Refugees by country of origin — all countries

Refugees by country of origin — Central America

Refugees by country of origin in Central America in 2024 — 279,071 people. Since 1989, the indicator has risen by 52.4%.

2024 279,071 people +18.82% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 279,071 people2024
Period minimum 12,189 people2005

Trend over time

1989–2024 · people

Refugees by country of origin — Central America, 1989–20240100,000200,000300,00019891993199720012005200920132017202120241989: 183,063 people1990: 131,271 people1991: 133,082 people1992: 129,767 people1993: 110,578 people1994: 111,114 people1995: 92,325 people1996: 84,861 people1997: 79,240 people1998: 68,970 people1999: 63,643 people2000: 35,861 people2001: 30,909 people2002: 27,055 people2003: 18,723 people2004: 13,098 people2005: 12,189 people2006: 19,414 people2007: 21,365 people2008: 20,368 people2009: 20,349 people2010: 20,655 people2011: 24,173 people2012: 27,605 people2013: 31,078 people2014: 35,403 people2015: 45,202 people2016: 54,764 people2017: 70,025 people2018: 85,407 people2019: 110,258 people2020: 129,085 people2021: 158,533 people2022: 187,867 people2023: 234,870 people2024: 279,071 people
Change over the period: +96,008 (+52.45%) Average annual rate: 1.21 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Central America

Central America 279,071 people
World computed 30.69M people
Refugees by country of origin — Central America, by year Central America All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2024 279,071 +44,201 +18.82%
2023 234,870 +47,003 +25.02%
2022 187,867 +29,334 +18.5%
2021 158,533 +29,448 +22.81%
2020 129,085 +18,827 +17.08%
2019 110,258 +24,851 +29.1%
2018 85,407 +15,382 +21.97%
2017 70,025 +15,261 +27.87%
2016 54,764 +9,562 +21.15%
2015 45,202 +9,799 +27.68%
2014 35,403 +4,325 +13.92%
2013 31,078 +3,473 +12.58%
2012 27,605 +3,432 +14.2%
2011 24,173 +3,518 +17.03%
2010 20,655 +306 +1.5%
2009 20,349 −19 −0.09%
2008 20,368 −997 −4.67%
2007 21,365 +1,951 +10.05%
2006 19,414 +7,225 +59.27%
2005 12,189 −909 −6.94%
2004 13,098 −5,625 −30.04%
2003 18,723 −8,332 −30.8%
2002 27,055 −3,854 −12.47%
2001 30,909 −4,952 −13.81%
2000 35,861 −27,782 −43.65%
1999 63,643 −5,327 −7.72%
1998 68,970 −10,270 −12.96%
1997 79,240 −5,621 −6.62%
1996 84,861 −7,464 −8.08%
1995 92,325 −18,789 −16.91%
1994 111,114 +536 +0.48%
1993 110,578 −19,189 −14.79%
1992 129,767 −3,315 −2.49%
1991 133,082 +1,811 +1.38%
1990 131,271 −51,792 −28.29%
1989 183,063

About the indicator

The number of refugees originating from a given country, wherever they are located, according to UNHCR. This is the mirror side of the indicator by country of asylum: there people are counted by the place where they found protection, here by the country they left. It is this series that shows the scale of forced exodus, and the largest displacement crises of recent decades are visible in it.

Important: The indicator counts only those who have crossed a border. People displaced inside their own country are not included, although they are usually more numerous — that is separate statistics, kept by the IDMC.

Source: UNHCR Refugee Statistics, license CC BY 4.0.