Refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala
Guatemala: Refugees by country of asylum was 1,306 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala, 1972–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala is 1,306 people, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 32.1% on the previous year and up 716.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala peaked at 223,377 people in 1990 and was at its lowest, 127 people, in 2008.
That places Guatemala 122nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Guatemala, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 160 people | — |
| 1980 | 4,130 people | +2481.2% |
| 1981 | 100,000 people | +2321.3% |
| 1982 | 70,000 people | -30.0% |
| 1983 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 70,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 12,000 people | -82.9% |
| 1986 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 12,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 223,100 people | +1759.2% |
| 1989 | 223,100 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 223,377 people | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 223,236 people | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 222,929 people | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 4,689 people | -97.9% |
| 1994 | 4,672 people | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 1,497 people | -68.0% |
| 1996 | 1,560 people | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 1,501 people | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 814 people | -45.8% |
| 1999 | 731 people | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 720 people | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 724 people | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 732 people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 714 people | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 655 people | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 388 people | -40.8% |
| 2006 | 379 people | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 377 people | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 127 people | -66.3% |
| 2009 | 127 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 137 people | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 148 people | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 157 people | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 154 people | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 160 people | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 222 people | +38.8% |
| 2016 | 295 people | +32.9% |
| 2017 | 360 people | +22.0% |
| 2018 | 380 people | +5.6% |
| 2019 | 408 people | +7.4% |
| 2020 | 442 people | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 479 people | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 701 people | +46.3% |
| 2023 | 989 people | +41.1% |
| 2024 | 1,306 people | +32.1% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 1,306 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,251 people, 21% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 1,306 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 166 people, 7.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala 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 | +2481.2% | 160 people | 4,130 people |
| 1981 | +2321.3% | 4,130 people | 100,000 people |
| 1988 | +1759.2% | 12,000 people | 223,100 people |
| 1993 | -97.9% | 222,929 people | 4,689 people |
| 1985 | -82.9% | 70,000 people | 12,000 people |
| 1995 | -68.0% | 4,672 people | 1,497 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 160 people | 160 people | 160 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 79,633 people | 4,130 people | 223,100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 68,501 people | 731 people | 223,377 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 494.3 people | 127 people | 732 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 242.1 people | 137 people | 408 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 783.4 people | 442 people | 1,306 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
More reference data data for Guatemala
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9286 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1246 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 7.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 18.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6786 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Guatemala was 1,306 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 223,377 people in 1990.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was 127 people in 2008.
- How does Guatemala rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Guatemala ranks 122nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is up 716.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala 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 — 46 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.