Refugees by country of asylum in Sweden
Sweden: Refugees by country of asylum was 163,029 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Sweden, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of asylum in Sweden stood at 163,029 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 31.4% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Sweden peaked at 277,726 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 17,000 people, in 1968.
Sweden ranks 38th of 183 countries on this measure, 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 44,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 42,000 people | -4.5% |
| 1953 | 37,000 people | -11.9% |
| 1954 | 33,000 people | -10.8% |
| 1955 | 28,000 people | -15.2% |
| 1956 | 31,000 people | +10.7% |
| 1957 | 33,000 people | +6.5% |
| 1958 | 31,000 people | -6.1% |
| 1959 | 28,000 people | -9.7% |
| 1960 | 26,000 people | -7.1% |
| 1961 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 26,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 24,000 people | -7.7% |
| 1965 | 22,000 people | -8.3% |
| 1966 | 20,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1967 | 18,000 people | -10.0% |
| 1968 | 17,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1969 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 20,000 people | +17.6% |
| 1971 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 43,000 people | +115.0% |
| 1984 | 90,600 people | +110.7% |
| 1985 | 90,600 people | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 120,000 people | +32.5% |
| 1987 | 130,000 people | +8.3% |
| 1988 | 139,783 people | +7.5% |
| 1989 | 139,783 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 109,654 people | -21.6% |
| 1991 | 124,457 people | +13.5% |
| 1992 | 131,069 people | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 162,386 people | +23.9% |
| 1994 | 200,774 people | +23.6% |
| 1995 | 199,194 people | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 191,159 people | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 186,719 people | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 178,782 people | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 159,504 people | -10.8% |
| 2000 | 157,206 people | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 146,480 people | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 142,170 people | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 112,143 people | -21.1% |
| 2004 | 73,383 people | -34.6% |
| 2005 | 74,889 people | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 79,895 people | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 75,055 people | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 77,016 people | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 81,346 people | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 82,620 people | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 86,603 people | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 92,869 people | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 114,172 people | +22.9% |
| 2014 | 142,197 people | +24.5% |
| 2015 | 169,516 people | +19.2% |
| 2016 | 230,158 people | +35.8% |
| 2017 | 240,954 people | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 248,210 people | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 253,787 people | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 248,372 people | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 240,854 people | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 277,726 people | +15.3% |
| 2023 | 237,632 people | -14.4% |
| 2024 | 163,029 people | -31.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 163,029 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 16.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 163,029 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68,603 people, 2.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +115.0% | 20,000 people | 43,000 people |
| 1984 | +110.7% | 43,000 people | 90,600 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 34,111 people | 28,000 people | 44,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 22,200 people | 17,000 people | 26,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 20,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 81,377 people | 20,000 people | 139,783 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 164,370 people | 109,654 people | 200,774 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 101,958 people | 73,383 people | 157,206 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 166,109 people | 82,620 people | 253,787 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 233,523 people | 163,029 people | 277,726 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More reference data data for Sweden
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4328 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9766 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Sweden?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Sweden was 163,029 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 277,726 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 17,000 people in 1968.
- How does Sweden rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Sweden ranks 38th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden 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 — 74 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.