The Number and Characteristics of Syrians in Jordan: A Multi-Source Analysis

Jordan has experienced a substantial influx of refugees from Syria since 2011. The Jordanian government and the international community have expended significant resources to address the urgent humanitarian needs of these refugees and to mitigate negative impacts on the Jordanian population. Although several data sources describe the number and characteristics of Syrians in Jordan, a systematic comparison of the similarities and differences among the data sources has not been made. We seek to fill this gap using several data sources: the Jordan Population Census of 2015, the UNHCR registration database as of 2016, the Ministry of Education Management Information System of 2016/2017, and the Jordan Labor Market Panel Survey of 2016. We examine the number of Syrians in Jordan and their characteristics, including registration status, geographic and age distribution, and children’s enrollment status.