Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Somalia
Somalia: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 20,967 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Somalia, 1977–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Somalia is 20,967, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 7.5% on the previous year and up 159.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Somalia peaked at 2.00 million in 1980 and was at its lowest, 130, in 1999.
Somalia ranks 81st of 179 countries 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 500,000 | — |
| 1978 | 600,000 | +20.0% |
| 1979 | 1.18 million | +95.9% |
| 1980 | 2.00 million | +70.2% |
| 1981 | 700,000 | -65.0% |
| 1982 | 700,000 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 700,000 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 701,300 | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 812,000 | +15.8% |
| 1986 | 700,000 | -13.8% |
| 1987 | 840,100 | +20.0% |
| 1988 | 834,000 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 769,630 | -7.7% |
| 1990 | 460,000 | -40.2% |
| 1991 | 230,240 | -49.9% |
| 1992 | 480 | -99.8% |
| 1993 | 399 | -16.9% |
| 1994 | 389 | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 628 | +61.4% |
| 1996 | 700 | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 622 | -11.1% |
| 1998 | 338 | -45.7% |
| 1999 | 130 | -61.5% |
| 2000 | 555 | +326.9% |
| 2001 | 587 | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 193 | -67.1% |
| 2003 | 366 | +89.6% |
| 2004 | 362 | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 498 | +37.6% |
| 2006 | 669 | +34.3% |
| 2007 | 903 | +35.0% |
| 2008 | 1,842 | +104.0% |
| 2009 | 1,819 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 1,934 | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 2,100 | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 2,307 | +9.9% |
| 2013 | 2,426 | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 2,732 | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 8,081 | +195.8% |
| 2016 | 11,579 | +43.3% |
| 2017 | 14,565 | +25.8% |
| 2018 | 16,738 | +14.9% |
| 2019 | 17,882 | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 11,220 | -37.3% |
| 2021 | 13,804 | +23.0% |
| 2022 | 16,023 | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 17,770 | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 19,503 | +9.8% |
| 2025 | 20,967 | +7.5% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 20,967 is below the median for low income countries, which is 45,052, 47% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 20,967 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 35,241, 59% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Somalia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +326.9% | 130 | 555 |
| 2015 | +195.8% | 2,732 | 8,081 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 758,397 | 500,000 | 1.18 million | 3 |
| 1980s | 875,703 | 700,000 | 2.00 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 69,393 | 130 | 460,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 779.4 | 193 | 1,842 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8,034 | 1,934 | 17,882 | 10 |
| 2020s | 16,548 | 11,220 | 20,967 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More social development data for Somalia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,967 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 892,037 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0454 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 892,037 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 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 Somalia?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Somalia was 20,967 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.00 million in 1980.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 130 in 1999.
- How does Somalia rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Somalia ranks 81st out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 159.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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.