Sweden: Refugee population

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
 Sweden

Refugee population

 Latest value 237,632
 Year 2023
 Measure refugees
 Data availability 1960 - 2023
 Average 102,574
 Min - Max 17,000 - 277,726
 Source United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
 Available for Data download
The latest value from 2023 is 237632 refugees, a decline from 277726 refugees in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 233913 refugees, based on data from 159 countries. Historically, the average for Sweden from 1960 to 2023 is 102574 refugees. The minimum value, 17000 refugees, was reached in 1968 while the maximum of 277726 refugees was recorded in 2022. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
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 Recent values Sweden: Refugee population
 2023 237,632
 2022 277,726
 2021 240,854
 2020 248,372
 2019 253,787
 2018 248,210
 2017 240,954
 2016 230,158




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.

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 Related indicators Latest Reference Measure
 Population size 10.60 2025 million
 Percent urban population 89.08 2025 percent
 Population density 26 2023 people per square km
 Population ages 65 and above 20.91 2025 percent
 Percent children 16.71 2025 percent
 Percent female population 49.63 2024 percent
 Rural population, percent 10.92 2025 percent
 Age dependency ratio 60.31 2025 percent
 Refugee population 237,632 2023 refugees
 Migrant population 21 2024 percent
 Population growth 0.25 2025 percent
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