Kenya Refugee Statistics 1970-2024

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.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2023 was 538,899.00, a 6.82% increase from 2022.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2022 was 504,473.00, a 4.87% increase from 2021.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2021 was 481,048.00, a 6.21% increase from 2020.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2020 was 452,916.00, a 3.19% increase from 2019.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Refugees Granted Asylum
West Bank and Gaza 2,482,144.00
Pakistan 1,988,231.00
Bangladesh 971,984.00
Sudan 922,474.00
Kenya 538,899.00
Cameroon 485,285.00
India 252,867.00
Egypt 240,507.00
Moldova 120,947.00
Mauritania 112,549.00
Zambia 72,411.00
Nigeria 69,940.00
Republic of Congo 60,637.00
Kyrgyz Republic 27,790.00
Georgia 26,019.00
Angola 25,174.00
Djibouti 23,063.00
Papua New Guinea 10,523.00
Uzbekistan 9,405.00
Indonesia 8,450.00
Morocco 8,295.00
Ghana 7,057.00
Tunisia 3,994.00
Ukraine 2,512.00
Eswatini 1,202.00
Bolivia 1,117.00
Philippines 934.00
Sri Lanka 377.00
Lesotho 319.00
Nicaragua 311.00
Honduras 182.00
El Salvador 106.00
Cambodia 24.00
Vietnam 19.00
Mongolia 10.00
Kenya Refugee Statistics - Historical Data
Year Refugees Granted Asylum Annual % Change
2023 538,899.00 6.82%
2022 504,473.00 4.87%
2021 481,048.00 6.21%
2020 452,916.00 3.19%
2019 438,899.00 4.19%
2018 421,243.00 -2.47%
2017 431,895.00 -4.26%
2016 451,097.00 -18.56%
2015 553,907.00 0.46%
2014 551,351.00 3.07%
2013 534,935.00 -5.31%
2012 564,921.00 -0.28%
2011 566,482.00 40.60%
2010 402,891.00 12.25%
2009 358,916.00 11.95%
2008 320,598.00 20.65%
2007 265,729.00 -2.50%
2006 272,529.00 8.46%
2005 251,268.00 4.77%
2004 239,833.00 0.98%
2003 237,509.00 1.64%
2002 233,671.00 -2.32%
2001 239,221.00 16.07%
2000 206,108.00 -7.86%
1999 223,696.00 -6.08%
1998 238,187.00 2.62%
1997 232,097.00 3.78%
1996 223,640.00 -4.70%
1995 234,665.00 -7.04%
1994 252,423.00 -16.30%
1993 301,595.00 -25.01%
1992 402,194.00 234.71%
1991 120,163.00 743.31%
1990 14,249.00 12.60%
1989 12,654.00 -1.22%
1988 12,810.00 25.34%
1987 10,220.00 27.11%
1986 8,040.00 -8.53%
1985 8,790.00 9.06%
1984 8,060.00 19.23%
1983 6,760.00 42.02%
1982 4,760.00 40.83%
1981 3,380.00 -3.70%
1980 3,510.00 -39.59%
1979 5,810.00 -10.62%
1978 6,500.00 8.15%
1977 6,010.00 140.40%
1976 2,500.00 2.04%
1975 2,450.00 -10.58%
1974 2,740.00 -7.74%
1973 2,970.00 19.28%
1972 2,490.00 -4.23%
1971 2,600.00 179.57%
1970 930.00 179.57%