Refugees by country of asylum — all countries

Refugees by country of asylum — Sub-Saharan Africa

Refugees by country of asylum in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2024 — 8,559,330 people. Since 1986, the indicator has risen by 159.5%.

2024 8.56M people +8.72% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 8.56M people2024
Period minimum 2.1M people2009

Trend over time

1986–2024 · people

Refugees by country of asylum — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1986–202402.5M5M7.5M10M198619901994199820022006201020142018202220241986: 3,298,480 people1987: 3,811,610 people1990: 5,719,227 people1991: 5,105,120 people1992: 5,262,267 people1993: 6,189,613 people1994: 6,523,543 people1995: 5,770,737 people1996: 4,156,932 people1997: 3,303,174 people1998: 3,161,858 people1999: 3,339,634 people2000: 3,436,504 people2001: 3,093,299 people2002: 3,079,963 people2003: 2,863,847 people2004: 2,748,752 people2005: 2,571,963 people2006: 2,421,900 people2007: 2,301,568 people2008: 2,133,267 people2009: 2,101,518 people2010: 2,210,518 people2011: 2,719,779 people2012: 2,854,821 people2013: 3,025,574 people2014: 3,766,334 people2015: 4,490,652 people2016: 5,209,015 people2017: 6,345,476 people2018: 6,418,465 people2019: 6,422,623 people2020: 6,678,856 people2021: 7,091,003 people2022: 7,135,041 people2023: 7,872,981 people2024: 8,559,330 people
Change over the period: +5.26M (+159.49%) Average annual rate: 2.54 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 8.56M people
World computed 30.92M people
Refugees by country of asylum — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2024 8.56M +686,349 +8.72%
2023 7.87M +737,940 +10.34%
2022 7.14M +44,038 +0.62%
2021 7.09M +412,147 +6.17%
2020 6.68M +256,233 +3.99%
2019 6.42M +4,158 +0.06%
2018 6.42M +72,989 +1.15%
2017 6.35M +1.14M +21.82%
2016 5.21M +718,363 +16%
2015 4.49M +724,318 +19.23%
2014 3.77M +740,760 +24.48%
2013 3.03M +170,753 +5.98%
2012 2.85M +135,042 +4.97%
2011 2.72M +509,261 +23.04%
2010 2.21M +109,000 +5.19%
2009 2.1M −31,749 −1.49%
2008 2.13M −168,301 −7.31%
2007 2.3M −120,332 −4.97%
2006 2.42M −150,063 −5.83%
2005 2.57M −176,789 −6.43%
2004 2.75M −115,095 −4.02%
2003 2.86M −216,116 −7.02%
2002 3.08M −13,336 −0.43%
2001 3.09M −343,205 −9.99%
2000 3.44M +96,870 +2.9%
1999 3.34M +177,776 +5.62%
1998 3.16M −141,316 −4.28%
1997 3.3M −853,758 −20.54%
1996 4.16M −1.61M −27.97%
1995 5.77M −752,806 −11.54%
1994 6.52M +333,930 +5.4%
1993 6.19M +927,346 +17.62%
1992 5.26M +157,147 +3.08%
1991 5.11M −614,107 −10.74%
1990 5.72M
1987 3.81M +513,130 +15.56%
1986 3.3M

About the indicator

The number of refugees present in a country, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A refugee is a person who has received protection outside their country of origin; the indicator covers both those recognized individually and those recognized on a group basis in situations of mass exodus. The series has been kept since 1951, that is since the adoption of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

Important: This is the receiving side. It is not to be confused with the number of refugees FROM a country — that is a separate indicator, and the difference between the two shows whether a country hosts forced migration or produces it.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Statistics, license CC BY 4.0.