Refugees by country of asylum in Nepal
Nepal: Refugees by country of asylum was 19,598 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Nepal, 1964–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Nepal stood at 19,598 people.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 49.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Nepal peaked at 132,432 people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 7,000 people, in 1964.
That places Nepal 83rd 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 7,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 7,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 7,180 people | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 7,730 people | +7.7% |
| 1969 | 7,990 people | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 8,060 people | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 7,930 people | -1.6% |
| 1972 | 8,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 8,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 8,100 people | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 8,200 people | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 8,300 people | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 8,400 people | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 8,500 people | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 8,600 people | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 8,700 people | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 8,800 people | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 9,800 people | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 10,800 people | +10.2% |
| 1984 | 11,800 people | +9.3% |
| 1985 | 12,800 people | +8.5% |
| 1986 | 13,800 people | +7.8% |
| 1987 | 14,800 people | +7.2% |
| 1988 | 15,800 people | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 16,850 people | +6.6% |
| 1990 | 17,800 people | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 28,319 people | +59.1% |
| 1992 | 95,251 people | +236.4% |
| 1993 | 105,344 people | +10.6% |
| 1994 | 123,270 people | +17.0% |
| 1995 | 124,751 people | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 126,814 people | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 129,158 people | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 126,104 people | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 127,942 people | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 129,234 people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 130,945 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 132,432 people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 123,662 people | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 124,920 people | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 126,432 people | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 128,172 people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 130,678 people | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 124,826 people | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 108,457 people | -13.1% |
| 2010 | 89,804 people | -17.2% |
| 2011 | 72,651 people | -19.1% |
| 2012 | 56,263 people | -22.6% |
| 2013 | 46,303 people | -17.7% |
| 2014 | 38,490 people | -16.9% |
| 2015 | 32,669 people | -15.1% |
| 2016 | 25,249 people | -22.7% |
| 2017 | 21,467 people | -15.0% |
| 2018 | 20,804 people | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 19,570 people | -5.9% |
| 2020 | 19,555 people | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 19,574 people | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 19,560 people | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 19,582 people | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 19,598 people | +0.1% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 19,598 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,240 people, 2.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Nepal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +236.4% | 28,319 people | 95,251 people |
| 1991 | +59.1% | 17,800 people | 28,319 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7,317 people | 7,000 people | 7,990 people | 6 |
| 1970s | 8,209 people | 7,930 people | 8,600 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 12,395 people | 8,700 people | 16,850 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 100,475 people | 17,800 people | 129,158 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 125,976 people | 108,457 people | 132,432 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 42,327 people | 19,570 people | 89,804 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,574 people | 19,555 people | 19,598 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 80 Ecuador 23,218 people compare
- 81 North Macedonia 20,911 people compare
- 82 Afghanistan 20,866 people compare
- 84 Somalia 19,503 people compare
- 85 Venezuela 19,333 people compare
- 86 Montenegro 18,670 people compare
More reference data data for Nepal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7753 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7853 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.6 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.7974 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.28 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Nepal?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Nepal was 19,598 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 132,432 people in 2002.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,000 people in 1964.
- How does Nepal rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Nepal ranks 83rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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 — 61 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.