Turkey is home to the largest refugee population in the world. During 2017, the number of Syrians under temporary protection reached just over 3.3 million, almost half of whom are children. Only around 7 per cent of Syrians under temporary protection live in the 21 official Temporary Accommodation Centres in provinces along the Syrian border,1 while the remaining 93 per cent reside among the host community in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. The majority of the Syrians under temporary protection live in the South East of Turkey. However, large numbers of Syrians under temporary protection have moved to other parts of Turkey.
It is estimated that over 500,000 refugees are living in Istanbul making it the largest refugee hosting city in Turkey. Substantial populations are also found in Izmir, Ankara and other large cities in Turkey. Unless significant developments occur in Syria, it is assumed that the current number of Syrians under temporary protection will remain stable. The Government of Turkey maintains its open-door policy towards Syrians, while continuing to strictly manage the borders in response to security concerns. Self-organized, small scale, spontaneous returns are expected to continue. While it is a priority to monitor these movements, it is not expected that the numbers will increase to a level that will have an impact on the planning figures for 2018.
