Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 644 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea, 1995–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea is 644, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 27.8% on the previous year and up 92.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea peaked at 2,006 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 6, in 1999.
Papua New Guinea ranks 110th of 199 countries on this measure, 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 Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 2,000 | — |
| 1996 | 2,006 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 806 | -59.8% |
| 1998 | 216 | -73.2% |
| 1999 | 6 | -97.2% |
| 2000 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12 | +100.0% |
| 2003 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 12 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20 | +66.7% |
| 2006 | 27 | +35.0% |
| 2007 | 33 | +22.2% |
| 2008 | 44 | +33.3% |
| 2009 | 68 | +54.5% |
| 2010 | 87 | +27.9% |
| 2011 | 126 | +44.8% |
| 2012 | 172 | +36.5% |
| 2013 | 219 | +27.3% |
| 2014 | 285 | +30.1% |
| 2015 | 335 | +17.5% |
| 2016 | 401 | +19.7% |
| 2017 | 406 | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 424 | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 475 | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 510 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 507 | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 610 | +20.3% |
| 2023 | 452 | -25.9% |
| 2024 | 504 | +11.5% |
| 2025 | 644 | +27.8% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 644 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,568, 7% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 644 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 95, 6.8× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,007 | 6 | 2,006 | 5 |
| 2000s | 24 | 6 | 68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 293 | 87 | 475 | 10 |
| 2020s | 537.83 | 452 | 644 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
- 107 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 710 compare
- 108 Montenegro 696 compare
- 109 Namibia 685 compare
- 111 Madagascar 637 compare
- 112 Slovakia 625 compare
- 113 Barbados 577 compare
More social development data for Papua New Guinea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 7,727 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 644 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0007 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 -0.0647 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Papua New Guinea was 644 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 2,006 in 1996.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 1999.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 110th 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 Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 92.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.
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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.