Only one third of the refugees live in one of the 59 recognized camps scattered across the Middle East. The other two-thirds live in the cities, towns and villages of the host countries, many in close proximity to the camps. UNRWA provides services to refugees regardless of whether they live in camps or not.

The camps are plots of land assigned to the refugees by the host authorities. They are not administered or controlled by UNRWA, the Agency simply provides services to those who live in the camps, but administration, law and order and security in the camps is the responsibility of the authorities wherever they are located. The camps started life as tent cities but have developed into crowded urban ghettos, some of which suffer from poor sanitation, dire levels of poverty and very high population densities. Most of UNRWA’s schools and clinics are located near or in the camps.

Refugees receive services from UNRWA in: Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.