Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in IDA total

IDA total: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy was 11.87 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
11.87 million
Change on year
up 6.2%
All-time high
11.87 million
in 2025
All-time low
150,000
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in IDA total, 1960–2025

02.5M5.0M7.5M10.0M12.5M196019922025

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 asy in IDA total is 11.87 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.

The figure is up 6.2% on the previous year and up 76.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in IDA total peaked at 11.87 million in 2025 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 583,342 150,000 1.00 million 10
1970s 1.55 million 978,350 3.28 million 10
1980s 6.35 million 5.18 million 8.29 million 10
1990s 6.79 million 4.60 million 9.28 million 10
2000s 4.91 million 3.91 million 6.06 million 10
2010s 6.87 million 5.24 million 8.99 million 10
2020s 10.45 million 9.17 million 11.87 million 6

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Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in IDA total?
Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in IDA total was 11.87 million 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 asy recorded in IDA total?
The highest recorded value was 11.87 million in 2025.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy recorded in IDA total?
The lowest recorded value was 150,000 in 1960.
Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy rising or falling in IDA total?
Over the last ten years it is up 76.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this IDA total 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 asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum
Source
Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
226 places, 10,431 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.