Refugees by country of origin — all countries

Refugees by country of origin — South America

Refugees by country of origin in South America in 2024 — 471,039 people. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 1,874.3%.

2024 471,039 people −1.7% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 571,077 people2007
Period minimum 15,673 people1999

Trend over time

1990–2024 · people

Refugees by country of origin — South America, 1990–20240200,000400,000600,00019901994199820022006201020142018202220241990: 23,858 people1991: 22,048 people1992: 18,789 people1993: 19,674 people1994: 23,809 people1995: 24,511 people1996: 23,972 people1997: 20,809 people1998: 19,759 people1999: 15,673 people2000: 19,664 people2001: 27,778 people2002: 41,754 people2003: 48,086 people2004: 57,117 people2005: 71,655 people2006: 88,090 people2007: 571,077 people2008: 392,656 people2009: 407,750 people2010: 413,306 people2011: 414,332 people2012: 412,723 people2013: 414,177 people2014: 376,816 people2015: 355,066 people2016: 324,566 people2017: 207,097 people2018: 166,149 people2019: 289,800 people2020: 368,760 people2021: 324,431 people2022: 352,149 people2023: 479,181 people2024: 471,039 people
Change over the period: +447,181 (+1,874.34%) Average annual rate: 9.17 %

Comparison, 2024

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

South America 471,039 people
World computed 30.69M people
Refugees by country of origin — South America, by year South America All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2024 471,039 −8,142 −1.7%
2023 479,181 +127,032 +36.07%
2022 352,149 +27,718 +8.54%
2021 324,431 −44,329 −12.02%
2020 368,760 +78,960 +27.25%
2019 289,800 +123,651 +74.42%
2018 166,149 −40,948 −19.77%
2017 207,097 −117,469 −36.19%
2016 324,566 −30,500 −8.59%
2015 355,066 −21,750 −5.77%
2014 376,816 −37,361 −9.02%
2013 414,177 +1,454 +0.35%
2012 412,723 −1,609 −0.39%
2011 414,332 +1,026 +0.25%
2010 413,306 +5,556 +1.36%
2009 407,750 +15,094 +3.84%
2008 392,656 −178,421 −31.24%
2007 571,077 +482,987 +548.29%
2006 88,090 +16,435 +22.94%
2005 71,655 +14,538 +25.45%
2004 57,117 +9,031 +18.78%
2003 48,086 +6,332 +15.17%
2002 41,754 +13,976 +50.31%
2001 27,778 +8,114 +41.26%
2000 19,664 +3,991 +25.46%
1999 15,673 −4,086 −20.68%
1998 19,759 −1,050 −5.05%
1997 20,809 −3,163 −13.19%
1996 23,972 −539 −2.2%
1995 24,511 +702 +2.95%
1994 23,809 +4,135 +21.02%
1993 19,674 +885 +4.71%
1992 18,789 −3,259 −14.78%
1991 22,048 −1,810 −7.59%
1990 23,858

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.