Refugees by country of asylum in Senegal
Senegal: Refugees by country of asylum was 11,836 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Senegal, 1963–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Senegal recorded 11,836 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Senegal peaked at 90,000 people in 1974 and was at its lowest, 4,000 people, in 1981.
Senegal ranks 90th 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 Senegal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 6,000 people | — |
| 1964 | 30,000 people | +400.0% |
| 1965 | 50,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1966 | 61,400 people | +22.8% |
| 1967 | 59,870 people | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 57,210 people | -4.4% |
| 1969 | 68,400 people | +19.6% |
| 1970 | 67,060 people | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 80,000 people | +19.3% |
| 1972 | 82,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 84,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1974 | 90,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 46,000 people | -48.9% |
| 1976 | 38,000 people | -17.4% |
| 1977 | 5,000 people | -86.8% |
| 1978 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 5,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4,000 people | -20.0% |
| 1982 | 5,250 people | +31.2% |
| 1983 | 5,140 people | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 5,200 people | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 5,500 people | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 5,510 people | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 5,180 people | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 5,203 people | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 53,345 people | +925.3% |
| 1990 | 58,113 people | +8.9% |
| 1991 | 71,908 people | +23.7% |
| 1992 | 71,620 people | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 73,001 people | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 72,994 people | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 66,762 people | -8.5% |
| 1996 | 65,042 people | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 57,220 people | -12.0% |
| 1998 | 60,822 people | +6.3% |
| 1999 | 21,537 people | -64.6% |
| 2000 | 20,762 people | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 20,703 people | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 20,706 people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 20,722 people | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 20,802 people | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 20,706 people | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 20,587 people | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 20,417 people | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 33,189 people | +62.6% |
| 2009 | 22,143 people | -33.3% |
| 2010 | 20,670 people | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 20,640 people | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 14,229 people | -31.1% |
| 2013 | 14,241 people | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 14,267 people | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 14,383 people | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 14,575 people | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 14,646 people | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 14,359 people | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 14,467 people | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 14,361 people | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 14,479 people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 11,802 people | -18.5% |
| 2023 | 11,856 people | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 11,836 people | -0.2% |
Senegal compared with similar countries
- Senegal's 11,836 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9,240 people, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Senegal's 11,836 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 47% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Senegal 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 | +925.3% | 5,203 people | 53,345 people |
| 1964 | +400.0% | 6,000 people | 30,000 people |
| 1977 | -86.8% | 38,000 people | 5,000 people |
| 1965 | +66.7% | 30,000 people | 50,000 people |
| 1999 | -64.6% | 60,822 people | 21,537 people |
| 2008 | +62.6% | 20,417 people | 33,189 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 47,554 people | 6,000 people | 68,400 people | 7 |
| 1970s | 50,206 people | 5,000 people | 90,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,933 people | 4,000 people | 53,345 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 61,902 people | 21,537 people | 73,001 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 22,074 people | 20,417 people | 33,189 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15,648 people | 14,229 people | 20,670 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12,867 people | 11,802 people | 14,479 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
More reference data data for Senegal
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2247 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1649 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7534 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.5106 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 17.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 20.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8979 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Senegal?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Senegal was 11,836 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 90,000 people in 1974.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,000 people in 1981.
- How does Senegal rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Senegal ranks 90th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Senegal 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 — 62 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.