It is estimated that 150 million people are homeless worldwide. [1] Habitat for Humanity estimated in 2016 that 1.6 billion people around the world live in "inadequate shelter". [2]
Different countries often use different definitions of homelessness. It can be defined by living in a shelter, being in a transitional phase of housing and living in a place not fit for human habitation. The numbers may or may not take into account internal displacement from conflict, violence and natural disasters. Also, they may or may not take into account chronic and transitional homelessness, making direct comparisons of numbers complicated. [3]
Country | Homeless (average day) | Data year | Homeless per 10,000 | Unsheltered per 10,000 | Main article, other notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | 360,000 | 2023 [4] | 87.6 | ||
Albania | 32,000 | 2020 [5] | 113 | ||
Algeria | 15,000 | 2008 [6] | 4.3 | Homelessness in Algeria The figure consists of children only. | |
Argentina | 3,600,000 | 2020 [7] | 793 | ||
Australia | 122,494 | 2021 [8] | 48.0 | Homelessness in Australia | |
Austria | 19,912 | 2020 [9] | 22.3 | ||
Azerbaijan | 50,000 | 2017 [10] | 50.7 | ||
Bangladesh | 5,000,000 | 2019 [11] | 307 | ||
Belgium | 13,524 | 2021 [9] | 11.7 | ||
Benin | 100,000 | 2010 [12] | 106 | ||
Bhutan | 0 (claim) | 2021 [13] | 0 | 20 | |
Brazil | 281,000 | 2022 [14] | 6.5 | ||
Burkina Faso | 700,000 | 2020 [15] | 335 | ||
Cambodia | 3,000 | 2020 [16] | 1.8 | ||
Cameroon | 200,000 | 2020 [17] | 75.5 | ||
Canada | 235,000 | 2021 [18] | 62.5 | Homelessness in Canada | |
Central African Republic | 28,000 | 2019 [19] | 53.8 | ||
Chile | 14,013 | 2019 [20] | 7.0 | ||
China | 2,579,000 | 2011 [21] | 19.2 | Homelessness in China | |
Colombia | 662,146 | 2020 | 130 | ||
Costa Rica | 3,387 | 2020 [20] | 7.0 | ||
Croatia | 2,000 | 2020 [22] | 4.9 | ||
Czech Republic | 23,830 | 2019 [23] | 22.0 | ||
Denmark | 5,789 | 2022 [9] | 9.8 | Homelessness in Denmark | |
Dominican Republic | 296,591 | 2020 [24] | 270 | ||
DR Congo | 1,500,000 | 2018 [25] | 172 | ||
Egypt | 2,000,000 | 2020 [26] | 186 | Homelessness in Egypt | |
Estonia | 1,068 | 2021 [27] | 8.0 | ||
Ethiopia | 600,000 | 2023 [28] | 47.4 | The figure consists of children and teenagers only. | |
Finland | 4,114 | 2022 [29] | 7.9 | 0.1 [30] | Homelessness in Finland |
France | 330,000 | 2022 [31] | 48.7 | 4.5 [32] | Homelessness in France |
Germany | 262,600 | 2022 [33] | 31.4 | Homelessness in Germany | |
Ghana | 100,000 | 2020 [34] | 32.9 | ||
Greece | 40,000 | 2016 [35] | 37.1 | Homelessness in Greece | |
Grenada | 68 | 2011 | 6.4 | 6.4 [36] | Homeless in national census seems to mean unsheltered. High variance after hurricanes. |
Guatemala | 475,000 | 2012 [37] | 315 | ||
Haiti | 310,000 | 2024 [38] | 261 | ||
Honduras | 150,000 | 2020 [39] | 148 | ||
Hungary | 6,944 | 2022 [9] | 7.2 | Homelessness in Hungary | |
Iceland | 349 | 2017 [20] | 10.0 | ||
India | 1,770,000 | 2011 [40] | 12.6 | Homelessness in India | |
Indonesia | 122,000 | 2023 [41] | 4.5 | Homelessness in Indonesia | |
Iran | 130,000 | 2022 [42] | 14.8 | ||
Iraq | 2,000,000 | 2014 [43] | 544 | ||
Ireland | 13,540 | 2024 [9] | 16.0 | Homelessness in Ireland | |
Israel | 3,471 | 2020 [20] | 4.0 | Homelessness in Israel | |
