Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Pakistan
Pakistan: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 90,497 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Pakistan, 1988–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 90,497 for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.9% on the previous year and down 69.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Pakistan peaked at 335,947 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 274, in 1988.
Pakistan ranks 28th of 199 countries 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 Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 274 | — |
| 1989 | 409 | +49.3% |
| 1990 | 485 | +18.6% |
| 1991 | 523 | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 1,088 | +108.0% |
| 1993 | 1,420 | +30.5% |
| 1994 | 4,431 | +212.0% |
| 1995 | 5,277 | +19.1% |
| 1996 | 7,499 | +42.1% |
| 1997 | 5,983 | -20.2% |
| 1998 | 6,860 | +14.7% |
| 1999 | 8,011 | +16.8% |
| 2000 | 10,134 | +26.5% |
| 2001 | 12,326 | +21.6% |
| 2002 | 23,164 | +87.9% |
| 2003 | 24,390 | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 25,943 | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 29,906 | +15.3% |
| 2006 | 25,636 | -14.3% |
| 2007 | 31,847 | +24.2% |
| 2008 | 32,391 | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 35,129 | +8.5% |
| 2010 | 39,979 | +13.8% |
| 2011 | 35,948 | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 49,778 | +38.5% |
| 2013 | 48,676 | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 335,947 | +590.2% |
| 2015 | 297,886 | -11.3% |
| 2016 | 105,419 | -64.6% |
| 2017 | 128,914 | +22.3% |
| 2018 | 132,248 | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 136,902 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 133,280 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 132,818 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 112,357 | -15.4% |
| 2023 | 94,481 | -15.9% |
| 2024 | 86,285 | -8.7% |
| 2025 | 90,497 | +4.9% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 90,497 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 9.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 90,497 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9,174, 9.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Pakistan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +590.2% | 48,676 | 335,947 |
| 1994 | +212.0% | 1,420 | 4,431 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 341.5 | 274 | 409 | 2 |
| 1990s | 4,158 | 485 | 8,011 | 10 |
| 2000s | 25,087 | 10,134 | 35,129 | 10 |
| 2010s | 131,170 | 35,948 | 335,947 | 10 |
| 2020s | 108,286 | 86,285 | 133,280 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 25 Azerbaijan 130,983 compare
- 26 Russian Federation 99,360 compare
- 27 Honduras 94,449 compare
- 29 Niger 85,591 compare
- 30 Colombia 79,669 compare
- 31 El Salvador 68,182 compare
More social development data for Pakistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.16 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 90,497 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0045 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 -25.73 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Pakistan?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Pakistan was 90,497 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 335,947 in 2014.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 274 in 1988.
- How does Pakistan rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Pakistan ranks 28th 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 Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.