Malaysia vs Sweden: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum
Malaysia
150,164
in 2025
Sweden
144,116
in 2025
Malaysia rank
40th
Sweden rank
42nd
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum over time
- Malaysia
- Sweden
How they compare
Malaysia currently reports 150,164 against 144,116 in Sweden, a difference of 6,048.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 49 shared years of data; in 1977 it was Malaysia ahead.
Malaysia ranks 40th and Sweden ranks 42nd of 183 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Malaysia averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Malaysia | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 120,820 | 20,000 | 100,820 | Malaysia |
| 1980s | 104,506 | 81,377 | 23,129 | Malaysia |
| 1990s | 16,262 | 164,370 | 148,107 | Sweden |
| 2000s | 39,016 | 101,958 | 62,942 | Sweden |
| 2010s | 99,589 | 166,109 | 66,520 | Sweden |
| 2020s | 136,832 | 218,622 | 81,789 | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of asylum, Malaysia or Sweden?
- Malaysia, at 150,164 against 144,116 in Sweden as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of asylum between Malaysia and Sweden?
- 6,048, with Malaysia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Malaysia and Sweden?
- 49 years are reported by both, from 1977 to 2025.
- How do Malaysia and Sweden rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Malaysia ranks 40th and Sweden ranks 42nd of 183 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.