Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people was 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
27th
of 204 countries
All-time high
1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants
in 1990
All-time low
1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants
in 1985
Years of data
40
1985–2024
Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka, 1985–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people per 100,000 inhabitants.
Analysis
In 2024, refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka stood at 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka peaked at 1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants in 1990 and was at its lowest, 1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants, in 1985.
Sri Lanka ranks 27th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people per 100,000 inhabitants | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants | — |
| 1986 | 2 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +94.5% |
| 1987 | 1.38 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -31.3% |
| 1988 | 21.07 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +1431.4% |
| 1989 | 47.34 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +124.7% |
| 1990 | 1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +2590.4% |
| 1991 | 1,271 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 765.36 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -39.8% |
| 1993 | 539.39 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -29.5% |
| 1994 | 662.51 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +22.8% |
| 1995 | 612.54 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -7.5% |
| 1996 | 611.99 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 670.08 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +9.5% |
| 1998 | 618.26 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -7.7% |
| 1999 | 615.99 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 643.53 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 624.55 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 672.73 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 611.51 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 567.76 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -7.2% |
| 2005 | 534.87 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 574.62 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +7.4% |
| 2007 | 658.51 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +14.6% |
| 2008 | 667.7 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 702 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 675.62 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 650.21 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 626.94 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 576.22 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 566.15 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 558.8 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 536.14 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 523.52 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 512.09 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 492.36 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 632.33 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +28.4% |
| 2021 | 665.68 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 648.76 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 632.6 people per 100,000 inhabitants | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants | +0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.43 people per 100,000 inhabitants, 18.5× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants is above the median for South Asia, which is 21.42 people per 100,000 inhabitants, 29.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +2590.4% | 47.34 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants |
| 1988 | +1431.4% | 1.38 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 21.07 people per 100,000 inhabitants |
| 1989 | +124.7% | 21.07 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 47.34 people per 100,000 inhabitants |
| 1986 | +94.5% | 1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 2 people per 100,000 inhabitants |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.56 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 47.34 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 5 |
| 1990s | 764.04 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 539.39 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 10 |
| 2000s | 625.78 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 534.87 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 702 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 10 |
| 2010s | 571.8 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 492.36 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 675.62 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 10 |
| 2020s | 643.15 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 632.33 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 665.68 people per 100,000 inhabitants | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 24 Mauritania 737.24 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
- 25 Iraq 663.51 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
- 26 Burkina Faso 637.32 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
- 28 Armenia 535.77 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
- 29 Croatia 461.67 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
- 30 Georgia 434.75 people per 100,000 inhabitants compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka?
- Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people in Sri Lanka was 636.41 people per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1,274 people per 100,000 inhabitants in 1990.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.03 people per 100,000 inhabitants in 1985.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people?
- Sri Lanka ranks 27th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025); Population based on various sources (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of origin per 100,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. This data is given per 100,000 people in their country of origin.