Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin was 8,342 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone, 2000–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 8,342 for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in 2025.
That represents a change of down 6.2% on the previous year and up 139.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone peaked at 9,065 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1,204, in 2011.
That places Sierra Leone 64th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6,862 | — |
| 2001 | 9,065 | +32.1% |
| 2002 | 7,465 | -17.7% |
| 2003 | 6,907 | -7.5% |
| 2004 | 8,119 | +17.5% |
| 2005 | 5,925 | -27.0% |
| 2006 | 5,624 | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 4,654 | -17.2% |
| 2008 | 2,615 | -43.8% |
| 2009 | 2,949 | +12.8% |
| 2010 | 1,407 | -52.3% |
| 2011 | 1,204 | -14.4% |
| 2012 | 2,306 | +91.5% |
| 2013 | 2,394 | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 3,151 | +31.6% |
| 2015 | 3,486 | +10.6% |
| 2016 | 4,674 | +34.1% |
| 2017 | 6,236 | +33.4% |
| 2018 | 7,422 | +19.0% |
| 2019 | 7,272 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 8,384 | +15.3% |
| 2021 | 5,685 | -32.2% |
| 2022 | 6,226 | +9.5% |
| 2023 | 8,160 | +31.1% |
| 2024 | 8,893 | +9.0% |
| 2025 | 8,342 | -6.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6,018 | 2,615 | 9,065 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,955 | 1,204 | 7,422 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,615 | 5,685 | 8,893 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More social development data for Sierra Leone
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,925 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh 4 (2025)
- Democracy lexical 0 (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 0.001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,925 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone?
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin in Sierra Leone was 8,342 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 9,065 in 2001.
- What is the lowest asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,204 in 2011.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin?
- Sierra Leone ranks 64th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 139.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.