South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum over time
- South Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
How they compare
Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 942,178 against 82,358 in South Africa, a difference of 859,820.
That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 11.4 times South Africa's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 20th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 23rd of 179 countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 125,730 | 210,908 | 85,178 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2010s | 320,066 | 536,135 | 216,069 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2020s | 115,795 | 672,720 | 556,925 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Sub-Saharan Africa, at 942,178 against 82,358 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 859,820, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- South Africa ranks 20th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 23rd of 179 countries.
- 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.