Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in World
World: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 28.11 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in World, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in World is 28.11 million, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 8.0% on the previous year and up 77.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in World peaked at 31.30 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 150,000, in 1960.
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 World, 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 | 1.70 million | +381.8% |
| 1965 | 1.95 million | +14.7% |
| 1966 | 2.11 million | +8.4% |
| 1967 | 958,640 | -54.6% |
| 1968 | 1.10 million | +14.8% |
| 1969 | 1.07 million | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 1.11 million | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 1.17 million | +5.5% |
| 1972 | 1.24 million | +6.2% |
| 1973 | 1.03 million | -17.1% |
| 1974 | 1.10 million | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 1.58 million | +43.2% |
| 1976 | 1.75 million | +11.0% |
| 1977 | 2.28 million | +30.0% |
| 1978 | 3.16 million | +38.5% |
| 1979 | 4.32 million | +36.8% |
| 1980 | 6.81 million | +57.5% |
| 1981 | 7.86 million | +15.5% |
| 1982 | 8.42 million | +7.2% |
| 1983 | 8.59 million | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 8.88 million | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 9.76 million | +9.8% |
| 1986 | 10.06 million | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 10.68 million | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 11.88 million | +11.2% |
| 1989 | 12.08 million | +1.6% |
| 1990 | 14.61 million | +20.9% |
| 1991 | 14.39 million | -1.5% |
| 1992 | 14.50 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 13.87 million | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 13.73 million | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 12.52 million | -8.9% |
| 1996 | 11.73 million | -6.3% |
| 1997 | 10.74 million | -8.5% |
| 1998 | 10.22 million | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 10.25 million | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 10.82 million | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 10.82 million | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 10.10 million | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 9.07 million | -10.2% |
| 2004 | 9.02 million | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 8.35 million | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 9.51 million | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 11.05 million | +16.2% |
| 2008 | 10.15 million | -8.1% |
| 2009 | 10.06 million | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 10.23 million | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 10.11 million | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 10.21 million | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 11.44 million | +12.0% |
| 2014 | 14.12 million | +23.5% |
| 2015 | 15.82 million | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 16.87 million | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 19.55 million | +15.9% |
| 2018 | 19.96 million | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 20.03 million | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 20.29 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 21.04 million | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 29.17 million | +38.6% |
| 2023 | 31.30 million | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 30.54 million | -2.4% |
| 2025 | 28.11 million | -8.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | +381.8% | 353,000 | 1.70 million |
| 1961 | +101.3% | 150,000 | 302,000 |
| 1967 | -54.6% | 2.11 million | 958,640 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.00 million | 150,000 | 2.11 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.88 million | 1.03 million | 4.32 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.50 million | 6.81 million | 12.08 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.66 million | 10.22 million | 14.61 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.89 million | 8.35 million | 11.05 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.84 million | 10.11 million | 20.03 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.74 million | 20.29 million | 31.30 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
- 1 Ukraine 5.22 million compare
- 2 Syrian Arab Republic 4.87 million compare
- 3 Sudan 2.82 million compare
- 4 Afghanistan 2.67 million compare
More social development data for World
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 28.46 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 28.11 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0034 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0035 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 -8.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 28.46 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -7.96 % 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 0.2438 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in World?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in World was 28.11 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 31.30 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 150,000 in 1960.
- How does World rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- World ranks 1st out of 3 groups with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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 — 66 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.