Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 540,170 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean, 1969–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean stood at 540,170.
That represents a change of up 5.2% on the previous year and up 60.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 1.19 million in 1988 and was at its lowest, 36,091, in 2004.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 35th of 44 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
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 Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 97,500 | — |
| 1970 | 106,000 | +8.7% |
| 1971 | 103,900 | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 103,810 | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 103,250 | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 115,510 | +11.9% |
| 1975 | 81,900 | -29.1% |
| 1976 | 75,450 | -7.9% |
| 1977 | 110,000 | +45.8% |
| 1978 | 245,420 | +123.1% |
| 1979 | 114,570 | -53.3% |
| 1980 | 178,690 | +56.0% |
| 1981 | 405,760 | +127.1% |
| 1982 | 344,410 | -15.1% |
| 1983 | 352,840 | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 368,900 | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 330,760 | -10.3% |
| 1986 | 335,130 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 334,710 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 1.19 million | +256.8% |
| 1989 | 1.19 million | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 1.19 million | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 890,961 | -25.0% |
| 1992 | 881,523 | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 125,246 | -85.8% |
| 1994 | 109,013 | -13.0% |
| 1995 | 93,843 | -13.9% |
| 1996 | 88,392 | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 83,146 | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 65,508 | -21.2% |
| 1999 | 61,468 | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 37,803 | -38.5% |
| 2001 | 37,062 | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 40,818 | +10.1% |
| 2003 | 38,244 | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 36,091 | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 37,623 | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 40,433 | +7.5% |
| 2007 | 530,374 | +1211.7% |
| 2008 | 350,095 | -34.0% |
| 2009 | 367,260 | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 373,655 | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 377,581 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 380,522 | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 381,782 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 352,424 | -7.7% |
| 2015 | 337,472 | -4.2% |
| 2016 | 322,179 | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 252,093 | -21.8% |
| 2018 | 215,691 | -14.4% |
| 2019 | 257,918 | +19.6% |
| 2020 | 308,741 | +19.7% |
| 2021 | 269,213 | -12.8% |
| 2022 | 296,962 | +10.3% |
| 2023 | 507,916 | +71.0% |
| 2024 | 513,712 | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 540,170 | +5.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +1211.7% | 40,433 | 530,374 |
| 1988 | +256.8% | 334,710 | 1.19 million |
| 1981 | +127.1% | 178,690 | 405,760 |
| 1978 | +123.1% | 110,000 | 245,420 |
| 1993 | -85.8% | 881,523 | 125,246 |
| 2023 | +71.0% | 296,962 | 507,916 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 97,500 | 97,500 | 97,500 | 1 |
| 1970s | 115,981 | 75,450 | 245,420 | 10 |
| 1980s | 503,886 | 178,690 | 1.19 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 358,737 | 61,468 | 1.19 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 151,580 | 36,091 | 530,374 | 10 |
| 2010s | 325,132 | 215,691 | 381,782 | 10 |
| 2020s | 406,119 | 269,213 | 540,170 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
More social development data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 540,170 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.02 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0015 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.02 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0008 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5.15 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0253 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Latin America & Caribbean was 540,170 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 1.19 million in 1988.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 36,091 in 2004.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 35th 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 Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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.
Download this data
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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
- 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
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.