The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) officially recognizes over 4.4 million people worldwide as stateless or of undetermined nationality. However, the actual number is likely much higher due to data collection challenges.

Stateless persons - those not recognized as citizens of any country - are deprived of fundamental rights such as education, healthcare, and employment, leaving them highly vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination. But which countries have the most?

This map, via Visual Capitalist, created by Arciom Antanovi , uses data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to show the countries with the most stateless persons in 2023.

Bangladesh Tops the List

Certain countries are home to a disproportionate share of the world’s stateless people, often due to historical, social, and legal complexities.