Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in South Africa
South Africa: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 0.0009 units per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in South Africa, 1993–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa stood at 0.0009 units per person.
The figure is down 23.4% on the previous year and down 60.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa peaked at 0.0058 units per person in 1993 and was at its lowest, 0.0001 units per person, in 1997.
South Africa ranks 91st 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 0.0058 units per person | — |
| 1994 | 0.0021 units per person | -63.8% |
| 1995 | 0.0023 units per person | +9.0% |
| 1996 | 0.0005 units per person | -78.0% |
| 1997 | 0.0001 units per person | -70.3% |
| 1998 | 0.0002 units per person | +21.6% |
| 1999 | 0.0003 units per person | +71.5% |
| 2000 | 0.0003 units per person | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 0.0004 units per person | +22.4% |
| 2002 | 0.0005 units per person | +24.3% |
| 2003 | 0.0005 units per person | +12.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0006 units per person | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 0.0006 units per person | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 0.0007 units per person | +16.9% |
| 2007 | 0.0007 units per person | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 0.0009 units per person | +17.2% |
| 2009 | 0.0009 units per person | +8.9% |
| 2010 | 0.0011 units per person | +19.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0011 units per person | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 0.0012 units per person | +11.0% |
| 2013 | 0.0012 units per person | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 0.002 units per person | +67.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0021 units per person | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0016 units per person | -25.9% |
| 2017 | 0.0015 units per person | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 0.0015 units per person | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 0.0013 units per person | -13.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0013 units per person | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0012 units per person | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 0.0011 units per person | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0011 units per person | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 0.0011 units per person | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 0.0009 units per person | -23.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0009 units per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0003 units per person, 3.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0009 units per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0015 units per person, 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 South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | -78.0% | 0.0023 units per person | 0.0005 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0016 units per person | 0.0001 units per person | 0.0058 units per person | 7 |
| 2000s | 0.0006 units per person | 0.0003 units per person | 0.0009 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0015 units per person | 0.0011 units per person | 0.0021 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0011 units per person | 0.0009 units per person | 0.0013 units per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 1,319 (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 -22.47 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa was 0.0009 units per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0058 units per person in 1993.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0001 units per person in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- South Africa ranks 91st 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 South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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, per capita. 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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.