Italy | 96,197 | 2021 [9] | 8.4 | ||
Japan | 2,820 | 2024 [44] | 0.2 | Homelessness in Japan | |
Jordan | 0 (claim) | 2017 [45] | 0 | ||
Kazakhstan | 5,500 | 2020 [46] | 0.6 | ||
Kenya | 20,095 | 2019 [47] | 3.9 | ||
Latvia | 5,644 | 2021 [9] | 35.3 | ||
Libya | 40,000 | 2023 [48] | 58.1 | ||
Liechtenstein | 0 (claim) | 2004 [49] | 0 | ||
Lithuania | 4,009 | 2021 [9] | 14.1 | ||
Luxembourg | 420 | 2017 [9] | 37.5 | ||
Mali | 260,000 | 2012 [50] | 157 | ||
Malta | 236 | 2022 [51] | 4.6 | ||
Mexico | 14,000,000 | 2020 [52] | 1,111 | ||
Morocco | 380,000 | 2023 [53] | 100 | ||
Mozambique | 640,000 | 2023 [54] | 189 | ||
Myanmar | 1,500,000 | 2023 [55] | 275 | ||
Nepal | 2,500,000 | 2023 [56] | 809 | ||
Netherlands | 32,000 | 2021 [57] | 18.0 | Homelessness in the Netherlands | |
New Zealand | 102,123 | 2018 [58] [59] | 217 | 7.5 | Homelessness in New Zealand |
Niger | 36,000 | 2014 [60] | 18.6 | ||
Nigeria | 4,500,000 | 2022 [61] | 206 | Internally displaced, per IDMC. | |
Norway | 3,325 | 2020 [62] | 6.2 | ||
Pakistan | 8,000,000 | 2023 [63] | 331 | ||
Peru | 700,000 | 2017 [64] | 223 | ||
Philippines | 4,500,000 | 2018 [65] | 424 | Street children in the Philippines | |
Poland | 30,330 | 2019 [66] | 8.0 | ||
Portugal | 9,604 | 2021 [9] | 8.0 | 3.3 | Homelessness in Portugal |
Romania | 2,976 | 2017 [9] | 7.0 | ||
Russia | 11,285 | 2023 [67] | 0.8 | Homelessness in Russia | |
Serbia | 20,000 | 2017 [68] | 28.5 | ||
Singapore | 1,036 | 2021 [69] | 1.9 | ||
Slovakia | 10,661 | 2020 [9] | 19.5 | ||
Slovenia | 1,047 | 2020 [9] | 5.0 | ||
Somalia | 1,400,000 | 2023 [70] | 772 | ||
South Africa | 55,719 | 2022 [71] | 9.0 | Homelessness in South Africa | |
South Korea | 8,986 | 2022 [72] | 1.7 | ||
South Sudan | 32,000 | 2021 [73] | 29.8 | ||
Spain | 28,552 | 2022 [74] | 8.6 | Homelessness in Spain | |
Sri Lanka | 800,000 | 2021 [75] | 361 | ||
Sudan | 3,000,000 | 2023 [76] | 624 | ||
Sweden | 27,383 | 2023 [77] | 25.9 | Homelessness in Sweden | |
Switzerland | 2,200 | 2022 [78] | 2.5 | Homelessness in Switzerland | |
Syria | 5,300,000 | 2023 [79] | 2,302 | ||
Thailand | 2,499 | 2023 [80] | 0.3 | ||
Togo | 15,000 | 2022 [81] | 17.4 | ||
Turkey | 70,000 | 2024 [82] | 8.2 | ||
Uganda | 4,016,980 | 2015 [83] | 1,125 | ||
Ukraine | 20,000 | 2023 [84] | 5.4 | ||
United Kingdom | 380,000 | 2023 [85] [86] [87] [88] | 56.1 | 0.9 | Homelessness in the United Kingdom |
United States | 653,104 | 2023 [89] | 19.5 | 12 [90] | Homelessness in the United States |
Vatican City State | 0 (claim) | 2015 | 0 | A shelter supported by the Holy See accommodates up to 30 homeless people in Rome. [91] | |
Yemen | 300,000 | 2020 [92] | 92.9 | ||
Zambia | 400,000 | 2023 [93] | 194 | ||
Zimbabwe | 1,200,000 | 2013 [94] | 848 |
Statistics on homelessness (and other social issues) in dependent territories are often integrated into those for the nation-states to which they are related. However, territories with significant populations often compile their statistics or generate news on homelessness. For example, in Hong Kong in 2017, media reports indicated that 1,800 people were homeless, with the problem mainly attributed to high costs of living. [95]
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