Ethiopia: Refugee population

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 Ethiopia

Refugee population

 Latest value 979,846
 Year 2023
 Measure refugees
 Data availability 1968 - 2023
 Average 304,665
 Min - Max 5,400 - 979,846
 Source United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
 Available for Data download
The latest value from 2023 is 979846 refugees, an increase from 879598 refugees in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 233913 refugees, based on data from 159 countries. Historically, the average for Ethiopia from 1968 to 2023 is 304665 refugees. The minimum value, 5400 refugees, was reached in 1973 while the maximum of 979846 refugees was recorded in 2023. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
From   To 


 Recent values Ethiopia: Refugee population
 2023 979,846
 2022 879,598
 2021 821,283
 2020 800,454
 2019 733,123
 2018 903,226
 2017 889,412
 2016 791,631




Definition: Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of asylum is the country where an asylum claim was filed and granted.

Other resources:

Download data from our database

All indicators for Ethiopia

All indicators on the website

Article: Are trade deficits bad for the economy?

Article: Sources of economic growth

Article: Currency values and investment returns

All articles



 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Population size 135.47 2025 million
 Percent urban population 24.11 2025 percent
 Population density 114 2023 people per square km
 Population ages 65 and above 3.30 2025 percent
 Percent children 38.78 2025 percent
 Percent female population 49.90 2024 percent
 Rural population, percent 75.89 2025 percent
 Age dependency ratio 72.64 2025 percent
 Refugee population 979,846 2023 refugees
 Population growth 2.55 2025 percent
This site uses cookies.
Learn more here


OK