Refugees by country of asylum in Mali
Mali: Refugees by country of asylum was 135,533 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Mali, 1971–2024
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 Mali is 135,533 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 104.0% on the previous year and up 792.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Mali peaked at 135,533 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 50 people, in 1986.
That places Mali 45th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Mali, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 60 people | — |
| 1986 | 50 people | -16.7% |
| 1987 | 50 people | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 50 people | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 50 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 13,411 people | +26722.0% |
| 1991 | 13,120 people | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 13,109 people | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 15,224 people | +16.1% |
| 1994 | 15,800 people | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 17,916 people | +13.4% |
| 1996 | 18,234 people | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 12,552 people | -31.2% |
| 1998 | 13,594 people | +8.3% |
| 1999 | 8,302 people | -38.9% |
| 2000 | 8,412 people | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 8,439 people | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 9,093 people | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 10,010 people | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 11,256 people | +12.4% |
| 2005 | 11,232 people | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 10,584 people | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 9,202 people | -13.1% |
| 2008 | 9,574 people | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 13,532 people | +41.3% |
| 2010 | 13,552 people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 15,618 people | +15.2% |
| 2012 | 13,930 people | -10.8% |
| 2013 | 14,317 people | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 15,193 people | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 15,913 people | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 17,510 people | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 17,036 people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 26,538 people | +55.8% |
| 2019 | 26,672 people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 47,380 people | +77.6% |
| 2021 | 49,975 people | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 60,637 people | +21.3% |
| 2023 | 66,443 people | +9.6% |
| 2024 | 135,533 people | +104.0% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 135,533 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 42,512 people, 3.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Mali's 135,533 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 5.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Mali 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +26722.0% | 50 people | 13,411 people |
| 2024 | +104.0% | 66,443 people | 135,533 people |
| 2020 | +77.6% | 26,672 people | 47,380 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 60 people | 60 people | 60 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 50 people | 50 people | 50 people | 4 |
| 1990s | 14,126 people | 8,302 people | 18,234 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10,133 people | 8,412 people | 13,532 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 17,628 people | 13,552 people | 26,672 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 71,994 people | 47,380 people | 135,533 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More reference data data for Mali
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3081 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.25 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4025 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.4728 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 39.47 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.61 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.19 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Mali?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Mali was 135,533 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 135,533 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 50 people in 1986.
- How does Mali rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Mali ranks 45th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is up 792.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mali 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 — 40 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.