Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin by country
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...
What the numbers show
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin is currently reported for 199 countries. The highest value is 5.22 million in Ukraine; the lowest is 0 in British Virgin Islands.
The median across all reporting countries is 1,319, and the mean is 141,269.
Over the past decade 131 countries rose and 51 fell. The largest increase was in Burkina Faso (up 16,258.1%), and the largest decrease in Cayman Islands (down 100.0%).
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 5.22 million | 2025 | up 1,525.4% | volatile |
| 2 | Syria | 4.87 million | 2025 | down 0.2% | volatile |
| 3 | Sudan | 2.82 million | 2025 | up 349.8% | volatile |
| 4 | Afghanistan | 2.67 million | 2025 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 5 | South Sudan | 2.39 million | 2025 | up 206.5% | volatile |
| 6 | Myanmar | 1.52 million | 2025 | up 237.4% | volatile |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 1.18 million | 2025 | up 117.3% | volatile |
| 8 | Somalia | 892,037 | 2025 | down 20.6% | volatile |
| 9 | Central African Republic | 674,222 | 2025 | up 43.1% | volatile |
| 10 | Eritrea | 554,891 | 2025 | up 36.2% | volatile |
| 11 | Mali | 519,738 | 2025 | up 237.1% | volatile |
| 12 | Nigeria | 478,150 | 2025 | up 184.7% | volatile |
| 13 | Venezuela | 417,010 | 2025 | up 5,493.7% | volatile |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | 351,209 | 2025 | up 16,258.1% | volatile |
| 15 | Burundi | 318,291 | 2025 | up 8.7% | volatile |
| 16 | Iraq | 270,671 | 2025 | up 2.5% | volatile |
| 17 | Rwanda | 244,415 | 2025 | down 14.6% | volatile |
| 18 | Haiti | 180,702 | 2025 | up 419.8% | volatile |
| 19 | Ethiopia | 164,215 | 2025 | up 91.3% | volatile |
| 20 | Iran | 157,912 | 2025 | up 85.9% | rising |
| 21 | China | 153,962 | 2025 | down 27.7% | volatile |
| 22 | Turkey | 149,405 | 2025 | up 150.9% | volatile |
| 23 | Sri Lanka | 148,369 | 2025 | up 22.2% | rising |
| 24 | Cameroon | 140,366 | 2025 | up 1,228.6% | volatile |
| 25 | Azerbaijan | 130,983 | 2025 | up 1,249.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Russia | 99,360 | 2025 | up 48.3% | volatile |
| 27 | Honduras | 94,449 | 2025 | up 1,279.4% | volatile |
| 28 | Pakistan | 90,497 | 2025 | down 69.6% | volatile |
| 29 | Niger | 85,591 | 2025 | up 6,088.8% | volatile |
| 30 | Colombia | 79,669 | 2025 | down 76.6% | volatile |
| 31 | El Salvador | 68,182 | 2025 | up 361.4% | volatile |
| 32 | Yemen | 57,327 | 2025 | up 260.5% | volatile |
| 33 | Palestine | 48,323 | 2025 | down 50.7% | volatile |
| 34 | Guinea | 47,692 | 2025 | up 180.6% | volatile |
| 35 | Mauritania | 43,906 | 2025 | up 26.7% | falling |
| 36 | India | 42,610 | 2025 | up 331.2% | volatile |
| 37 | Mexico | 41,307 | 2025 | up 264.3% | volatile |
| 38 | Nicaragua | 35,341 | 2025 | up 2,305.8% | volatile |
| 39 | Guatemala | 34,994 | 2025 | up 240.3% | volatile |
| 40 | Cote d'Ivoire | 32,506 | 2025 | down 54.3% | volatile |
| 41 | Bangladesh | 31,862 | 2025 | up 162.2% | volatile |
| 42 | Serbia | 29,665 | 2025 | down 23.2% | volatile |
| 43 | Cuba | 29,395 | 2025 | up 330.6% | volatile |
| 44 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 24,653 | 2025 | up 31.4% | volatile |
