Forcibly displaced people in Uganda
Uganda: Forcibly displaced people was 1.97 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Forcibly displaced people in Uganda, 2010–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, forcibly displaced people in Uganda stood at 1.97 million. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.8% on the previous year and up 263.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forcibly displaced people in Uganda peaked at 1.97 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 192,891, in 2011.
That places Uganda 19th out of 180 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forcibly displaced people in Uganda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 322,602 | — |
| 2011 | 192,891 | -40.2% |
| 2012 | 255,933 | +32.7% |
| 2013 | 274,764 | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 450,971 | +64.1% |
| 2015 | 542,955 | +20.4% |
| 2016 | 1.04 million | +90.8% |
| 2017 | 1.42 million | +37.0% |
| 2018 | 1.22 million | -13.8% |
| 2019 | 1.41 million | +15.6% |
| 2020 | 1.45 million | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 1.57 million | +8.8% |
| 2022 | 1.50 million | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 1.62 million | +8.0% |
| 2024 | 1.80 million | +11.0% |
| 2025 | 1.97 million | +9.8% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 1.97 million is above the median for low income countries, which is 762,014, 2.6× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 1.97 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 70,609, 28.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 713,099 | 192,891 | 1.42 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.65 million | 1.45 million | 1.97 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More social development data for Uganda
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.94 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12,792 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12,792 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0377 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 forcibly displaced people in Uganda?
- Forcibly displaced people in Uganda was 1.97 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest forcibly displaced people recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 1.97 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest forcibly displaced people recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 192,891 in 2011.
- How does Uganda rank for forcibly displaced people?
- Uganda ranks 19th out of 180 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forcibly displaced people rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 263.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uganda data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Forcibly displaced people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Forcibly displaced people are represented by the sum of (1) refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), (2) refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), (3) asylum-seekers, (4) other people in need of international protection, and (5) internally displaced people (IDPs). Situations in which people are reported in more than one of these categories are accounted for, to the extent possible.