weather-related events, most of which were intensified by climate change, accounted for 99.5% of all disaster-driven displacement last year.
Overlapping Crises Exacerbate Vulnerabilities
The number of countries facing both conflict and disaster-induced displacement has tripled in the past 15 years. More than three-quarters of conflict-displaced people now live in nations highly vulnerable to climate change, underscoring the compounding nature of these crises. IDMC chief Alexandra Bilak noted, “Internal displacement is where conflict, poverty and climate collide, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest.”
The report highlighted that many individuals were forced to flee multiple times throughout the year. A total of 65.8 million new displacements were recorded in 2024, including both conflict and disaster events.
Aid Cuts Deepen Crisis
Humanitarian efforts have been severely hindered by political decisions. The return of U.S. President Donald Trump in January 2025 led to an immediate freeze on most U.S. foreign aid, affecting millions of displaced persons globally. With donor support dwindling, Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary-General, warned: “Every time humanitarian funding gets cut, another displaced person loses access to food, medicine, safety and hope.”
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The IDMC and NRC are urging global solidarity and preventive action. Without sustained political will, humanitarian aid, and climate adaptation, the crisis is set to worsen. “This is both a policy failure and a moral stain on humanity,” Egeland concluded.