Refugees by country of asylum in Burundi
Burundi: Refugees by country of asylum was 89,075 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Burundi, 1961–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Burundi stood at 89,075 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 68.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Burundi peaked at 300,302 people in 1994 and was at its lowest, 13,174 people, in 2006.
Burundi ranks 54th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Burundi, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 30,000 people | — |
| 1962 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 34,000 people | +13.3% |
| 1964 | 78,000 people | +129.4% |
| 1965 | 65,000 people | -16.7% |
| 1966 | 79,000 people | +21.5% |
| 1967 | 79,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 72,200 people | -8.6% |
| 1969 | 46,200 people | -36.0% |
| 1970 | 38,800 people | -16.0% |
| 1971 | 32,950 people | -15.1% |
| 1972 | 43,390 people | +31.7% |
| 1973 | 49,000 people | +12.9% |
| 1974 | 48,500 people | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 49,500 people | +2.1% |
| 1976 | 49,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 50,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 50,340 people | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 50,490 people | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 234,560 people | +364.6% |
| 1981 | 234,590 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 253,170 people | +7.9% |
| 1983 | 253,820 people | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 273,810 people | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 267,440 people | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 267,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 267,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 267,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 267,455 people | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 268,403 people | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 270,136 people | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 271,745 people | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 271,883 people | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 300,302 people | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 173,016 people | -42.4% |
| 1996 | 20,734 people | -88.0% |
| 1997 | 22,027 people | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 25,092 people | +13.9% |
| 1999 | 22,107 people | -11.9% |
| 2000 | 27,133 people | +22.7% |
| 2001 | 27,895 people | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 40,532 people | +45.3% |
| 2003 | 40,970 people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 48,807 people | +19.1% |
| 2005 | 20,679 people | -57.6% |
| 2006 | 13,174 people | -36.3% |
| 2007 | 24,482 people | +85.8% |
| 2008 | 21,092 people | -13.8% |
| 2009 | 24,965 people | +18.4% |
| 2010 | 29,364 people | +17.6% |
| 2011 | 35,658 people | +21.4% |
| 2012 | 41,811 people | +17.3% |
| 2013 | 45,487 people | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 52,931 people | +16.4% |
| 2015 | 53,356 people | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 57,462 people | +7.7% |
| 2017 | 62,353 people | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 71,501 people | +14.7% |
| 2019 | 78,465 people | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 75,461 people | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 81,491 people | +8.0% |
| 2022 | 84,636 people | +3.9% |
| 2023 | 85,229 people | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 89,075 people | +4.5% |
Burundi compared with similar countries
- Burundi's 89,075 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 42,512 people, 2.1× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Burundi's 89,075 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 3.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Burundi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +364.6% | 50,490 people | 234,560 people |
| 1964 | +129.4% | 34,000 people | 78,000 people |
| 1996 | -88.0% | 173,016 people | 20,734 people |
| 2007 | +85.8% | 13,174 people | 24,482 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 57,044 people | 30,000 people | 79,000 people | 9 |
| 1970s | 46,247 people | 32,950 people | 50,490 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 258,734 people | 234,560 people | 273,810 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 164,544 people | 20,734 people | 300,302 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 28,973 people | 13,174 people | 48,807 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 52,839 people | 29,364 people | 78,465 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 83,178 people | 75,461 people | 89,075 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More reference data data for Burundi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0676 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5075 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.6676 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0521 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.6676 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2266 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2677 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2838 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Burundi?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Burundi was 89,075 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 300,302 people in 1994.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,174 people in 2006.
- How does Burundi rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Burundi ranks 54th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Burundi data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.