Around 4 million refugees in Germany — statistical agency
Around 4 million refugees were living in Germany in 2025, according to new figures from the Federal Statistics Office, with nearly half originating from Syria and Ukraine amid ongoing global conflicts and displacement trends.
The report shows that the refugee population also includes 713,000 older individuals who are still classified as refugees after fleeing former German territories in Eastern Europe between the end of the Second World War and 1950, reflecting long-standing historical definitions.
Among the remaining 3.3 million refugees, 55% are male and 45% are female, with an average age of 39. The data further reveals that 25% were born in Ukraine, while 22% were born in Syria, highlighting the impact of recent and ongoing wars.
Refugee distribution varies significantly across Germany’s regions. The highest shares are found in smaller western states such as Bremen (7.3%), Hamburg (6.3%), and Saarland (5.7%). In larger states, Hesse stands at 4.8%, North Rhine-Westphalia at 4.6%, and Berlin at 4.5%.
In contrast, eastern German states show lower proportions, including Saxony at 3.1% and both Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg at 2.5%. Interestingly, these regions also show some of the strongest support for the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, despite having fewer refugees compared to western states.
Germany’s total population at the end of 2025 stood at approximately 83.5 million, placing the refugee population in broader national context and underscoring the scale of demographic and integration challenges facing the country.