Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 9.39 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
9.39 million
Change on year
up 12.3%
Rank
12th
of 44 groups
All-time high
9.39 million
in 2025
All-time low
150,000
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Least developed countries, 1960–2025

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M196019922025

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

Least developed countries recorded 9.39 million for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

The figure is up 12.3% on the previous year and up 124.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Least developed countries peaked at 9.39 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 150,000, in 1960.

Least developed countries ranks 12th of 44 groups on this measure, 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 Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Least developed countries, 1960 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1960 150,000
1961 302,000 +101.3%
1962 322,000 +6.6%
1963 353,000 +9.6%
1964 507,300 +43.7%
1965 601,960 +18.7%
1966 760,990 +26.4%
1967 881,420 +15.8%
1968 950,760 +7.9%
1969 968,490 +1.9%
1970 999,280 +3.2%
1971 975,330 -2.4%
1972 1.08 million +10.4%
1973 1.00 million -6.9%
1974 1.07 million +6.9%
1975 1.10 million +2.3%
1976 1.08 million -1.5%
1977 1.90 million +75.3%
1978 2.40 million +26.7%
1979 2.91 million +21.4%
1980 3.85 million +32.0%
1981 2.56 million -33.4%
1982 2.69 million +4.8%
1983 2.61 million -2.8%
1984 3.13 million +19.8%
1985 3.39 million +8.5%
1986 3.27 million -3.8%
1987 3.68 million +12.6%
1988 4.23 million +15.1%
1989 4.46 million +5.3%
1990 5.15 million +15.7%
1991 4.54 million -11.8%
1992 4.79 million +5.4%
1993 5.41 million +13.0%
1994 5.94 million +9.7%
1995 5.23 million -12.0%
1996 3.70 million -29.2%
1997 2.94 million -20.4%
1998 2.87 million -2.6%
1999 3.04 million +5.9%
2000 3.07 million +0.9%
2001 2.69 million -12.2%
2002 2.76 million +2.5%
2003 2.48 million -10.3%
2004 2.40 million -2.9%
2005 2.27 million -5.7%
2006 2.17 million -4.2%
2007 2.09 million -4.0%
2008 1.88 million -9.8%
2009 1.92 million +2.1%
2010 1.95 million +1.8%
2011 2.31 million +18.2%
2012 2.53 million +9.6%
2013 2.76 million +8.8%
2014 3.58 million +29.8%
2015 4.18 million +16.9%
2016 4.85 million +15.9%
2017 6.71 million +38.4%
2018 6.69 million -0.3%
2019 6.61 million -1.3%
2020 6.72 million +1.7%
2021 7.02 million +4.6%
2022 7.03 million +0.1%
2023 7.71 million +9.6%
2024 8.36 million +8.5%
2025 9.39 million +12.3%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Least developed countries 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
1961 +101.3% 150,000 302,000

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 579,792 150,000 968,490 10
1970s 1.45 million 975,330 2.91 million 10
1980s 3.39 million 2.56 million 4.46 million 10
1990s 4.36 million 2.87 million 5.94 million 10
2000s 2.37 million 1.88 million 3.07 million 10
2010s 4.22 million 1.95 million 6.71 million 10
2020s 7.71 million 6.72 million 9.39 million 6

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 9 Sudan 809,816 compare
  2. 10 France 788,419 compare
  3. 11 Iran, Islamic Republic of 770,514 compare
  4. 12 Kenya 617,125 compare
  5. 13 South Sudan 601,818 compare
  6. 14 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 581,072 compare
  7. 15 Libya 552,523 compare

See the full ranking of 226 places →

More social development data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Least developed countries?
Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Least developed countries was 9.39 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 Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 9.39 million in 2025.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was 150,000 in 1960.
How does Least developed countries rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
Least developed countries ranks 12th 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 Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is up 124.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Least developed countries 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 Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-under-the-mandate-of-the-unhcr-by-country-or-territory-of-asylum-gaps-filled/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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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.