Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United States of America
United States of America: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 457,647 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United States of 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 United States of America is 457,647, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 5.1% on the previous year and up 67.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United States of America peaked at 843,434 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 262,006, in 2012.
United States of America ranks 19th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top 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 United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 500,000 | — |
| 1961 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 510,000 | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 500,000 | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 480,000 | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 498,000 | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 500,000 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 530,000 | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 500,000 | -5.7% |
| 1977 | 684,700 | +36.9% |
| 1978 | 734,000 | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 734,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 403,684 | -45.0% |
| 1981 | 537,375 | +33.1% |
| 1982 | 620,257 | +15.4% |
| 1983 | 655,532 | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 626,909 | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 492,806 | -21.4% |
| 1986 | 398,633 | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 365,726 | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 377,769 | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 411,496 | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 464,887 | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 513,885 | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 579,938 | +12.9% |
| 1993 | 623,056 | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 631,046 | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 623,279 | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 607,005 | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 563,813 | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 533,951 | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 521,134 | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 508,209 | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 515,851 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 485,173 | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 452,536 | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 420,788 | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 379,330 | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 843,434 | +122.3% |
| 2007 | 281,154 | -66.7% |
| 2008 | 279,468 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 275,393 | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 264,505 | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 264,752 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 262,006 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 263,653 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 267,214 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 273,198 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 272,963 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 287,135 | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 313,242 | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 341,715 | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 340,846 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 339,179 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 363,059 | +7.0% |
| 2023 | 409,202 | +12.7% |
| 2024 | 435,333 | +6.4% |
| 2025 | 457,647 | +5.1% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 457,647 is above the median for high income countries, which is 12,513, 36.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in United States of 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 | +122.3% | 379,330 | 843,434 |
| 2007 | -66.7% | 843,434 | 281,154 |
| 1980 | -45.0% | 734,000 | 403,684 |
| 1977 | +36.9% | 500,000 | 684,700 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 498,800 | 480,000 | 510,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 580,270 | 500,000 | 734,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 489,019 | 365,726 | 655,532 | 10 |
| 1990s | 566,199 | 464,887 | 631,046 | 10 |
| 2000s | 444,134 | 275,393 | 843,434 | 10 |
| 2010s | 281,038 | 262,006 | 341,715 | 10 |
| 2020s | 390,878 | 339,179 | 457,647 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More social development data for United States of America
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (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 3,667 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 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 5.13 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United States of America?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in United States of America was 457,647 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 843,434 in 2006.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 262,006 in 2012.
- How does United States of America rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- United States of America ranks 19th 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 United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of 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.