Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives
Maldives: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin was 19 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives, 2004–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Maldives recorded 19 for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 38.7% on the previous year and down 32.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives peaked at 35 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0, in 2005.
That places Maldives 183rd out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 5 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 2006 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 31 | — |
| 2013 | 24 | -22.6% |
| 2014 | 5 | -79.2% |
| 2015 | 28 | +460.0% |
| 2016 | 35 | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 34 | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 35 | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 11 | -68.6% |
| 2020 | 23 | +109.1% |
| 2021 | 21 | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 22 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | 27 | +22.7% |
| 2024 | 31 | +14.8% |
| 2025 | 19 | -38.7% |
Maldives compared with similar countries
- Maldives's 19 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4,212, 0% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Maldives's 19 is below the median for South Asia, which is 24,064, 0% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +460.0% | 5 | 28 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.8333 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| 2010s | 20.3 | 0 | 35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.83 | 19 | 31 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Maldives
- 180 Nauru 22 compare
- 181 Seychelles 21 compare
- 182 Sao Tome and Principe 20 compare
- 184 Austria 16 compare
- 184 Malta 16 compare
- 184 Marshall Islands 16 compare
More social development data for Maldives
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -18.42 % change on previous year (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 origin in Maldives?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Maldives was 19 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 origin recorded in Maldives?
- The highest recorded value was 35 in 2016.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin recorded in Maldives?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 2005.
- How does Maldives rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?
- Maldives ranks 183rd out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin rising or falling in Maldives?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Maldives 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 origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.