Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 11.08 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa is 11.08 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 14.2% on the previous year and up 111.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 11.08 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 150,000, in 1960.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th of 44 groups 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 150,000 | — |
| 1961 | 302,000 | +101.3% |
| 1962 | 322,000 | +6.6% |
| 1963 | 353,000 | +9.6% |
| 1964 | 490,300 | +38.9% |
| 1965 | 579,460 | +18.2% |
| 1966 | 736,320 | +27.1% |
| 1967 | 833,690 | +13.2% |
| 1968 | 974,850 | +16.9% |
| 1969 | 937,540 | -3.8% |
| 1970 | 974,770 | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 976,240 | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 1.07 million | +9.8% |
| 1973 | 986,220 | -8.0% |
| 1974 | 1.08 million | +9.6% |
| 1975 | 1.49 million | +37.5% |
| 1976 | 1.66 million | +11.9% |
| 1977 | 2.01 million | +21.2% |
| 1978 | 2.33 million | +15.5% |
| 1979 | 3.08 million | +32.3% |
| 1980 | 4.17 million | +35.5% |
| 1981 | 2.95 million | -29.3% |
| 1982 | 2.86 million | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 2.79 million | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 3.38 million | +21.1% |
| 1985 | 3.63 million | +7.6% |
| 1986 | 3.43 million | -5.6% |
| 1987 | 3.81 million | +11.2% |
| 1988 | 4.43 million | +16.1% |
| 1989 | 4.66 million | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 5.75 million | +23.4% |
| 1991 | 5.17 million | -10.1% |
| 1992 | 5.43 million | +5.0% |
| 1993 | 6.33 million | +16.6% |
| 1994 | 6.73 million | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 5.62 million | -16.4% |
| 1996 | 4.35 million | -22.6% |
| 1997 | 3.54 million | -18.7% |
| 1998 | 3.41 million | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 3.62 million | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 3.77 million | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 3.46 million | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 3.53 million | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 3.31 million | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 3.22 million | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 3.10 million | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 3.04 million | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 2.75 million | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 2.63 million | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 2.67 million | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 2.81 million | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 3.37 million | +20.0% |
| 2012 | 3.54 million | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 3.70 million | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 4.48 million | +21.0% |
| 2015 | 5.23 million | +16.8% |
| 2016 | 6.01 million | +14.8% |
| 2017 | 7.21 million | +20.1% |
| 2018 | 7.24 million | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 7.29 million | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 7.42 million | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 7.82 million | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 7.87 million | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 8.73 million | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 9.70 million | +11.1% |
| 2025 | 11.08 million | +14.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +101.3% | 150,000 | 302,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 567,916 | 150,000 | 974,850 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.57 million | 974,770 | 3.08 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.61 million | 2.79 million | 4.66 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.99 million | 3.41 million | 6.73 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.15 million | 2.63 million | 3.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.09 million | 2.81 million | 7.29 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.77 million | 7.42 million | 11.08 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More social development data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9.48 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11.08 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0072 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 11.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9.48 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 14.23 % change on previous year (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 0.3284 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Sub-Saharan Africa was 11.08 million in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.08 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 150,000 in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 9th out of 44 groups with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 111.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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
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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.