Latvia: Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Latvia's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rose 224 on 2024 (from 263 to 487).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +10.96 and a typical year strayed about 102.8 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 303 in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was 289 in 2024. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 47.16 a year. A straight line explains 61% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Latvia had the 110th highest value of the 166 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Latvia in the 2025 ranking

• Kuwait — 107th of 166: 611
• Moldova — 108th of 166: 594
• Gambia, The — 109th of 166: 509
• China — 111th of 166: 482
• Ghana — 112th of 166: 475
• Ukraine — 113th of 166: 443

What this measures

Asylum-seekers are individuals who have sought international protection and whose claims for refugee status have not yet been determined. This includes those who are in various stages of the asylum process, such as initial application, appeal, or awaiting final decision. In specific contexts, asylum-seekers may also include those who are seeking protection under complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection, but whose claims are still under consideration.

Limitations: Variability in national asylum procedures and processing times can lead to inconsistencies in data reporting, affecting the accuracy of cross-country comparisons. Unregistered asylum claims or informal border crossings may result in incomplete data, underestimating the true scope of the need for protection. Additionally, the changing status of individuals, such as those asylum-seekers that are recognized as refugees, complicates the tracking and categorization of data.

All 26 values

Asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum in nearby economies

• Albania — 11 (2025)
• Armenia — 998 (2025)
• Austria — 22,014 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 199 (2025)
• Belarus — 1,470 (2025)
• Belgium — 58,725 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 164 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 1,317 (2025)
• Croatia — 434 (2025)
• Cyprus

More social protection & labor data for Latvia

• Net migration — -7,330 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 33.09% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 35.59% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 34.37% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 74.51% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 78.72% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 76.59% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Latvia's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum?

487 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How does Latvia rank?

110th highest of 166 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum unusual for Latvia?

In 2025, Latvia's asylum-seekers by country or territory of asylum rose 224 on 2024 (from 263 to 487). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2024), the average change was +10.96 and a typical year strayed about 102.8 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.ASYS.EA, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), uri: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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