More than 70 million displaced worldwide, says UN

More than 70 million people are fleeing war, persecution and conflict, the highest number ever recorded, the United Nations has said.

According to the UNHCR Global Trends report, the number of people forcibly displaced has doubled over the past 20 years.

It has increased from 43.3 million in 2009 to 70.8 million in 2018.

Overall, an average of 37,000 people are forced out of their homes every day, the report said, and one in every 108 people on the planet is now displaced.

"What we are seeing in these figures is further confirmation of a longer-term rising trend in the number of people needing safety from war, conflict and persecution," said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi.

"While language around refugees and migrants is often divisive, we are also witnessing an outpouring of generosity and solidarity, especially by communities who are themselves hosting large numbers of refugees."