China vs Ethiopia: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
China
153,962
in 2025
Ethiopia
164,215
in 2025
China rank
22nd
Ethiopia rank
20th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- China
- Ethiopia
How they compare
Ethiopia currently reports 164,215 against 153,962 in China, a difference of 10,253.
That makes Ethiopia's figure about 1.1 times China's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 52 shared years of data; in 1967 it was China ahead.
China ranks 22nd and Ethiopia ranks 20th of 205 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, China averaged higher in 5 and Ethiopia in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Ethiopia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 69,667 | 30,200 | 39,467 | China |
| 1970s | 70,333 | 51,397 | 18,937 | China |
| 1980s | 118 | 1.59 million | 1.59 million | Ethiopia |
| 1990s | 85,000 | 281,190 | 196,190 | Ethiopia |
| 2000s | 139,704 | 63,848 | 75,856 | China |
| 2010s | 202,763 | 82,131 | 120,632 | China |
| 2020s | 162,507 | 156,190 | 6,316 | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, China or Ethiopia?
- Ethiopia, at 164,215 against 153,962 in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between China and Ethiopia?
- 10,253, with Ethiopia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Ethiopia?
- 52 years are reported by both, from 1967 to 2025.
- How do China and Ethiopia rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- China ranks 22nd and Ethiopia ranks 20th of 205 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.