Refugees by country of asylum in Norway
Norway: Refugees by country of asylum was 123,981 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugees by country of asylum in Norway, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Norway recorded 123,981 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024. That is the highest value across all 68 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 19.7% on the previous year and up 163.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Norway peaked at 123,981 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1,000 people, in 1976.
That places Norway 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Norway, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 2,500 people | — |
| 1952 | 2,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2,500 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2,300 people | -8.0% |
| 1955 | 2,300 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2,800 people | +21.7% |
| 1957 | 3,400 people | +21.4% |
| 1958 | 3,300 people | -2.9% |
| 1959 | 3,100 people | -6.1% |
| 1960 | 3,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1961 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 2,000 people | -33.3% |
| 1971 | 3,000 people | +50.0% |
| 1972 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 3,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1,000 people | -66.7% |
| 1977 | 6,000 people | +500.0% |
| 1978 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 6,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 10,000 people | +66.7% |
| 1984 | 10,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 11,800 people | +18.0% |
| 1986 | 13,200 people | +11.9% |
| 1987 | 15,000 people | +13.6% |
| 1988 | 10,952 people | -27.0% |
| 1989 | 18,500 people | +68.9% |
| 1990 | 19,581 people | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 29,054 people | +48.4% |
| 1992 | 29,846 people | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 38,375 people | +28.6% |
| 1994 | 44,617 people | +16.3% |
| 1995 | 47,607 people | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 48,409 people | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 47,372 people | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 45,325 people | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 43,441 people | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 47,700 people | +9.8% |
| 2001 | 50,122 people | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 50,421 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 46,107 people | -8.6% |
| 2004 | 44,031 people | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 43,015 people | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 43,315 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 34,499 people | -20.4% |
| 2008 | 36,076 people | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 37,806 people | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 40,245 people | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 40,671 people | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 42,805 people | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 46,088 people | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 47,025 people | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 50,377 people | +7.1% |
| 2016 | 59,512 people | +18.1% |
| 2017 | 59,230 people | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 57,004 people | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 53,882 people | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 49,653 people | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 46,042 people | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 75,311 people | +63.6% |
| 2023 | 103,606 people | +37.6% |
| 2024 | 123,981 people | +19.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,744 people | 2,300 people | 3,400 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 3,000 people | 4 |
| 1970s | 3,600 people | 1,000 people | 6,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 10,745 people | 6,000 people | 18,500 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 39,363 people | 19,581 people | 48,409 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 43,309 people | 34,499 people | 50,421 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 49,684 people | 40,245 people | 59,512 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 79,719 people | 46,042 people | 123,981 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More population data for Norway
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1866 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 6,368 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.6612 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1496 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 14.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 224,990 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Norway?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Norway was 123,981 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 123,981 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,000 people in 1976.
- How does Norway rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Norway ranks 47th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 163.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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 — 68 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.