Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Libya
Libya: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 552,523 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Libya, 1993–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Libya stood at 552,523. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of up 175.8% on the previous year and up 5,837.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Libya peaked at 552,523 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1,183, in 1993.
That places Libya 15th out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Libya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1,183 | — |
| 1994 | 2,001 | +69.1% |
| 1995 | 3,973 | +98.6% |
| 1996 | 7,747 | +95.0% |
| 1997 | 8,477 | +9.4% |
| 1998 | 10,555 | +24.5% |
| 1999 | 10,531 | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 11,541 | +9.6% |
| 2001 | 11,662 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 11,666 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 11,899 | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 12,164 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 12,164 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2,760 | -77.3% |
| 2007 | 4,090 | +48.2% |
| 2008 | 6,713 | +64.1% |
| 2009 | 9,000 | +34.1% |
| 2010 | 7,922 | -12.0% |
| 2011 | 10,129 | +27.9% |
| 2012 | 7,065 | -30.2% |
| 2013 | 25,561 | +261.8% |
| 2014 | 27,964 | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 9,305 | -66.7% |
| 2016 | 9,311 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 9,352 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 8,792 | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 4,730 | -46.2% |
| 2020 | 4,149 | -12.3% |
| 2021 | 3,141 | -24.3% |
| 2022 | 2,208 | -29.7% |
| 2023 | 1,837 | -16.8% |
| 2024 | 200,335 | +10805.6% |
| 2025 | 552,523 | +175.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6,352 | 1,183 | 10,555 | 7 |
| 2000s | 9,366 | 2,760 | 12,164 | 10 |
| 2010s | 12,013 | 4,730 | 27,964 | 10 |
| 2020s | 127,366 | 1,837 | 552,523 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Libya
- 12 Kenya 617,125 compare
- 13 South Sudan 601,818 compare
- 14 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 581,072 compare
- 16 Lebanon 535,168 compare
- 17 Spain 511,079 compare
- 18 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 503,732 compare
More social development data for Libya
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 17,161 (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 0.0023 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 17,161 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0741 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 175.8 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Libya?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Libya was 552,523 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 Libya?
- The highest recorded value was 552,523 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Libya?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,183 in 1993.
- How does Libya rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Libya ranks 15th 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 Libya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5,837.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Libya 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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About this data
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.