Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Rwanda
Rwanda: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 115,794 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Rwanda, 1965–2025
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 Rwanda is 115,794, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Rwanda peaked at 277,000 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 250, in 1966.
That places Rwanda 49th out of 179 countries 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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 3,000 | — |
| 1966 | 250 | -91.7% |
| 1972 | 4,000 | +1500.0% |
| 1973 | 6,500 | +62.5% |
| 1974 | 6,000 | -7.7% |
| 1975 | 7,400 | +23.3% |
| 1976 | 7,500 | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 7,500 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 7,600 | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 7,900 | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 10,450 | +32.3% |
| 1981 | 18,150 | +73.7% |
| 1982 | 62,000 | +241.6% |
| 1983 | 49,500 | -20.2% |
| 1984 | 48,940 | -1.1% |
| 1985 | 20,110 | -58.9% |
| 1986 | 19,400 | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 19,470 | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 22,202 | +14.0% |
| 1989 | 23,290 | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 23,601 | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 34,004 | +44.1% |
| 1992 | 25,162 | -26.0% |
| 1993 | 277,000 | +1000.9% |
| 1994 | 6,000 | -97.8% |
| 1995 | 7,792 | +29.9% |
| 1996 | 25,257 | +224.1% |
| 1997 | 34,227 | +35.5% |
| 1998 | 33,398 | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 34,363 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 28,398 | -17.4% |
| 2001 | 34,793 | +22.5% |
| 2002 | 30,861 | -11.3% |
| 2003 | 36,608 | +18.6% |
| 2004 | 50,221 | +37.2% |
| 2005 | 45,202 | -10.0% |
| 2006 | 49,191 | +8.8% |
| 2007 | 53,574 | +8.9% |
| 2008 | 55,067 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 54,016 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 55,398 | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 55,325 | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 58,217 | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 73,352 | +26.0% |
| 2014 | 73,822 | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 144,739 | +96.1% |
| 2016 | 156,065 | +7.8% |
| 2017 | 170,991 | +9.6% |
| 2018 | 145,359 | -15.0% |
| 2019 | 145,054 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 139,491 | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 121,896 | -12.6% |
| 2022 | 120,753 | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 115,643 | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 114,368 | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 115,794 | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1,625 | 250 | 3,000 | 2 |
| 1970s | 6,800 | 4,000 | 7,900 | 8 |
| 1980s | 29,351 | 10,450 | 62,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 50,080 | 6,000 | 277,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 43,793 | 28,398 | 55,067 | 10 |
| 2010s | 107,832 | 55,325 | 170,991 | 10 |
| 2020s | 121,324 | 114,368 | 139,491 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More social development data for Rwanda
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0168 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 244,415 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0079 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 1.25 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Rwanda?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Rwanda was 115,794 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 277,000 in 1993.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 250 in 1966.
- How does Rwanda rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Rwanda ranks 49th 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 Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.