Iraq's growing refugee crisis

Iraq's growing refugee crisis

A special report on the millions of Iraqis fleeing the war in Iraq.

- United Nations High Commission for Refugees

- Swedish Migration and Asylum Policy Ministry

When Home Becomes Hell

As its middle classes flee, Iraq is losing skills, open minds and perhaps the hope of renewal. One family's story.

An estimated 2.3 million Iraqis have fled the country since the 2003 invasion. They represent the largest displacement of people in the region since the Palestinian diaspora nearly a half century ago. About 50,000 people escape Baghdad each month. A staggering 1.7 million are displaced within Iraq, while almost 2 million more have sought refuge in Syria and Jordan, 130,000 in Egypt and 50,000 in Iran. Even Sweden is feeling the effects of this war: last year alone, 9,000 Iraqis applied for asylum there, and 90 percent of those requests were approved.