| 45 | Egypt | 23,763 | 2025 | up 32.5% | volatile |
| 46 | Albania | 21,447 | 2025 | up 106.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Vietnam | 20,636 | 2025 | down 93.4% | volatile |
| 48 | Belarus | 19,462 | 2025 | up 372.7% | volatile |
| 49 | Georgia | 17,302 | 2025 | up 166.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Croatia | 17,207 | 2025 | down 48.6% | volatile |
| 51 | Libya | 17,161 | 2025 | up 182.4% | volatile |
| 52 | Ghana | 16,030 | 2025 | down 30.2% | volatile |
| 53 | Armenia | 15,578 | 2025 | up 39.0% | volatile |
| 54 | Chad | 15,281 | 2025 | up 2.4% | volatile |
| 55 | Angola | 13,433 | 2025 | up 13.3% | volatile |
| 56 | Kenya | 13,325 | 2025 | up 68.6% | volatile |
| 57 | Congo | 13,134 | 2025 | down 11.1% | volatile |
| 58 | Senegal | 13,028 | 2025 | down 38.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Uganda | 12,792 | 2025 | up 102.7% | volatile |
| 60 | Togo | 12,661 | 2025 | up 44.3% | volatile |
| 61 | Cambodia | 11,332 | 2025 | down 11.5% | volatile |
| 62 | Morocco | 10,400 | 2025 | up 490.9% | volatile |
| 63 | Lebanon | 9,568 | 2025 | up 119.8% | volatile |
| 64 | Indonesia | 9,215 | 2025 | down 33.9% | volatile |
| 65 | Algeria | 9,174 | 2025 | up 164.4% | volatile |
| 66 | Sierra Leone | 8,925 | 2025 | up 82.1% | volatile |
| 67 | Nepal | 8,019 | 2025 | down 11.4% | volatile |
| 68 | Peru | 7,885 | 2025 | up 119.6% | volatile |
| 69 | Bhutan | 7,257 | 2025 | down 59.0% | volatile |
| 70 | Gambia | 6,728 | 2025 | down 20.6% | volatile |
| 71 | Zimbabwe | 6,632 | 2025 | down 68.9% | volatile |
| 72 | Laos | 6,489 | 2025 | down 11.8% | volatile |
| 73 | Brazil | 6,306 | 2025 | up 606.2% | volatile |
| 74 | Moldova | 5,846 | 2025 | up 155.4% | volatile |
| 75 | Ecuador | 5,723 | 2025 | up 468.9% | volatile |
| 76 | Jordan | 5,471 | 2025 | up 198.0% | volatile |
| 77 | Chile | 5,358 | 2025 | up 867.1% | volatile |
| 78 | Uzbekistan | 5,164 | 2025 | up 23.0% | volatile |
| 79 | Liberia | 5,117 | 2025 | down 48.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Tajikistan | 4,163 | 2025 | up 427.0% | volatile |
| 81 | Kazakhstan | 4,144 | 2025 | up 83.1% | volatile |
| 82 | Tunisia | 3,711 | 2025 | up 138.8% | volatile |
| 83 | United States | 3,667 | 2025 | down 24.0% | volatile |
| 84 | Kuwait | 3,369 | 2025 | up 213.1% | volatile |
| 85 | Kyrgyzstan | 3,337 | 2025 | up 33.6% | volatile |
| 86 | Romania | 3,130 | 2025 | up 80.8% | volatile |
| 87 | Jamaica | 2,642 | 2025 | up 42.3% | volatile |
| 88 | Malaysia | 2,477 | 2025 | up 469.4% | volatile |
| 89 | Mongolia | 2,403 | 2025 | up 9.3% | volatile |
| 90 | Saudi Arabia | 2,368 | 2025 | up 245.2% | volatile |
| 91 | Comoros | 2,338 | 2025 | up 325.1% | volatile |
| 92 | Djibouti | 2,223 | 2025 | up 109.9% | volatile |
| 93 | Hungary | 2,055 | 2025 | up 42.0% | volatile |
| 94 | North Macedonia | 1,886 | 2025 | up 6.6% | volatile |
| 95 | Turkmenistan | 1,864 | 2025 | up 317.9% | volatile |
| 96 | Guinea-Bissau | 1,800 | 2025 | up 22.3% | volatile |
| 97 | Bahamas | 1,598 | 2025 | up 639.8% | volatile |
| 98 | Tanzania | 1,592 | 2025 | up 96.5% | volatile |
| 99 | Poland | 1,368 | 2025 | up 5.4% | volatile |
| 100 | South Africa | 1,319 | 2025 | up 195.1% | volatile |
| 101 | Benin | 1,279 | 2025 | up 219.8% | volatile |
