Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend

Early-demographic dividend: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 8.69 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
8.69 million
Change on year
down 28.0%
Rank
14th
of 47 groups
All-time high
12.84 million
in 2023
All-time low
2,200
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend, 1960–2025

05.0M10.0M15.0M196019922025

Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Analysis

Early-demographic dividend recorded 8.69 million for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 28.0% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend peaked at 12.84 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,200, in 1960.

That places Early-demographic dividend 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 Early-demographic dividend, year by year

Annual values for Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum in Early-demographic dividend, 1960 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1960 2,200
1961 2,300 +4.5%
1962 4,300 +87.0%
1963 3,800 -11.6%
1964 63,770 +1578.2%
1965 77,000 +20.7%
1966 74,150 -3.7%
1967 79,030 +6.6%
1968 110,990 +40.4%
1969 191,740 +72.8%
1970 173,795 -9.4%
1971 158,260 -8.9%
1972 155,960 -1.5%
1973 144,380 -7.4%
1974 161,510 +11.9%
1975 162,940 +0.9%
1976 177,630 +9.0%
1977 248,995 +40.2%
1978 440,880 +77.1%
1979 920,290 +108.7%
1980 2.22 million +141.5%
1981 4.67 million +110.1%
1982 5.35 million +14.5%
1983 5.67 million +5.9%
1984 5.54 million -2.2%
1985 6.06 million +9.3%
1986 6.56 million +8.3%
1987 7.00 million +6.7%
1988 8.24 million +17.7%
1989 8.36 million +1.4%
1990 9.92 million +18.7%
1991 9.76 million -1.7%
1992 8.29 million -15.0%
1993 6.17 million -25.6%
1994 4.86 million -21.2%
1995 4.72 million -3.0%
1996 4.52 million -4.1%
1997 4.32 million -4.5%
1998 4.16 million -3.7%
1999 4.22 million +1.6%
2000 5.01 million +18.7%
2001 5.38 million +7.3%
2002 3.87 million -28.1%
2003 3.41 million -12.0%
2004 3.63 million +6.5%
2005 3.25 million -10.3%
2006 4.35 million +33.6%
2007 6.63 million +52.5%
2008 5.88 million -11.3%
2009 5.86 million -0.2%
2010 6.04 million +3.0%
2011 5.57 million -7.8%
2012 5.44 million -2.4%
2013 5.97 million +9.9%
2014 7.24 million +21.2%
2015 8.24 million +13.8%
2016 8.43 million +2.3%
2017 9.80 million +16.2%
2018 9.96 million +1.6%
2019 9.65 million -3.1%
2020 9.56 million -0.9%
2021 9.70 million +1.5%
2022 12.50 million +28.8%
2023 12.84 million +2.7%
2024 12.08 million -5.9%
2025 8.69 million -28.0%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend 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
1964 +1578.2% 3,800 63,770
1980 +141.5% 920,290 2.22 million
1981 +110.1% 2.22 million 4.67 million
1979 +108.7% 440,880 920,290

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 60,928 2,200 191,740 10
1970s 274,464 144,380 920,290 10
1980s 5.97 million 2.22 million 8.36 million 10
1990s 6.09 million 4.16 million 9.92 million 10
2000s 4.73 million 3.25 million 6.63 million 10
2010s 7.63 million 5.44 million 9.96 million 10
2020s 10.90 million 8.69 million 12.84 million 6

Countries ranked near Early-demographic dividend

  1. 11 Iran, Islamic Republic of 770,514 compare
  2. 12 Kenya 617,125 compare
  3. 13 South Sudan 601,818 compare
  4. 14 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 581,072 compare
  5. 15 Libya 552,523 compare
  6. 16 Lebanon 535,168 compare
  7. 17 Spain 511,079 compare

See the full ranking of 226 places →

More social development data for Early-demographic dividend

All data for Early-demographic dividend →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend?
Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Early-demographic dividend was 8.69 million in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The highest recorded value was 12.84 million in 2023.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Early-demographic dividend?
The lowest recorded value was 2,200 in 1960.
How does Early-demographic dividend rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
Early-demographic dividend ranks 14th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Early-demographic dividend?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Early-demographic dividend data come from?
The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum. 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 Early-demographic dividend. Statizoid, drawing on Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/refugees-under-the-mandate-of-the-unhcr-by-country-or-territory-of-asylum/early-demographic-dividend/

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About this data

Indicator
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum
Source
Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
226 places, 10,431 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.