Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Namibia
Namibia: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 685 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Namibia, 1966–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Namibia is 685, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 6.0% on the previous year and down 46.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Namibia peaked at 77,550 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 12, in 1995.
That places Namibia 109th out of 199 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 Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 180 | — |
| 1967 | 230 | +27.8% |
| 1968 | 1,330 | +478.3% |
| 1969 | 840 | -36.8% |
| 1970 | 900 | +7.1% |
| 1971 | 900 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1,000 | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 3,410 | +241.0% |
| 1974 | 3,420 | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 3,970 | +16.1% |
| 1976 | 9,020 | +127.2% |
| 1977 | 12,930 | +43.3% |
| 1978 | 35,760 | +176.6% |
| 1979 | 40,580 | +13.5% |
| 1980 | 55,620 | +37.1% |
| 1981 | 74,520 | +34.0% |
| 1982 | 75,170 | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 75,110 | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 77,550 | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 76,916 | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 76,966 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 75,726 | -1.6% |
| 1988 | 76,591 | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 3,704 | -95.2% |
| 1990 | 532 | -85.6% |
| 1991 | 204 | -61.7% |
| 1992 | 17 | -91.7% |
| 1993 | 133 | +682.4% |
| 1994 | 65 | -51.1% |
| 1995 | 12 | -81.5% |
| 1996 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 956.5 | +7257.7% |
| 1998 | 1,900 | +98.6% |
| 1999 | 702 | -63.1% |
| 2000 | 2,307 | +228.6% |
| 2001 | 2,295 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 1,298 | -43.4% |
| 2003 | 1,289 | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 1,307 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 1,221 | -6.6% |
| 2006 | 1,196 | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 1,123 | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 976 | -13.1% |
| 2009 | 918 | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 1,013 | +10.3% |
| 2011 | 1,067 | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 1,097 | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 1,138 | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 1,250 | +9.8% |
| 2015 | 1,272 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 1,363 | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 1,368 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 1,331 | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 459 | -65.5% |
| 2020 | 457 | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 441 | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 317 | -28.1% |
| 2023 | 447 | +41.0% |
| 2024 | 646 | +44.5% |
| 2025 | 685 | +6.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 685 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 7% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 685 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12,726, 5% of 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 Namibia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +7257.7% | 13 | 956.5 |
| 1993 | +682.4% | 17 | 133 |
| 1968 | +478.3% | 230 | 1,330 |
| 1973 | +241.0% | 1,000 | 3,410 |
| 2000 | +228.6% | 702 | 2,307 |
| 1978 | +176.6% | 12,930 | 35,760 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 645 | 180 | 1,330 | 4 |
| 1970s | 11,189 | 900 | 40,580 | 10 |
| 1980s | 66,787 | 3,704 | 77,550 | 10 |
| 1990s | 453.45 | 12 | 1,900 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,393 | 918 | 2,307 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,136 | 459 | 1,368 | 10 |
| 2020s | 498.83 | 317 | 685 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 106 Czechia 794 compare
- 107 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 710 compare
- 108 Montenegro 696 compare
- 110 Papua New Guinea 644 compare
- 111 Madagascar 637 compare
- 112 Slovakia 625 compare
More social development data for Namibia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5,470 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 685 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 3 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0018 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 4.03 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Namibia?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Namibia was 685 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 77,550 in 1984.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12 in 1995.
- How does Namibia rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Namibia ranks 109th 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 Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia 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 — 60 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.