Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya
Kenya: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 617,125 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya, 1970–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 617,125 for refugee population by country or territory of asylum in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya peaked at 617,125 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 930, in 1970.
That places Kenya 12th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 930 | — |
| 1971 | 2,600 | +179.6% |
| 1972 | 2,490 | -4.2% |
| 1973 | 2,970 | +19.3% |
| 1974 | 2,740 | -7.7% |
| 1975 | 2,450 | -10.6% |
| 1976 | 2,500 | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 6,010 | +140.4% |
| 1978 | 6,500 | +8.2% |
| 1979 | 5,810 | -10.6% |
| 1980 | 3,510 | -39.6% |
| 1981 | 3,380 | -3.7% |
| 1982 | 4,760 | +40.8% |
| 1983 | 6,760 | +42.0% |
| 1984 | 8,060 | +19.2% |
| 1985 | 8,790 | +9.1% |
| 1986 | 8,040 | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 10,220 | +27.1% |
| 1988 | 12,810 | +25.3% |
| 1989 | 12,654 | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 14,249 | +12.6% |
| 1991 | 120,163 | +743.3% |
| 1992 | 402,194 | +234.7% |
| 1993 | 301,595 | -25.0% |
| 1994 | 252,423 | -16.3% |
| 1995 | 234,665 | -7.0% |
| 1996 | 223,640 | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 232,097 | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 238,187 | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 223,696 | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 206,108 | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 239,221 | +16.1% |
| 2002 | 233,671 | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 237,509 | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 239,833 | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 251,268 | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 272,529 | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 265,729 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | 320,598 | +20.6% |
| 2009 | 358,916 | +12.0% |
| 2010 | 402,891 | +12.3% |
| 2011 | 566,482 | +40.6% |
| 2012 | 564,921 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 534,935 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 551,351 | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 553,907 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 451,097 | -18.6% |
| 2017 | 431,895 | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 421,243 | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 438,899 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 452,916 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 481,048 | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 504,473 | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 538,899 | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 604,257 | +12.1% |
| 2025 | 617,125 | +2.1% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 617,125 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8,620, 71.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 617,125 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 35,241, 17.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +743.3% | 14,249 | 120,163 |
| 1992 | +234.7% | 120,163 | 402,194 |
| 1971 | +179.6% | 930 | 2,600 |
| 1977 | +140.4% | 2,500 | 6,010 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3,500 | 930 | 6,500 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7,898 | 3,380 | 12,810 | 10 |
| 1990s | 224,291 | 14,249 | 402,194 | 10 |
| 2000s | 262,538 | 206,108 | 358,916 | 10 |
| 2010s | 491,762 | 402,891 | 566,482 | 10 |
| 2020s | 533,120 | 452,916 | 617,125 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More population data for Kenya
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.22 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0288 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1094 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 85,212 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7363 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.038 (2100)
- Population density 183.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 6.40 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Kenya was 617,125 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 617,125 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 930 in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Kenya ranks 12th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).