Kenya Refugee Statistics 1970-2023

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 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.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2019 was 438,899.00, a 4.19% increase from 2018.
  • Kenya refugee statistics for 2018 was 421,243.00, a 2.47% decline from 2017.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Refugees Granted Asylum
West Bank and Gaza 2,400,208.00
Pakistan 1,491,070.00
Sudan 1,103,918.00
Bangladesh 918,907.00
Kenya 481,048.00
Cameroon 457,269.00
Egypt 280,686.00
India 212,413.00
Mauritania 101,942.00
Nigeria 77,132.00
Zambia 75,154.00
Republic of Congo 40,765.00
Angola 26,045.00
Djibouti 23,232.00
Uzbekistan 13,032.00
Ghana 11,894.00
Papua New Guinea 11,839.00
Indonesia 9,982.00
Morocco 7,272.00
Tunisia 3,186.00
Ukraine 2,382.00
Georgia 1,818.00
Bolivia 1,116.00
Sri Lanka 907.00
Eswatini 895.00
Philippines 801.00
Moldova 349.00
Kyrgyz Republic 317.00
Nicaragua 313.00
Lesotho 296.00
Honduras 144.00
El Salvador 98.00
Cambodia 24.00
Kenya Refugee Statistics - Historical Data
Year Refugees Granted Asylum Annual % Change
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%