Refugees by country of asylum in Somalia
Somalia: Refugees by country of asylum was 19,503 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Somalia, 1977–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Somalia stood at 19,503 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.8% on the previous year and up 613.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Somalia peaked at 2.00 million people in 1980 and was at its lowest, 130 people, in 1999.
That places Somalia 84th 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 Somalia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 500,000 people | — |
| 1978 | 600,000 people | +20.0% |
| 1979 | 1.18 million people | +95.9% |
| 1980 | 2.00 million people | +70.2% |
| 1981 | 700,000 people | -65.0% |
| 1982 | 700,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 700,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 701,300 people | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 812,000 people | +15.8% |
| 1986 | 700,000 people | -13.8% |
| 1987 | 840,100 people | +20.0% |
| 1988 | 834,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 769,630 people | -7.7% |
| 1990 | 460,000 people | -40.2% |
| 1992 | 480 people | -99.9% |
| 1993 | 399 people | -16.9% |
| 1994 | 389 people | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 628 people | +61.4% |
| 1996 | 700 people | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 622 people | -11.1% |
| 1998 | 338 people | -45.7% |
| 1999 | 130 people | -61.5% |
| 2000 | 555 people | +326.9% |
| 2001 | 587 people | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 193 people | -67.1% |
| 2003 | 366 people | +89.6% |
| 2004 | 362 people | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 498 people | +37.6% |
| 2006 | 669 people | +34.3% |
| 2007 | 903 people | +35.0% |
| 2008 | 1,842 people | +104.0% |
| 2009 | 1,819 people | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 1,934 people | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 2,100 people | +8.6% |
| 2012 | 2,307 people | +9.9% |
| 2013 | 2,426 people | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 2,732 people | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 8,081 people | +195.8% |
| 2016 | 11,579 people | +43.3% |
| 2017 | 14,565 people | +25.8% |
| 2018 | 16,738 people | +14.9% |
| 2019 | 17,882 people | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 11,220 people | -37.3% |
| 2021 | 13,804 people | +23.0% |
| 2022 | 16,023 people | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 17,770 people | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 19,503 people | +9.8% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 19,503 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 42,512 people, 46% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 19,503 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 77% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Somalia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +326.9% | 130 people | 555 people |
| 2015 | +195.8% | 2,732 people | 8,081 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 758,397 people | 500,000 people | 1.18 million people | 3 |
| 1980s | 875,703 people | 700,000 people | 2.00 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 51,521 people | 130 people | 460,000 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 779.4 people | 193 people | 1,842 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8,034 people | 1,934 people | 17,882 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,664 people | 11,220 people | 19,503 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 81 North Macedonia 20,911 people compare
- 82 Afghanistan 20,866 people compare
- 83 Nepal 19,598 people compare
- 85 Venezuela 19,333 people compare
- 86 Montenegro 18,670 people compare
- 87 Benin 16,232 people compare
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2637 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0493 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8842 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3652 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 43.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Somalia?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Somalia was 19,503 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.00 million people in 1980.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 130 people in 1999.
- How does Somalia rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Somalia ranks 84th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 613.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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 — 47 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.