North Macedonia: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, North Macedonia's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum fell 0.4% on 2024 (from 20,911 to 20,822).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +118.9% and a typical year strayed about 473.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2,319.5% in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 93.2% in 2003. 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 2,653 a year. A straight line explains 74% 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, North Macedonia had the 83rd highest value of the 168 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 North Macedonia in the 2025 ranking

• Ghana — 80th of 168: 21,050
• Somalia, Fed. Rep. — 81st of 168: 20,967
• Afghanistan — 82nd of 168: 20,869
• Nepal — 84th of 168: 19,613
• Senegal — 85th of 168: 17,259
• Benin — 86th of 168: 16,974

What this measures

Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.

Limitations: Inconsistencies in data collection standards across countries can complicate the comparability of refugee data globally, making it challenging to create uniform policies. The fluidity of refugee movements and states’ processing of status changes, such as shifts from asylum-seeker to refugee, can impact the timeliness of the data. Furthermore, political pressures may influence how governments report refugee figures, potentially leading to underreporting or misrepresentation of the situation.

All 34 values

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum in nearby economies

• Albania — 4,673 (2025)
• Armenia — 123,087 (2025)
• Austria — 286,651 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 6,389 (2025)
• Belarus — 40,794 (2025)
• Belgium — 186,393 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 586 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 105,596 (2025)

More social protection & labor data for North Macedonia

• Net migration — -5,645 (2025)
• Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) — 10.57% (2025)
• Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) — 12.23% (2025)
• Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) — 11.53% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 23.57% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 36.44% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 30.08% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is North Macedonia's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum?

20,822 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1992?

It is down 34.93% from 32,000 in 1992 (1.29% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 32,000 in 1992 and the lowest 191 in 2003.

How does North Macedonia rank?

83rd highest of 168 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum unusual for North Macedonia?

In 2025, North Macedonia's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum fell 0.4% on 2024 (from 20,911 to 20,822). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +118.9% and a typical year strayed about 473.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SM.POP.RHCR.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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