Refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania
Mauritania: Refugees by country of asylum was 155,193 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania, 1987–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania stood at 155,193 people. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
That represents a change of up 37.9% on the previous year and up 105.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania peaked at 155,193 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26 people, in 1998.
That places Mauritania 39th 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 Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 50 people | — |
| 1989 | 15,000 people | +29900.0% |
| 1990 | 60,000 people | +300.0% |
| 1991 | 35,200 people | -41.3% |
| 1992 | 37,500 people | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 51,548 people | +37.5% |
| 1994 | 82,225 people | +59.5% |
| 1995 | 34,392 people | -58.2% |
| 1996 | 15,877 people | -53.8% |
| 1997 | 7,512 people | -52.7% |
| 1998 | 26 people | -99.7% |
| 1999 | 221 people | +750.0% |
| 2000 | 350 people | +58.4% |
| 2001 | 363 people | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 398 people | +9.6% |
| 2003 | 475 people | +19.3% |
| 2004 | 473 people | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 627 people | +32.6% |
| 2006 | 771 people | +23.0% |
| 2007 | 30,465 people | +3851.4% |
| 2008 | 27,036 people | -11.3% |
| 2009 | 26,789 people | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 26,709 people | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 26,535 people | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 80,500 people | +203.4% |
| 2013 | 92,766 people | +15.2% |
| 2014 | 75,628 people | -18.5% |
| 2015 | 77,390 people | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 74,146 people | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 77,424 people | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 83,183 people | +7.4% |
| 2019 | 84,900 people | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 93,607 people | +10.3% |
| 2021 | 101,942 people | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 100,981 people | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 112,549 people | +11.5% |
| 2024 | 155,193 people | +37.9% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 155,193 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,240 people, 16.8× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 155,193 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 6.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +29900.0% | 50 people | 15,000 people |
| 2007 | +3851.4% | 771 people | 30,465 people |
| 1999 | +750.0% | 26 people | 221 people |
| 1990 | +300.0% | 15,000 people | 60,000 people |
| 2012 | +203.4% | 26,535 people | 80,500 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7,525 people | 50 people | 15,000 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 32,450 people | 26 people | 82,225 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 8,775 people | 350 people | 30,465 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 69,918 people | 26,535 people | 92,766 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 112,854 people | 93,607 people | 155,193 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Mauritania was 155,193 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 155,193 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 26 people in 1998.
- How does Mauritania rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Mauritania ranks 39th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 105.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania 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 — 37 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.