Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland
Switzerland: Refugees by country of asylum was 196,167 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
196,167 people
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
33rd
of 183 countries
All-time high
196,167 people
in 2024
All-time low
9,200 people
in 1955
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 196,167 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 213.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland peaked at 196,167 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9,200 people, in 1955.
Switzerland ranks 33rd of 183 countries on this measure, 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 10,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 9,800 people | -2.0% |
| 1953 | 9,500 people | -3.1% |
| 1954 | 9,400 people | -1.1% |
| 1955 | 9,200 people | -2.1% |
| 1956 | 20,700 people | +125.0% |
| 1957 | 20,500 people | -1.0% |
| 1958 | 20,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 20,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 20,500 people | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 21,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1968 | 26,000 people | +23.8% |
| 1969 | 30,000 people | +15.4% |
| 1970 | 31,000 people | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 30,000 people | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 35,000 people | +16.7% |
| 1973 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 35,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 30,000 people | -14.3% |
| 1978 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 30,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 32,000 people | +6.7% |
| 1981 | 40,000 people | +25.0% |
| 1982 | 33,404 people | -16.5% |
| 1983 | 32,312 people | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 31,201 people | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 30,726 people | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 31,343 people | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 31,707 people | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 31,949 people | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 36,763 people | +15.1% |
| 1990 | 40,943 people | +11.4% |
| 1991 | 45,622 people | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 51,930 people | +13.8% |
| 1993 | 56,586 people | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 75,295 people | +33.1% |
| 1995 | 82,943 people | +10.2% |
| 1996 | 84,413 people | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 83,205 people | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 81,875 people | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 82,273 people | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 57,624 people | -30.0% |
| 2001 | 58,471 people | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 54,081 people | -7.5% |
| 2003 | 50,126 people | -7.3% |
| 2004 | 47,654 people | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 48,010 people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 48,508 people | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 45,642 people | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 46,131 people | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 46,204 people | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 48,813 people | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 50,401 people | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 50,733 people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 52,448 people | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 62,596 people | +19.3% |
| 2015 | 73,326 people | +17.1% |
| 2016 | 82,668 people | +12.7% |
| 2017 | 93,030 people | +12.5% |
| 2018 | 104,011 people | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 110,162 people | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 115,798 people | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 118,829 people | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 182,474 people | +53.6% |
| 2023 | 192,507 people | +5.5% |
| 2024 | 196,167 people | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14,344 people | 9,200 people | 20,700 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 21,750 people | 20,000 people | 30,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 32,600 people | 30,000 people | 35,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 33,140 people | 30,726 people | 40,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 68,508 people | 40,943 people | 84,413 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 50,245 people | 45,642 people | 58,471 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 72,819 people | 48,813 people | 110,162 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 161,155 people | 115,798 people | 196,167 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More population data for Switzerland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0595 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,754 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4828 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1371 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 230.99 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 392,499 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Switzerland was 196,167 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 196,167 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,200 people in 1955.
- How does Switzerland rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Switzerland ranks 33rd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 213.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.