Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in South Africa
South Africa: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 1,319 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in South Africa, 1966–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1,319 for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.4% on the previous year and up 195.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa peaked at 38,560 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 131, in 2001.
That places South Africa 100th 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 390 | — |
| 1967 | 450 | +15.4% |
| 1968 | 740 | +64.4% |
| 1969 | 290 | -60.8% |
| 1970 | 460 | +58.6% |
| 1971 | 850 | +84.8% |
| 1972 | 790 | -7.1% |
| 1973 | 940 | +19.0% |
| 1974 | 1,380 | +46.8% |
| 1975 | 1,360 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 2,180 | +60.3% |
| 1977 | 2,395 | +9.9% |
| 1978 | 3,840 | +60.3% |
| 1979 | 7,280 | +89.6% |
| 1980 | 24,250 | +233.1% |
| 1981 | 24,900 | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 28,430 | +14.2% |
| 1983 | 34,520 | +21.4% |
| 1984 | 38,560 | +11.7% |
| 1985 | 38,110 | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 33,220 | -12.8% |
| 1987 | 26,150 | -21.3% |
| 1988 | 24,906 | -4.8% |
| 1989 | 17,135 | -31.2% |
| 1990 | 14,781 | -13.7% |
| 1991 | 11,205 | -24.2% |
| 1992 | 9,241 | -17.5% |
| 1993 | 9,087 | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 1,514 | -83.3% |
| 1995 | 492 | -67.5% |
| 1996 | 286 | -41.9% |
| 1997 | 241 | -15.7% |
| 1998 | 184 | -23.7% |
| 1999 | 190 | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 168 | -11.6% |
| 2001 | 131 | -22.0% |
| 2002 | 271 | +106.9% |
| 2003 | 284 | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 261 | -8.1% |
| 2005 | 259 | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 501 | +93.4% |
| 2007 | 474 | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 449 | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 380 | -15.4% |
| 2010 | 374 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 422 | +12.8% |
| 2012 | 413 | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 424 | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 422 | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 447 | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 452 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 461 | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 482 | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 441 | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 474 | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 643 | +35.7% |
| 2022 | 784 | +21.9% |
| 2023 | 919 | +17.2% |
| 2024 | 1,174 | +27.7% |
| 2025 | 1,319 | +12.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1,319 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,642, 50% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1,319 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12,726, 10% 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 South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +233.1% | 7,280 | 24,250 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 467.5 | 290 | 740 | 4 |
| 1970s | 2,148 | 460 | 7,280 | 10 |
| 1980s | 29,018 | 17,135 | 38,560 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,722 | 184 | 14,781 | 10 |
| 2000s | 317.8 | 131 | 501 | 10 |
| 2010s | 433.8 | 374 | 482 | 10 |
| 2020s | 885.5 | 474 | 1,319 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (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 0.0009 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 -22.47 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in South Africa was 1,319 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 38,560 in 1984.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 131 in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- South Africa ranks 100th 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 South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 195.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.