Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in Sweden
Sweden: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum was 4,661 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in Sweden, 2000–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in Sweden stood at 4,661. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.1% on the previous year and down 97.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in Sweden peaked at 157,017 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4,661, in 2025.
That places Sweden 69th out of 179 countries with data for 2025, 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 in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10,800 | — |
| 2001 | 17,600 | +63.0% |
| 2002 | 33,277 | +89.1% |
| 2003 | 35,250 | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 28,006 | -20.6% |
| 2005 | 15,670 | -44.0% |
| 2006 | 17,384 | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 27,686 | +59.3% |
| 2008 | 24,075 | -13.0% |
| 2009 | 18,932 | -21.4% |
| 2010 | 18,606 | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 18,106 | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 22,830 | +26.1% |
| 2013 | 27,705 | +21.4% |
| 2014 | 56,748 | +104.8% |
| 2015 | 157,017 | +176.7% |
| 2016 | 83,040 | -47.1% |
| 2017 | 51,588 | -37.9% |
| 2018 | 37,892 | -26.5% |
| 2019 | 28,006 | -26.1% |
| 2020 | 18,603 | -33.6% |
| 2021 | 13,954 | -25.0% |
| 2022 | 14,469 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | 11,271 | -22.1% |
| 2024 | 5,490 | -51.3% |
| 2025 | 4,661 | -15.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22,868 | 10,800 | 35,250 | 10 |
| 2010s | 50,154 | 18,106 | 157,017 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,408 | 4,661 | 18,603 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More social development data for Sweden
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 144,116 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 128 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh 1 (2025)
- Democracy lexical 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 128 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0136 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 in Sweden?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in Sweden was 4,661 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 157,017 in 2015.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,661 in 2025.
- How does Sweden rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?
- Sweden ranks 69th out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.