| 102 | Israel | 1,265 | 2025 | up 60.7% | volatile |
| 103 | Dominican Republic | 1,240 | 2025 | up 224.6% | volatile |
| 104 | Gabon | 984 | 2025 | up 465.5% | volatile |
| 105 | Philippines | 807 | 2025 | up 38.7% | volatile |
| 106 | Czechia | 794 | 2025 | down 38.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Bolivia | 710 | 2025 | up 25.4% | volatile |
| 108 | Montenegro | 696 | 2025 | up 7.7% | volatile |
| 109 | Namibia | 685 | 2025 | down 46.1% | volatile |
| 110 | Papua New Guinea | 644 | 2025 | up 92.2% | volatile |
| 111 | Madagascar | 637 | 2025 | up 123.5% | volatile |
| 112 | Slovakia | 625 | 2025 | up 92.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Barbados | 577 | 2025 | up 507.4% | volatile |
| 114 | Trinidad and Tobago | 576 | 2025 | up 56.1% | volatile |
| 115 | Malawi | 551 | 2025 | up 28.4% | volatile |
| 116 | Argentina | 542 | 2025 | up 191.4% | volatile |
| 117 | Bulgaria | 533 | 2025 | down 57.8% | volatile |
| 118 | United Kingdom | 517 | 2025 | up 303.9% | volatile |
| 119 | Equatorial Guinea | 424 | 2025 | up 198.6% | volatile |
| 120 | Botswana | 384 | 2025 | up 25.5% | volatile |
| 121 | Panama | 375 | 2025 | up 504.8% | volatile |
| 122 | Costa Rica | 367 | 2025 | down 1.9% | volatile |
| 123 | Canada | 360 | 2025 | up 393.2% | volatile |
| 124 | Zambia | 346 | 2025 | up 3.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Fiji | 343 | 2025 | down 61.3% | volatile |
| 126 | Guyana | 342 | 2025 | down 32.7% | volatile |
| 127 | Germany | 327 | 2025 | up 113.7% | volatile |
| 127 | Thailand | 327 | 2025 | up 56.5% | volatile |
| 129 | Mauritius | 283 | 2025 | up 180.2% | volatile |
| 130 | Bahrain | 267 | 2025 | down 36.7% | volatile |
| 131 | Italy | 266 | 2025 | up 285.5% | volatile |
| 132 | North Korea | 263 | 2025 | down 76.0% | volatile |
| 133 | United Arab Emirates | 252 | 2025 | up 176.9% | volatile |
| 134 | Hong Kong | 245 | 2025 | up 642.4% | volatile |
| 135 | Eswatini | 220 | 2025 | up 3.3% | volatile |
| 136 | Saint Lucia | 199 | 2025 | down 80.3% | volatile |
| 137 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 194 | 2025 | down 89.4% | volatile |
| 138 | Latvia | 189 | 2025 | up 1.1% | volatile |
| 139 | Spain | 186 | 2025 | up 210.0% | volatile |
| 140 | France | 166 | 2025 | up 84.4% | volatile |
| 141 | Paraguay | 162 | 2025 | up 84.1% | volatile |
| 142 | Netherlands | 159 | 2025 | up 148.4% | volatile |
| 143 | Oman | 133 | 2025 | up 269.4% | volatile |
| 144 | Sweden | 128 | 2025 | up 611.1% | volatile |
| 145 | Uruguay | 126 | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 146 | Mozambique | 119 | 2025 | up 116.4% | volatile |
| 147 | Grenada | 117 | 2025 | down 56.7% | volatile |
| 147 | South Korea | 117 | 2025 | down 66.2% | volatile |
| 149 | Belgium | 113 | 2025 | up 71.2% | volatile |
| 150 | Portugal | 109 | 2025 | up 289.3% | volatile |
| 151 | Belize | 108 | 2025 | up 125.0% | volatile |
| 152 | Lithuania | 101 | 2025 | down 29.4% | volatile |
| 153 | Antigua and Barbuda | 97 | 2025 | up 73.2% | volatile |
| 153 | Dominica | 97 | 2025 | up 177.1% | volatile |
| 155 | Greece | 94 | 2025 | down 15.3% | volatile |
| 156 | Estonia | 86 | 2025 | down 72.7% | volatile |
| 157 | Qatar | 73 | 2025 | up 247.6% | volatile |
| 157 | Solomon Islands | 73 | 2025 | up 2.8% | rising |
