Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre was 0.0716 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa is 0.0716 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and down 63.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 0.9035 units per square kilometre in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.0094 units per square kilometre, in 2001.
That places South Africa 49th out of 177 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.0125 units per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | -24.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0432 units per square kilometre | +359.5% |
| 2003 | 0.0693 units per square kilometre | +60.3% |
| 2004 | 0.095 units per square kilometre | +37.0% |
| 2005 | 0.1155 units per square kilometre | +21.6% |
| 2006 | 0.1081 units per square kilometre | -6.4% |
| 2007 | 0.1409 units per square kilometre | +30.3% |
| 2008 | 0.1872 units per square kilometre | +32.9% |
| 2009 | 0.2554 units per square kilometre | +36.4% |
| 2010 | 0.1415 units per square kilometre | -44.6% |
| 2011 | 0.1808 units per square kilometre | +27.7% |
| 2012 | 0.1899 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 0.1956 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 0.3824 units per square kilometre | +95.6% |
| 2015 | 0.9035 units per square kilometre | +136.3% |
| 2016 | 0.1799 units per square kilometre | -80.1% |
| 2017 | 0.1577 units per square kilometre | -12.3% |
| 2018 | 0.1518 units per square kilometre | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 0.1552 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 0.143 units per square kilometre | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 0.138 units per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 0.0695 units per square kilometre | -49.6% |
| 2023 | 0.0716 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.1036 units per square kilometre | 0.0094 units per square kilometre | 0.2554 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2638 units per square kilometre | 0.1415 units per square kilometre | 0.9035 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1055 units per square kilometre | 0.0695 units per square kilometre | 0.143 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 46 Belize 0.0865 units per square kilometre compare
- 47 Togo 0.0809 units per square kilometre compare
- 48 Pakistan 0.08 units per square kilometre compare
- 50 Tunisia 0.0714 units per square kilometre compare
- 51 Japan 0.0656 units per square kilometre compare
- 52 Liechtenstein 0.0625 units per square kilometre compare
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.0716 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9035 units per square kilometre in 2015.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0094 units per square kilometre in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 177 countries with data for 2023.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 63.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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How this figure is calculated
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.