South Africa: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, South Africa's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum fell 22.5% on 2024 (from 71,171 to 55,177).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.1% and a typical year strayed about 29.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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 73.4% in 1999 and the biggest yearly fall was 77.7% in 1996. 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 downward, about 3,591 a year. A straight line explains 89% 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, South Africa had the 61st 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 South Africa in the 2025 ranking

• Portugal — 58th of 168: 70,349
• Congo, Rep. — 59th of 168: 62,500
• Central African Republic — 60th of 168: 55,307
• Lithuania — 62nd of 168: 54,381
• Togo — 63rd of 168: 54,167
• Yemen, Rep. — 64th of 168: 49,107

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 33 values

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

• Angola — 25,396 (2025)
• Benin — 16,974 (2025)
• Botswana — 847 (2025)
• Burkina Faso — 40,996 (2025)
• Burundi — 110,800 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — 0 (2025)
• Cameroon — 408,613 (2025)
• Central African Republic — 55,307 (2025)

More social protection & labor data for South Africa

• Net migration — 146,370 (2025)
• Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin — 1,319 (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 24.5% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 29.12% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate) — 26.83% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 55.4% (2025)
• Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate) — 65.95% (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 South Africa's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum?

55,177 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1993?

It is down 77.93% from 250,000 in 1993 (4.61% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 250,000 in 1993 and the lowest 6,816 in 1997.

How does South Africa rank?

61st 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 South Africa?

In 2025, South Africa's refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum fell 22.5% on 2024 (from 71,171 to 55,177). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +5.1% and a typical year strayed about 29.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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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