Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in North America
North America: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 873,675 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in North America, 1960–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in North America is 873,675, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 24.0% on the previous year and up 113.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in North America peaked at 995,266 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 370,285, in 2016.
That places North America 37th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 548,629 | — |
| 1961 | 544,492 | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 512,282 | -5.9% |
| 1963 | 510,946 | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 510,178 | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 519,980 | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 510,225 | -1.9% |
| 1967 | 489,991 | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 515,950 | +5.3% |
| 1969 | 519,275 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 518,518 | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 547,196 | +5.5% |
| 1972 | 550,933 | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 543,358 | -1.4% |
| 1974 | 541,410 | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 546,349 | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 527,387 | -3.5% |
| 1977 | 714,237 | +35.4% |
| 1978 | 765,295 | +7.1% |
| 1979 | 791,913 | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 496,363 | -37.3% |
| 1981 | 633,790 | +27.7% |
| 1982 | 727,848 | +14.8% |
| 1983 | 776,479 | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 739,875 | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 585,000 | -20.9% |
| 1986 | 497,376 | -15.0% |
| 1987 | 470,569 | -5.4% |
| 1988 | 494,203 | +5.0% |
| 1989 | 547,248 | +10.7% |
| 1990 | 619,648 | +13.2% |
| 1991 | 684,801 | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 763,661 | +11.5% |
| 1993 | 806,297 | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 817,601 | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 775,389 | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 745,432 | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 688,989 | -7.6% |
| 1998 | 653,306 | -5.2% |
| 1999 | 644,437 | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 635,200 | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 645,078 | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 615,108 | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 585,624 | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 562,190 | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 526,494 | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 995,266 | +89.0% |
| 2007 | 456,882 | -54.1% |
| 2008 | 453,110 | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 444,817 | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 430,049 | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 429,631 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 425,757 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 424,000 | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 416,378 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 409,088 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 370,285 | -9.5% |
| 2017 | 391,903 | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 427,343 | +9.0% |
| 2019 | 443,472 | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 450,060 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 469,304 | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 503,680 | +7.3% |
| 2023 | 578,650 | +14.9% |
| 2024 | 704,829 | +21.8% |
| 2025 | 873,675 | +24.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in North America 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +89.0% | 526,494 | 995,266 |
| 2007 | -54.1% | 995,266 | 456,882 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 518,195 | 489,991 | 548,629 | 10 |
| 1970s | 604,660 | 518,518 | 791,913 | 10 |
| 1980s | 596,875 | 470,569 | 776,479 | 10 |
| 1990s | 719,956 | 619,648 | 817,601 | 10 |
| 2000s | 591,977 | 444,817 | 995,266 | 10 |
| 2010s | 416,791 | 370,285 | 443,472 | 10 |
| 2020s | 596,700 | 450,060 | 873,675 | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More social development data for North America
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,033 (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 4,033 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 23.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 873,675 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -6.6 % change on previous year (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 0.0323 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in North America?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in North America was 873,675 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 North America?
- The highest recorded value was 995,266 in 2006.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 370,285 in 2016.
- How does North America rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- North America ranks 37th 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 North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 113.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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.