European Union vs United States of America: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum over time
- European Union
- United States of America
How they compare
United States of America currently reports 3.72 million against 1.13 million in European Union, a difference of 2.59 million.
That makes United States of America's figure about 3.3 times European Union's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 26 shared years of data; in 2000 it was United States of America ahead.
European Union ranks 20th and United States of America ranks 1st of 47 groups.
Across the 3 decades both report, European Union averaged higher in 2 and United States of America in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | European Union | United States of America | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 264,831 | 230,275 | 34,556 | European Union |
| 2010s | 628,990 | 324,441 | 304,548 | European Union |
| 2020s | 921,984 | 2.27 million | 1.35 million | United States of America |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, European Union or United States of America?
- United States of America, at 3.72 million against 1.13 million in European Union as of 2025.
- What is the difference in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum between European Union and United States of America?
- 2.59 million, with United States of America ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and United States of America?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do European Union and United States of America rank globally for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- European Union ranks 20th and United States of America ranks 1st of 47 groups.
- Where does this data come from?
- Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.