Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Zambia
Zambia: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 4.98 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Zambia, 1966–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 4.98 % change on previous year for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
That represents a change of down 47.4% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Zambia peaked at 119.7 % change on previous year in 1982 and was at its lowest, -43.79 % change on previous year, in 2012.
That places Zambia 56th out of 170 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.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 25.8 % change on previous year | — |
| 1967 | 70.27 % change on previous year | +172.4% |
| 1968 | 23.16 % change on previous year | -67.0% |
| 1969 | -4.17 % change on previous year | -118.0% |
| 1970 | 26.58 % change on previous year | -737.5% |
| 1971 | 6.25 % change on previous year | -76.5% |
| 1972 | 47.06 % change on previous year | +652.9% |
| 1973 | 49.24 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 1974 | 8.36 % change on previous year | -83.0% |
| 1975 | -10.83 % change on previous year | -229.6% |
| 1976 | -5.49 % change on previous year | -49.3% |
| 1977 | 90.49 % change on previous year | -1747.6% |
| 1978 | 21.94 % change on previous year | -75.8% |
| 1979 | -26.98 % change on previous year | -223.0% |
| 1980 | -37 % change on previous year | +37.1% |
| 1981 | 11.4 % change on previous year | -130.8% |
| 1982 | 119.7 % change on previous year | +950.2% |
| 1983 | 15.59 % change on previous year | -87.0% |
| 1984 | -6.33 % change on previous year | -140.6% |
| 1985 | 7.57 % change on previous year | -219.5% |
| 1986 | 33.23 % change on previous year | +339.2% |
| 1987 | 4.22 % change on previous year | -87.3% |
| 1988 | -0.3692 % change on previous year | -108.8% |
| 1989 | -4.45 % change on previous year | +1105.2% |
| 1990 | 0.6335 % change on previous year | -114.2% |
| 1991 | 1.9 % change on previous year | +200.4% |
| 1992 | 1.02 % change on previous year | -46.7% |
| 1993 | -0.6882 % change on previous year | -167.8% |
| 1994 | 0 % change on previous year | -100.0% |
| 1995 | -7.91 % change on previous year | — |
| 1996 | 0.9033 % change on previous year | -111.4% |
| 1997 | 25.88 % change on previous year | +2764.5% |
| 1998 | 2.12 % change on previous year | -91.8% |
| 1999 | 22.44 % change on previous year | +960.7% |
| 2000 | 21.59 % change on previous year | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 13.24 % change on previous year | -38.7% |
| 2002 | -13.16 % change on previous year | -199.4% |
| 2003 | -8.13 % change on previous year | -38.2% |
| 2004 | -23.29 % change on previous year | +186.3% |
| 2005 | -10.46 % change on previous year | -55.1% |
| 2006 | -22.78 % change on previous year | +117.8% |
| 2007 | -6.09 % change on previous year | -73.3% |
| 2008 | -26.08 % change on previous year | +328.2% |
| 2009 | -31.98 % change on previous year | +22.6% |
| 2010 | -15.73 % change on previous year | -50.8% |
| 2011 | -4.65 % change on previous year | -70.4% |
| 2012 | -43.79 % change on previous year | +841.4% |
| 2013 | -8.04 % change on previous year | -81.6% |
| 2014 | 8.4 % change on previous year | -204.5% |
| 2015 | 3.4 % change on previous year | -59.6% |
| 2016 | 10.99 % change on previous year | +223.6% |
| 2017 | 40.66 % change on previous year | +270.1% |
| 2018 | 20.87 % change on previous year | -48.7% |
| 2019 | 15.32 % change on previous year | -26.6% |
| 2020 | 14.87 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 13.75 % change on previous year | -7.5% |
| 2022 | -18.62 % change on previous year | -235.4% |
| 2023 | 18.4 % change on previous year | -198.8% |
| 2024 | 9.48 % change on previous year | -48.5% |
| 2025 | 4.98 % change on previous year | -47.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 4.98 % change on previous year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.1859 % change on previous year, 26.8× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 4.98 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.17 % change on previous year, 1.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +2764.5% | 0.9033 % change on previous year | 25.88 % change on previous year |
| 1977 | +1747.6% | -5.49 % change on previous year | 90.49 % change on previous year |
| 1989 | -1105.2% | -0.3692 % change on previous year | -4.45 % change on previous year |
| 1999 | +960.7% | 2.12 % change on previous year | 22.44 % change on previous year |
| 1982 | +950.2% | 11.4 % change on previous year | 119.7 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 28.76 % change on previous year | -4.17 % change on previous year | 70.27 % change on previous year | 4 |
| 1970s | 20.66 % change on previous year | -26.98 % change on previous year | 90.49 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 14.36 % change on previous year | -37 % change on previous year | 119.7 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.63 % change on previous year | -7.91 % change on previous year | 25.88 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | -10.71 % change on previous year | -31.98 % change on previous year | 21.59 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.74 % change on previous year | -43.79 % change on previous year | 40.66 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.14 % change on previous year | -18.62 % change on previous year | 18.4 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 53 Cayman Islands 6 % change on previous year compare
- 54 Cyprus 5.37 % change on previous year compare
- 55 United States of America 5.13 % change on previous year compare
- 57 Yemen 4.87 % change on previous year compare
- 58 Madagascar 4.82 % change on previous year compare
- 59 Benin 4.57 % change on previous year compare
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 346 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0038 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 refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Zambia?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Zambia was 4.98 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 119.7 % change on previous year in 1982.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -43.79 % change on previous year in 2012.
- How does Zambia rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Zambia ranks 56th out of 170 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.