Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Cameroon
Cameroon: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 140,366 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Cameroon, 1989–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 140,366 for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
That represents a change of up 27.7% on the previous year and up 1,228.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Cameroon peaked at 147,352 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 60, in 1989.
Cameroon ranks 24th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Cameroon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 60 | — |
| 1990 | 100 | +66.7% |
| 1991 | 92 | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 84 | -8.7% |
| 1993 | 170 | +102.4% |
| 1994 | 236 | +38.8% |
| 1995 | 2,018 | +755.1% |
| 1996 | 2,111 | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 2,250 | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 1,349 | -40.0% |
| 1999 | 1,651 | +22.4% |
| 2000 | 2,067 | +25.2% |
| 2001 | 2,729 | +32.0% |
| 2002 | 5,228 | +91.6% |
| 2003 | 6,215 | +18.9% |
| 2004 | 7,631 | +22.8% |
| 2005 | 9,096 | +19.2% |
| 2006 | 10,373 | +14.0% |
| 2007 | 11,499 | +10.9% |
| 2008 | 13,852 | +20.5% |
| 2009 | 14,752 | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 14,952 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 15,149 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 13,360 | -11.8% |
| 2013 | 11,410 | -14.6% |
| 2014 | 10,739 | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 10,565 | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 10,344 | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 11,032 | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 45,118 | +309.0% |
| 2019 | 66,241 | +46.8% |
| 2020 | 78,481 | +18.5% |
| 2021 | 125,477 | +59.9% |
| 2022 | 147,352 | +17.4% |
| 2023 | 110,715 | -24.9% |
| 2024 | 109,879 | -0.8% |
| 2025 | 140,366 | +27.7% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 140,366 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 14.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 140,366 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12,726, 11.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Cameroon 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +755.1% | 236 | 2,018 |
| 2018 | +309.0% | 11,032 | 45,118 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 60 | 60 | 60 | 1 |
| 1990s | 1,006 | 84 | 2,250 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,344 | 2,067 | 14,752 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,891 | 10,344 | 66,241 | 10 |
| 2020s | 118,712 | 78,481 | 147,352 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More social development data for Cameroon
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 408,613 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 140,366 (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 0.0047 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0137 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 -4.46 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Cameroon?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Cameroon was 140,366 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 147,352 in 2022.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 60 in 1989.
- How does Cameroon rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Cameroon ranks 24th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,228.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.