Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori was 11.08 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 1960–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) stood at 11.08 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.2% on the previous year and up 111.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 11.08 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
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 567,916 | 150,000 | 974,850 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.57 million | 974,770 | 3.08 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.61 million | 2.79 million | 4.66 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.99 million | 3.41 million | 6.73 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.15 million | 2.63 million | 3.77 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.09 million | 2.81 million | 7.29 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.77 million | 7.42 million | 11.08 million | 6 |
More social development data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 9.48 million (2025)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of origin 2.40 million (2025)
- Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum 942,178 (2025)
- Forcibly displaced people 39.33 million (2025)
- Internally displaced people (IDP) by country or territory of asylum / 28.91 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 11.08 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 ori recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 11.08 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 150,000 in 1960.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of ori rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 111.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.