The number of people forced to flee their homes because of war or persecution exceeded 50 million in 2013, the first time since World War Two, the UN refugee agency says.
The overall figure of 51.2 million is six million higher than the year before,a report by the UNHCR says.
Antonio Guterres, head of the UNHCR, told the BBC the rise was a “dramatic challenge” for aid organisations.
Conflicts in Syria, central Africa and South Sudan fuelled the sharp increase.
“Conflicts are multiplying, more and more,” Mr Guterres said. “And at the same time old conflicts seem never to die.”
Of particular concern are the estimated 6.3 million people who have been refugees for years, sometimes even decades.
