Refugees by country of asylum in China
China: Refugees by country of asylum was 303,405 people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Refugees by country of asylum in China, 1966–2020
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees by country of asylum in China is 303,405 people, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in China peaked at 321,758 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 970 people, in 1966.
China ranks 25th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Refugees by country of asylum in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 970 people | — |
| 1979 | 250,000 people | +25673.2% |
| 1980 | 263,000 people | +5.2% |
| 1981 | 265,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 272,100 people | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 276,630 people | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 279,750 people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 279,670 people | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 281,790 people | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 280,600 people | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 284,300 people | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 284,300 people | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 287,276 people | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 289,061 people | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 288,123 people | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 287,424 people | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 287,065 people | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 288,310 people | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 290,099 people | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 291,506 people | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 292,345 people | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 293,297 people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 294,109 people | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 295,321 people | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 297,273 people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 299,347 people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 299,367 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 301,039 people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 301,024 people | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 301,075 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 300,966 people | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 300,985 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 300,984 people | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 301,016 people | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 301,037 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 301,045 people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 301,052 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 301,044 people | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 317,254 people | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 321,714 people | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 321,758 people | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 303,379 people | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 303,405 people | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 970 people | 970 people | 970 people | 1 |
| 1970s | 250,000 people | 250,000 people | 250,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 276,714 people | 263,000 people | 284,300 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 289,451 people | 287,065 people | 293,297 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 299,051 people | 294,109 people | 301,075 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 307,028 people | 300,984 people | 321,758 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 303,405 people | 303,405 people | 303,405 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.68 (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in China?
- Refugees by country of asylum in China was 303,405 people in 2020, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 321,758 people in 2018.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 970 people in 1966.
- How does China rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- China ranks 25th out of 183 countries with data for 2020.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 — 43 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.