Refugees by country of asylum in Sudan
Sudan: Refugees by country of asylum was 793,395 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Sudan, 1967–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Sudan stood at 793,395 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.0% on the previous year and up 185.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Sudan peaked at 1.16 million people in 1985 and was at its lowest, 33,000 people, in 1967.
Sudan ranks 10th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Sudan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 33,000 people | — |
| 1968 | 38,300 people | +16.1% |
| 1969 | 37,350 people | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 60,840 people | +62.9% |
| 1971 | 60,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 49,020 people | -18.3% |
| 1973 | 50,900 people | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 53,700 people | +5.5% |
| 1975 | 95,500 people | +77.8% |
| 1976 | 110,100 people | +15.3% |
| 1977 | 150,000 people | +36.2% |
| 1978 | 270,000 people | +80.0% |
| 1979 | 351,700 people | +30.3% |
| 1980 | 493,000 people | +40.2% |
| 1981 | 553,000 people | +12.2% |
| 1982 | 637,000 people | +15.2% |
| 1983 | 690,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1984 | 971,000 people | +40.7% |
| 1985 | 1.16 million people | +19.9% |
| 1986 | 974,200 people | -16.3% |
| 1987 | 807,070 people | -17.2% |
| 1988 | 745,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1989 | 767,729 people | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 1.03 million people | +34.3% |
| 1991 | 729,200 people | -29.3% |
| 1992 | 725,900 people | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 745,200 people | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 727,174 people | -2.4% |
| 1995 | 674,071 people | -7.3% |
| 1996 | 393,874 people | -41.6% |
| 1997 | 374,414 people | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 391,496 people | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 390,995 people | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 414,928 people | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 349,209 people | -15.8% |
| 2002 | 328,177 people | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 138,162 people | -57.9% |
| 2004 | 141,587 people | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 147,255 people | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 196,200 people | +33.2% |
| 2007 | 222,720 people | +13.5% |
| 2008 | 181,605 people | -18.5% |
| 2009 | 186,292 people | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 178,305 people | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 139,407 people | -21.8% |
| 2012 | 152,188 people | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 159,848 people | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 277,818 people | +73.8% |
| 2015 | 309,632 people | +11.5% |
| 2016 | 421,459 people | +36.1% |
| 2017 | 906,590 people | +115.1% |
| 2018 | 1.08 million people | +18.9% |
| 2019 | 1.06 million people | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 1.04 million people | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 1.10 million people | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 1.10 million people | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 922,474 people | -15.9% |
| 2024 | 793,395 people | -14.0% |
Sudan compared with similar countries
- Sudan's 793,395 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 42,512 people, 18.7× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sudan's 793,395 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25,275 people, 31.4× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Sudan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +115.1% | 421,459 people | 906,590 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 36,217 people | 33,000 people | 38,300 people | 3 |
| 1970s | 125,176 people | 49,020 people | 351,700 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 780,200 people | 493,000 people | 1.16 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 618,337 people | 374,414 people | 1.03 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 230,614 people | 138,162 people | 414,928 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 467,902 people | 139,407 people | 1.08 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 991,442 people | 793,395 people | 1.10 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sudan
More reference data data for Sudan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5846 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 17.81 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.69 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4356 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 19.69 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.96 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.8148 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 80.68 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 93.88 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.37 (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Sudan?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Sudan was 793,395 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 Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.16 million people in 1985.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 33,000 people in 1967.
- How does Sudan rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Sudan ranks 10th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 185.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sudan 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 — 58 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.