UnhcrDataPackage: A data package with UNHCR statistics Database

Install from github with devtools::install_github("unhcr/unhcrdatapackage").

The package is inspired from tutorial @ https://r-pkgs.org/data.html (the code used to build the package is in data-raw/build.R). Data are pulled from HDX @ unhcr-population-data-for-world and are then conveniently packaged for R users intending to build data stories. If you are UNHCR Staff and want to learn R, visit UNHCR Learn & Connect- R training

This package can be used together with unhcRstyle in order to quickly generate statistical reports with UNHCR Brand Style using a reproducible approach.

Note, that you can also explore data through Refugee Data Finder.

Chart Library

The package includes a series of vignettes that provides recipes to create re-usable charts in line with a Divisible Content Strategy. To explore how data can be displayed, you can browse the Chart Library using this link or the top menu links. For Designers, convenient versions of each plot in svg format (usable with Illustrator/Inkscape or Indesign/Scribus) is also available directly here.

You can also explore Country Statistical Focus, accessible here that provides visualization by country in relation to 6 dimensions of displacement: Categories, Origin, Demographics, Solutions, Processing and Source.

You can also submit request for new charts here

Contributions, specifically creation of new vignettes for the chart library are welcome! Please fork and submit pull request.

Data Content

The data presented in this website consists of the following dataset:

  • End-year population figures - these are stock figures for specific types of populations at the end of each year, including refugees, IDPs and asylum seekers.
  • Demographics – are available for the UNHCR data, IDMC and UNRWA data. No demographics are available for resettlement and naturalization data
  • Asylum applications by asylum-seekers
  • Asylum decisions taken on asylum claims of asylum-seekers
  • Solutions – these are flow figures, with the total number of individuals that have availed each solution in each year.

Data structure

Details is provided for each dataset

All data is disaggregated by year, since 1951 for stock figures, type of population, country/territory of asylum and origin.

Note that the term country/territory of asylum has a range of contexts depending on the dataset chosen

  • Resettlement – in this context this is the country of arrival – i.e. the country to which a refugee has been resettled
  • Returns – in this context this is the country of departure – i.e. the country from which a refugee has voluntarily repatriated.

Country/territory of asylum and origin – the full list of UN countries is available on the UNSD methodology page . ISO3 country codes are included. UNHCR uses the following non-standard ISO3 country codes:

  • UNK for Various/unknown
  • STA for Stateless

Data protection & Statistical Disclosure Risk Treatment

Before publishing any statistics on the refugee statistics website, UNHCR applies safeguards to protect confidentiality. Small numbers less than five are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Additionally data relating to pending asylum applications, new applications and decisions is rounded between five and ten.

Data between tables remains additive therefore the totals should be considered approximations.

pkgdown::build_site()