Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia

Europe & Central Asia: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 11.50 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
11.50 million
Change on year
down 5.1%
Rank
5th
of 44 groups
All-time high
13.14 million
in 2023
All-time low
503,289
in 1978
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia, 1960–2025

05.0M10.0M15.0M196019922025

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia is 11.50 million, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 5.1% on the previous year and up 162.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia peaked at 13.14 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 503,289, in 1978.

Europe & Central Asia ranks 5th of 44 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

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 Europe & Central Asia, year by year

Annual values for Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Europe & Central Asia, 1960 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1960 802,335
1961 791,475 -1.4%
1962 783,140 -1.1%
1963 686,957 -12.3%
1964 687,661 +0.1%
1965 723,045 +5.1%
1966 674,268 -6.7%
1967 631,530 -6.3%
1968 625,446 -1.0%
1969 631,292 +0.9%
1970 631,567 +0.0%
1971 618,674 -2.0%
1972 582,427 -5.9%
1973 560,907 -3.7%
1974 550,123 -1.9%
1975 547,655 -0.4%
1976 555,654 +1.5%
1977 531,737 -4.3%
1978 503,289 -5.4%
1979 532,789 +5.9%
1980 547,734 +2.8%
1981 565,087 +3.2%
1982 589,005 +4.2%
1983 649,715 +10.3%
1984 706,315 +8.7%
1985 1.06 million +50.3%
1986 1.15 million +8.3%
1987 1.21 million +5.2%
1988 1.18 million -2.7%
1989 1.26 million +6.8%
1990 1.44 million +14.6%
1991 1.49 million +3.4%
1992 3.51 million +135.7%
1993 3.65 million +4.1%
1994 3.53 million -3.4%
1995 3.61 million +2.3%
1996 3.78 million +4.7%
1997 3.45 million -8.8%
1998 3.16 million -8.2%
1999 3.17 million +0.4%
2000 2.77 million -12.9%
2001 2.69 million -2.9%
2002 2.68 million -0.2%
2003 2.54 million -5.4%
2004 2.40 million -5.2%
2005 2.04 million -15.2%
2006 1.74 million -14.8%
2007 1.59 million -8.6%
2008 1.64 million +2.9%
2009 1.65 million +0.8%
2010 1.61 million -2.3%
2011 1.56 million -3.1%
2012 1.80 million +15.2%
2013 1.78 million -1.2%
2014 3.11 million +75.1%
2015 4.38 million +40.9%
2016 5.20 million +18.6%
2017 6.11 million +17.6%
2018 6.47 million +5.9%
2019 6.57 million +1.5%
2020 6.79 million +3.4%
2021 7.02 million +3.4%
2022 12.43 million +77.1%
2023 13.14 million +5.8%
2024 12.12 million -7.8%
2025 11.50 million -5.1%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia 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.

YearChange FromTo
1992 +135.7% 1.49 million 3.51 million
2022 +77.1% 7.02 million 12.43 million
2014 +75.1% 1.78 million 3.11 million
1985 +50.3% 706,315 1.06 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 703,715 625,446 802,335 10
1970s 561,482 503,289 631,567 10
1980s 891,200 547,734 1.26 million 10
1990s 3.08 million 1.44 million 3.78 million 10
2000s 2.17 million 1.59 million 2.77 million 10
2010s 3.86 million 1.56 million 6.57 million 10
2020s 10.50 million 6.79 million 13.14 million 6

Countries ranked near Europe & Central Asia

  1. 2 Turkey 2.39 million compare
  2. 3 Uganda 1.94 million compare
  3. 4 Chad 1.50 million compare
  4. 5 Bangladesh 1.18 million compare
  5. 6 Pakistan 1.16 million compare
  6. 7 Ethiopia 1.01 million compare
  7. 8 Poland 990,469 compare

See the full ranking of 226 places →

More social development data for Europe & Central Asia

All data for Europe & Central Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia?
Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia was 11.50 million in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
The highest recorded value was 13.14 million in 2023.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Europe & Central Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 503,289 in 1978.
How does Europe & Central Asia rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
Europe & Central Asia ranks 5th out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Europe & Central Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 162.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Europe & Central Asia 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, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Europe & Central Asia. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-under-the-mandate-of-the-unhcr-by-country-or-territory-of-asylum-gaps-filled/europe-and-central-asia/

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How this figure is calculated

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

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

Indicator
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
226 places, 10,579 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.