In this article, we will look at the 20 Countries with the Highest Homeless Population.
Homelessness affects people all across the globe, irrespective of their country of residence, age, and gender. According to the UN-Habitat, around 15 million people are forcefully evicted every year around the world, and these numbers have undergone an alarming increase in the last decade. Homelessness is spreading inconsistently around the world, with even a developed nation like the US experiencing this vice. Estimates show that around 1 in every 588 Americans is homeless.
However, attempting to accurately gauge the extent of homelessness across the globe is highly challenging, as the definitions of homelessness vary from country to country. In addition, census data to calculate homelessness is typically collected by considering households, which fails to take into account the “hidden homeless.” While the census data includes people living in shelters and receiving government aid, it does not look into the people living in inadequate settlements, such as structures not developed for housing, slums, and couch surfing with friends or families.
Estimated People Experiencing Homelessness Across the Globe
The last global survey to define homelessness in numbers was attempted by the United Nations in 2005, which calculated around 100 million homeless people across the globe. However, the actual figure is expected to be much higher. The World Economic Forum reported that around 150 million people are homeless across the world as of 2022. This accounts for around 2% of the world’s population. According to the UN-Habitat, around 1.6 billion people lack adequate housing as of 2022, translating to over 20% of the world’s population.
Countries in the EU and OECD reflect similar trends. Data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows that at least 2 million people in the region are estimated to be experiencing homelessness, according to official government statistics in 2023 or the latest year. This calculation is likely an underestimation due to the widespread measurement challenges that affect accurate depiction.
With these trends in view, let’s look at the 20 countries with the highest homeless population.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Our Methodology
To compile a list of the 20 countries with the highest homeless population, we sourced the most recently available data on homelessness from The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). We ranked our list in ascending order based on the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness as of the latest year.
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20 Countries with the Highest Homeless Population
20. Denmark
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 5,789
Denmark is a Scandinavian country that consists of the Jutland Peninsula and various islands. It ranks 20th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest homeless population, with around 5,789 people experiencing homelessness. According to estimates by the World Bank, the country has a population of 5.947 million as of 2023.
19. Latvia
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 5,997
Latvia lies between Estonia and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. Riga, its capital, is the most populated city in not just Latvia but all of the Baltic states. With around 5,997 people in the country experiencing homelessness as of 2023, the country ranks 19th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest homeless population in the world.
18. South Korea
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 8,469
South Korea is an East Asian country that lies on the southern half of the Korean peninsula. The country shares one of the most heavily militarized borders with its neighboring North Korea. South Korea’s capital is Seoul, which houses more than nine million people and is the most populous city in Korea.
17. Portugal
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 10,773
Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal is a southern European country on the Iberian Peninsula and borders Spain. It is the 17th country with the most homeless population in the world, and has a population of around 10.58 million people as of 2023, according to the World Bank.
16. Ireland
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 13,179
Ireland has more than 13,000 individuals experiencing homelessness as of 2023. It is the second-largest island of the British Isles and ranks 16th on our list.
15. Austria
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 19,667
Austria is a landlocked country located in Central Europe. It was formerly known as the Republic of Austria and lies in the Eastern Alps. The capital of Austria and its most populated city, Vienna, lies on the Danube River, in the eastern wing of the country.
14. Chile
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 20,775
Chile ranks 14th on our list of the 20 countries with the highest homeless population. Santiago is the capital of Chile, a long, narrow country located across the western edge of South America. It shares more than 6,000 kilometers of coastline with the Pacific Ocean.
13. Spain
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 28,552
With more than 28,552 people experiencing homelessness in Spain, the country ranks 13th on our list of the countries with the highest homeless population in the world. Spain houses around 48.35 million people as of 2023, according to World Bank estimates.
12. Poland
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 30,330
According to the Polish government, the country had a population of around 1.765 million in 2017. The Central European country ranks 12th on our list of the countries with the highest homeless population across the globe.
11. The Netherlands
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 30,600
Informally known as Holland, the Netherlands is located in Europe’s northwestern wing. Its capital and most populous city, Amsterdam, houses the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the house where Anne Frank hid during WWII.
10. Sweden
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 33,269
The 10th spot on our list of the cities with the highest homeless population in the world is held by Sweden, the largest Nordic country and the fifth-largest European country. Its capital and largest city is Stockholm, which is built on 14 islands.
9. Colombia
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 34,091
Colombia has around 34,091 people experiencing homelessness as of 2018, its most recently available number. The high-altitude, sprawling city of Bogota is the capital and most populous city of Colombia.
8. Canada
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 40,713
Canada ranks eighth on our list of the 30 cities with the highest homeless population in the world. It is the second-largest country in the world by total area and also has the longest coastline. The country stretches over ten provinces and three territories, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean.
7. Slovakia
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 71,076
More than 71,000 people experienced homelessness in the Slovak Republic in 2023, highlighting this severe problem in the country. Bratislava is its capital and most populous city.
6. Italy
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 96,197
Italy ranks sixth on our list of the countries with the highest homeless population across the globe. The European country holds a long Mediterranean coastline. Rome is its famous capital, home to various ancient ruins, historical landmarks, and the Vatican.
5. New Zealand
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 102,123
New Zealand is an island country located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Its capital and most populous city is Auckland, which makes up more than 32% of its population.
4. Czech Republic
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 104,818
The Czech Republic had around 104,818 people experiencing homelessness in 2023. Nicknamed “the City of a Hundred Spires,” Prague is the most populous and the capital city of the Czech Republic.
3. Australia
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 122,494
The third spot on our list of the 20 countries with the world’s highest homeless population is Australia. Officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, the country comprises the mainland Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and various other smaller islands.
2. Germany
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 262,600
Germany ranks second on our list of the 20 countries with the highest homeless population across the globe. Berlin is Germany’s capital and largest city by population and area. The country has a population of around 83.28 million people as of 2023, according to statistics by the World Bank.
1. France
Estimated Number of People Experiencing Homelessness: 333,000
France lies in Western Europe and encompasses alpine villages, medieval cities, and Mediterranean beaches. Paris, the capital of France and the fashion capital of the world, is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous cities in the world, and yet expensive housing and the widening gap between income and affordability have riddled its streets with homeless people. The country has around 333,000 homeless people and has a population of about 68.29 million people as of 2023, according to World Bank estimates.
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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
