Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium
Belgium: Refugees by country of asylum was 183,551 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
183,551 people
Change on year
up 9.4%
World rank
35th
of 183 countries
All-time high
183,551 people
in 2024
All-time low
11,100 people
in 1974
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 183,551 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 9.4% on the previous year and up 529.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Belgium peaked at 183,551 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11,100 people, in 1974.
That places Belgium 35th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 55,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 53,500 people | -2.7% |
| 1953 | 53,000 people | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 53,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 65,000 people | +22.6% |
| 1957 | 69,000 people | +6.2% |
| 1958 | 63,000 people | -8.7% |
| 1959 | 58,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1960 | 55,000 people | -5.2% |
| 1961 | 53,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 51,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 50,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 47,000 people | -6.0% |
| 1965 | 47,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 40,000 people | -14.9% |
| 1967 | 34,000 people | -15.0% |
| 1968 | 33,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 30,000 people | -9.1% |
| 1970 | 31,500 people | +5.0% |
| 1971 | 29,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1972 | 29,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 20,000 people | -31.0% |
| 1974 | 11,100 people | -44.5% |
| 1975 | 16,788 people | +51.2% |
| 1976 | 17,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 17,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 32,000 people | +88.2% |
| 1980 | 33,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 35,000 people | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 21,000 people | -40.0% |
| 1983 | 35,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1984 | 36,400 people | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 36,600 people | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 35,900 people | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 22,000 people | -38.7% |
| 1988 | 23,117 people | +5.1% |
| 1989 | 25,531 people | +10.4% |
| 1990 | 25,911 people | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 24,071 people | -7.1% |
| 1992 | 24,292 people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 24,908 people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 19,497 people | -21.7% |
| 1995 | 31,691 people | +62.5% |
| 1996 | 36,060 people | +13.8% |
| 1997 | 36,060 people | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 15,501 people | -57.0% |
| 1999 | 16,747 people | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 18,821 people | +12.4% |
| 2001 | 12,252 people | -34.9% |
| 2002 | 12,560 people | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 12,583 people | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 13,522 people | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 15,277 people | +13.0% |
| 2006 | 16,811 people | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 17,578 people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 17,025 people | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 15,536 people | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 17,891 people | +15.2% |
| 2011 | 22,396 people | +25.2% |
| 2012 | 22,023 people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 25,617 people | +16.3% |
| 2014 | 29,170 people | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 35,302 people | +21.0% |
| 2016 | 42,158 people | +19.4% |
| 2017 | 42,158 people | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 42,158 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 61,662 people | +46.3% |
| 2020 | 64,973 people | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 74,063 people | +14.0% |
| 2022 | 150,713 people | +103.5% |
| 2023 | 167,831 people | +11.4% |
| 2024 | 183,551 people | +9.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 58,056 people | 53,000 people | 69,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 44,000 people | 30,000 people | 55,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 22,039 people | 11,100 people | 32,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 30,355 people | 21,000 people | 36,600 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 25,474 people | 15,501 people | 36,060 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 15,196 people | 12,252 people | 18,821 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 34,054 people | 17,891 people | 61,662 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 128,226 people | 64,973 people | 183,551 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More population data for Belgium
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.1094 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0945 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 12,091 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2011 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0085 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 365.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 461,216 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Belgium?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Belgium was 183,551 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 183,551 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,100 people in 1974.
- How does Belgium rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Belgium ranks 35th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 529.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.