Refugees by country of origin — all countries

Refugees by country of origin — Southern Africa

Refugees by country of origin in Southern Africa in 2024 — 2,244 people. Since 1971, the indicator has risen by 24%.

2024 2,244 people +35.51% vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 110,186 people1986
Period minimum 274 people1997

Trend over time

1971–2024 · people

Refugees by country of origin — Southern Africa, 1971–2024050,000100,000150,00019711977198319891995200120072013201920241971: 1,810 people1974: 4,910 people1975: 5,640 people1977: 15,415 people1978: 39,760 people1979: 48,020 people1980: 79,940 people1981: 99,500 people1986: 110,186 people1989: 20,849 people1990: 15,323 people1991: 11,419 people1992: 9,263 people1993: 9,280 people1994: 1,612 people1995: 546 people1996: 337 people1997: 274 people1998: 2,129 people1999: 929 people2000: 2,496 people2001: 2,441 people2002: 1,599 people2003: 1,583 people2004: 1,584 people2005: 1,492 people2006: 1,728 people2007: 1,639 people2008: 1,487 people2009: 1,363 people2010: 1,480 people2011: 1,621 people2012: 1,699 people2013: 1,840 people2014: 2,073 people2015: 2,254 people2016: 2,309 people2017: 2,345 people2018: 2,345 people2019: 1,358 people2020: 1,326 people2021: 1,377 people2022: 1,321 people2023: 1,656 people2024: 2,244 people
Change over the period: +434 (+23.98%) Average annual rate: 0.41 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 2,244 people
World computed 30.69M people
Refugees by country of origin — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2024 2,244 +588 +35.51%
2023 1,656 +335 +25.36%
2022 1,321 −56 −4.07%
2021 1,377 +51 +3.85%
2020 1,326 −32 −2.36%
2019 1,358 −987 −42.09%
2018 2,345 +0 +0%
2017 2,345 +36 +1.56%
2016 2,309 +55 +2.44%
2015 2,254 +181 +8.73%
2014 2,073 +233 +12.66%
2013 1,840 +141 +8.3%
2012 1,699 +78 +4.81%
2011 1,621 +141 +9.53%
2010 1,480 +117 +8.58%
2009 1,363 −124 −8.34%
2008 1,487 −152 −9.27%
2007 1,639 −89 −5.15%
2006 1,728 +236 +15.82%
2005 1,492 −92 −5.81%
2004 1,584 +1 +0.06%
2003 1,583 −16 −1%
2002 1,599 −842 −34.49%
2001 2,441 −55 −2.2%
2000 2,496 +1,567 +168.68%
1999 929 −1,200 −56.36%
1998 2,129 +1,855 +677.01%
1997 274 −63 −18.69%
1996 337 −209 −38.28%
1995 546 −1,066 −66.13%
1994 1,612 −7,668 −82.63%
1993 9,280 +17 +0.18%
1992 9,263 −2,156 −18.88%
1991 11,419 −3,904 −25.48%
1990 15,323 −5,526 −26.5%
1989 20,849
1986 110,186
1981 99,500 +19,560 +24.47%
1980 79,940 +31,920 +66.47%
1979 48,020 +8,260 +20.77%
1978 39,760 +24,345 +157.93%
1977 15,415
1975 5,640 +730 +14.87%
1974 4,910
1971 1,810

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.