Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal
Portugal: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 70,349 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal, 1975–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal stood at 70,349. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 8,166.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal peaked at 70,349 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 150, in 1975.
That places Portugal 58th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 150 | — |
| 1977 | 7,500 | +4900.0% |
| 1978 | 7,500 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 7,600 | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 7,600 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 7,600 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 7,600 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 700 | -90.8% |
| 1984 | 600 | -14.3% |
| 1985 | 700 | +16.7% |
| 1986 | 800 | +14.3% |
| 1987 | 800 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 789 | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 657 | -16.7% |
| 1990 | 867 | +32.0% |
| 1991 | 998 | +15.1% |
| 1992 | 1,778 | +78.2% |
| 1993 | 600 | -66.3% |
| 1994 | 248 | -58.7% |
| 1995 | 248 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 297 | +19.8% |
| 1997 | 310 | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 329 | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 364 | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 416 | +14.3% |
| 2001 | 444 | +6.7% |
| 2002 | 460 | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 414 | -10.0% |
| 2004 | 368 | -11.1% |
| 2005 | 355 | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 322 | -9.3% |
| 2007 | 346 | +7.5% |
| 2008 | 393 | +13.6% |
| 2009 | 383 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 368 | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 399 | +8.4% |
| 2012 | 473 | +18.5% |
| 2013 | 596 | +26.0% |
| 2014 | 704 | +18.1% |
| 2015 | 851 | +20.9% |
| 2016 | 1,189 | +39.7% |
| 2017 | 1,619 | +36.2% |
| 2018 | 2,130 | +31.6% |
| 2019 | 2,375 | +11.5% |
| 2020 | 2,405 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 2,651 | +10.2% |
| 2022 | 59,777 | +2154.9% |
| 2023 | 62,807 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 68,603 | +9.2% |
| 2025 | 70,349 | +2.5% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 70,349 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11,811, 6.0× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 70,349 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 70,349, 1.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +4900.0% | 150 | 7,500 |
| 2022 | +2154.9% | 2,651 | 59,777 |
| 1983 | -90.8% | 7,600 | 700 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5,688 | 150 | 7,600 | 4 |
| 1980s | 2,785 | 600 | 7,600 | 10 |
| 1990s | 603.9 | 248 | 1,778 | 10 |
| 2000s | 390.1 | 322 | 460 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,070 | 368 | 2,375 | 10 |
| 2020s | 44,432 | 2,405 | 70,349 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 55 Zambia 83,225 compare
- 56 Cote d'Ivoire 74,630 compare
- 57 Hungary 71,332 compare
- 59 Congo 62,500 compare
- 60 Central African Republic 55,307 compare
- 61 South Africa 55,177 compare
More population data for Portugal
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0538 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4941 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,261 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.2816 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.0558 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.049 (2100)
- Population density 95.56 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 396,215 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in Portugal was 70,349 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 70,349 in 2025.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 150 in 1975.
- How does Portugal rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- Portugal ranks 58th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8,166.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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 — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).