| 159 | Ireland | 69 | 2025 | up 1,280.0% | volatile |
| 160 | Tonga | 65 | 2025 | up 195.5% | volatile |
| 161 | Maldives | 62 | 2025 | up 59.0% | volatile |
| 162 | New Zealand | 58 | 2025 | up 262.5% | volatile |
| 163 | Japan | 56 | 2025 | down 60.0% | volatile |
| 163 | Suriname | 56 | 2025 | up 194.7% | volatile |
| 165 | Singapore | 43 | 2025 | down 14.0% | volatile |
| 166 | Australia | 41 | 2025 | up 95.2% | volatile |
| 167 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 36 | 2025 | up 44.0% | volatile |
| 168 | Austria | 33 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 169 | Lesotho | 27 | 2025 | up 68.8% | volatile |
| 170 | Denmark | 21 | 2025 | up 90.9% | volatile |
| 171 | Luxembourg | 20 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 171 | Norway | 20 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 173 | Samoa | 17 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 174 | Cape Verde | 15 | 2025 | down 44.4% | volatile |
| 174 | Cyprus | 15 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 174 | Macao | 15 | 2025 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 174 | East Timor | 15 | 2025 | down 21.1% | volatile |
| 178 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 14 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 179 | Vanuatu | 13 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 180 | Slovenia | 12 | 2025 | down 42.9% | volatile |
| 181 | Malta | 11 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 182 | Seychelles | 10 | 2025 | down 47.4% | volatile |
| 183 | Curacao | 8 | 2025 | down 77.1% | falling |
| 183 | Sao Tome and Principe | 8 | 2025 | down 66.7% | falling |
| 185 | Bermuda | 6 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 185 | Switzerland | 6 | 2025 | down 62.5% | volatile |
| 187 | Andorra | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 187 | Brunei | 5 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 187 | Finland | 5 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 187 | Kiribati | 5 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 187 | Monaco | 5 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 187 | Nauru | 5 | 2025 | — | rising |
| 193 | Cayman Islands | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 193 | Iceland | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 193 | Marshall Islands | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 193 | Puerto Rico | 0 | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 193 | San Marino | 0 | 2005 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 193 | Tuvalu | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 193 | British Virgin Islands | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 28.11 million
- IDA & IBRD total 28.01 million
- Low & middle income 27.96 million
- IDA total 20.81 million
- IDA only 20.03 million
- Low income 17.84 million
- Least developed countries: UN classification 14.87 million
- Pre-demographic dividend 13.59 million
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 11.16 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa 11.08 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 11.08 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 11.08 million
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.