Peoples Without a State: Locations and Causes of Statelessness (30 Mar 2016)

Statelessness is a global problem - it affects half the world's countries - with an estimated 10-15 million people deprived of a nationality. The map shows the locations of stateless or at risk populations numbering 500 or more, highlighting countries with the highest concentration. The data is incomplete and contains estimates; 70% is not collected or acknowledged by the countries where the stateless live. The single largest cause of statelessness is inheritance of status, with at least 5 million stateless children and a new one born every 10 minutes. Discriminatory nationality laws contribute to statelessness as well. In 12 of 20 countries in the Middle East, women are prohibited or severely limited in conferring citizenship to their children, as shown on the map.