Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda
Rwanda: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin was 20,214 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda, 2000–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda is 20,214, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and up 84.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda peaked at 25,910 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 4,792, in 2009.
Rwanda ranks 50th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24,806 | — |
| 2001 | 25,910 | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 11,037 | -57.4% |
| 2003 | 10,143 | -8.1% |
| 2004 | 5,354 | -47.2% |
| 2005 | 15,857 | +196.2% |
| 2006 | 8,614 | -45.7% |
| 2007 | 8,233 | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 6,083 | -26.1% |
| 2009 | 4,792 | -21.2% |
| 2010 | 10,302 | +115.0% |
| 2011 | 9,255 | -10.2% |
| 2012 | 10,283 | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 8,483 | -17.5% |
| 2014 | 10,000 | +17.9% |
| 2015 | 10,948 | +9.5% |
| 2016 | 11,690 | +6.8% |
| 2017 | 12,801 | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 13,772 | +7.6% |
| 2019 | 15,726 | +14.2% |
| 2020 | 16,648 | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 23,523 | +41.3% |
| 2022 | 17,886 | -24.0% |
| 2023 | 18,297 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 21,270 | +16.2% |
| 2025 | 20,214 | -5.0% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 20,214 is below the median for low income countries, which is 23,629, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 20,214 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8,058, 2.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +196.2% | 5,354 | 15,857 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12,083 | 4,792 | 25,910 | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,326 | 8,483 | 15,726 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,640 | 16,648 | 23,523 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More social development data for Rwanda
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 115,794 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0168 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0079 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 origin in Rwanda?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Rwanda was 20,214 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 25,910 in 2001.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,792 in 2009.
- How does Rwanda rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?
- Rwanda ranks 50th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 84.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.
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.