Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in China
China: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 153,962 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in China, 1964–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
China recorded 153,962 for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 27.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in China peaked at 1.33 million in 1965 and was at its lowest, 24, in 1980.
That places China 21st out of 199 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 1.20 million | — |
| 1965 | 1.33 million | +10.8% |
| 1966 | 1.33 million | -0.2% |
| 1967 | 74,000 | -94.4% |
| 1968 | 70,000 | -5.4% |
| 1969 | 65,000 | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 66,000 | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 70,000 | +6.1% |
| 1972 | 75,000 | +7.1% |
| 1980 | 24 | -100.0% |
| 1981 | 24 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 104 | +333.3% |
| 1983 | 24 | -76.9% |
| 1984 | 24 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 124 | +416.7% |
| 1986 | 154 | +24.2% |
| 1987 | 24 | -84.4% |
| 1988 | 265 | +1004.2% |
| 1989 | 413 | +55.8% |
| 1990 | 1,426 | +245.3% |
| 1991 | 2,011 | +41.0% |
| 1992 | 82,576 | +4006.2% |
| 1993 | 111,507 | +35.0% |
| 1994 | 113,908 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 104,691 | -8.1% |
| 1996 | 105,806 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 106,731 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 109,396 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 111,950 | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 110,967 | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 117,403 | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 132,099 | +12.5% |
| 2003 | 132,390 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 134,708 | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 124,086 | -7.9% |
| 2006 | 140,584 | +13.3% |
| 2007 | 149,087 | +6.0% |
| 2008 | 175,169 | +17.5% |
| 2009 | 180,546 | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 184,601 | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 190,369 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 193,449 | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 195,121 | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 210,793 | +8.0% |
| 2015 | 212,911 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 207,768 | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 207,716 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 212,039 | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 212,863 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 175,361 | -17.6% |
| 2021 | 170,222 | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 161,366 | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 160,565 | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 153,564 | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 153,962 | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 153,962 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,642, 58.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 153,962 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 95, 1620.7× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +4006.2% | 2,011 | 82,576 |
| 1988 | +1004.2% | 24 | 265 |
| 1985 | +416.7% | 24 | 124 |
| 1982 | +333.3% | 24 | 104 |
| 1990 | +245.3% | 413 | 1,426 |
| 1980 | -100.0% | 75,000 | 24 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 677,635 | 65,000 | 1.33 million | 6 |
| 1970s | 70,333 | 66,000 | 75,000 | 3 |
| 1980s | 118 | 24 | 413 | 10 |
| 1990s | 85,000 | 1,426 | 113,908 | 10 |
| 2000s | 139,704 | 110,967 | 180,546 | 10 |
| 2010s | 202,763 | 184,601 | 212,911 | 10 |
| 2020s | 162,507 | 153,564 | 175,361 | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More social development data for China
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 230 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 153,962 (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 0.0001 units per person (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -11.88 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in China?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in China was 153,962 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.33 million in 1965.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 24 in 1980.
- How does China rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- China ranks 21st 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 China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 — 55 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.