Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy rising or falling in OECD members?

Over the last ten years it is up 164.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this OECD members 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.

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in OECD members

Name: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy in OECD members
Creator: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

OECD members: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy was 11.80 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

11.80 million

Change on year

down 2.8%

All-time high

12.14 million

in 2024

All-time low

1.06 million

in 1976

Years of data

1960–2025

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

Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Analysis

OECD members recorded 11.80 million for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in 2025.

That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and up 164.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in OECD members peaked at 12.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.06 million, in 1976.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	1.23 million	1.14 million	1.35 million	10
1970s	1.24 million	1.06 million	1.72 million	10
1980s	1.95 million	1.42 million	2.55 million	10
1990s	2.97 million	2.64 million	3.32 million	10
2000s	2.34 million	1.94 million	2.63 million	10
2010s	4.16 million	1.96 million	6.98 million	10
2020s	10.28 million	7.15 million	12.14 million	6

More social development data for OECD members

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 289,139 (2025)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 694,393 (2025)
Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 5.96 million (2025)
Forcibly displaced people 28.95 million (2025)
Internally displaced people (IDP) by country or territory of asylum / 7.63 million (2025)
Other people in need of international protection by country or territo 3.56 million (2025)

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in OECD members?: Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy in OECD members was 11.80 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 OECD members?: The highest recorded value was 12.14 million in 2024.
What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy recorded in OECD members?: The lowest recorded value was 1.06 million in 1976.
Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of asy rising or falling in OECD members?: Over the last ten years it is up 164.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this OECD members 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.

Download this data

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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: 06 August 2026

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.