World Development Indicators

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

Most recent
1,319 (2025)
Earliest
390 (1966)
Highest
38,560 (1984)
Years reported
60
Member state
South Africa at the United Nations
025,00050,0001966: 3901967: 4501968: 7401969: 2901970: 4601971: 8501972: 7901973: 9401974: 1,3801975: 1,3601976: 2,1801977: 2,3951978: 3,8401979: 7,2801980: 24,2501981: 24,9001982: 28,4301983: 34,5201984: 38,5601985: 38,1101986: 33,2201987: 26,1501988: 24,9061989: 17,1351990: 14,7811991: 11,2051992: 9,2411993: 9,0871994: 1,5141995: 4921996: 2861997: 2411998: 1841999: 1902000: 1682001: 1312002: 2712003: 2842004: 2612005: 2592006: 5012007: 4742008: 4492009: 3802010: 3742011: 4222012: 4132013: 4242014: 4222015: 4472016: 4522017: 4612018: 4822019: 4412020: 4742021: 6432022: 7842023: 9192024: 1,1742025: 1,31919662025
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin, 1966–2025. Bars, not a line: a line drawn across a year the source does not report would invent an observation a reader could not tell from a measured one.

Every year reported

YearRefugees originating (UNHCR mandate)
20251,319
20241,174
2023919
2022784
2021643
2020474
2019441
2018482
2017461
2016452
2015447
2014422
2013424
2012413
2011422
2010374
2009380
2008449
2007474
2006501
2005259
2004261
2003284
2002271
2001131
2000168
1999190
1998184
1997241
1996286
1995492
19941,514
19939,087
19929,241
199111,205
199014,781
198917,135
198824,906
198726,150
198633,220
198538,110
198438,560
198334,520
198228,430
198124,900
198024,250
19797,280
19783,840
19772,395
19762,180
19751,360
19741,380
1973940
1972790
1971850
1970460
1969290
1968740
1967450
1966390

World Bank, World Development Indicators — SM.POP.RHCR.EO, available under CC BY 4.0.

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