Refugees by country of asylum in Turkey
Turkey: Refugees by country of asylum was 2.94 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.94 million people
Change on year
down 9.5%
World rank
2nd
of 183 countries
All-time high
3.76 million people
in 2021
All-time low
1,050 people
in 1977
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Refugees by country of asylum in Turkey, 1951–2024
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 Turkey is 2.94 million people, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 9.5% on the previous year and up 85.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in Turkey peaked at 3.76 million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1,050 people, in 1977.
That places Turkey 2nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees by country of asylum in Turkey, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 2,700 people | — |
| 1952 | 2,000 people | -25.9% |
| 1953 | 2,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 2,500 people | +25.0% |
| 1955 | 2,200 people | -12.0% |
| 1956 | 2,100 people | -4.5% |
| 1957 | 2,200 people | +4.8% |
| 1958 | 2,150 people | -2.3% |
| 1959 | 2,150 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2,200 people | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 2,300 people | +4.5% |
| 1962 | 2,300 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2,300 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2,300 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2,000 people | -13.0% |
| 1966 | 1,900 people | -5.0% |
| 1967 | 1,850 people | -2.6% |
| 1968 | 1,980 people | +7.0% |
| 1969 | 1,400 people | -29.3% |
| 1970 | 1,170 people | -16.4% |
| 1971 | 1,150 people | -1.7% |
| 1972 | 1,160 people | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 1,160 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1,060 people | -8.6% |
| 1975 | 1,060 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1,060 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1,050 people | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 1,070 people | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 1,060 people | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 6,100 people | +475.5% |
| 1981 | 1,180 people | -80.7% |
| 1982 | 1,670 people | +41.5% |
| 1983 | 1,320 people | -21.0% |
| 1984 | 2,600 people | +97.0% |
| 1985 | 1,790 people | -31.2% |
| 1986 | 1,920 people | +7.3% |
| 1987 | 2,200 people | +14.6% |
| 1988 | 4,450 people | +102.3% |
| 1989 | 33,067 people | +643.1% |
| 1990 | 28,000 people | -15.3% |
| 1991 | 30,462 people | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 28,477 people | -6.5% |
| 1993 | 23,267 people | -18.3% |
| 1994 | 24,927 people | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 12,841 people | -48.5% |
| 1996 | 8,166 people | -36.4% |
| 1997 | 2,448 people | -70.0% |
| 1998 | 2,529 people | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 2,810 people | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 3,096 people | +10.2% |
| 2001 | 3,466 people | +12.0% |
| 2002 | 3,302 people | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 2,488 people | -24.7% |
| 2004 | 3,029 people | +21.7% |
| 2005 | 2,395 people | -20.9% |
| 2006 | 2,624 people | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 6,941 people | +164.5% |
| 2008 | 11,090 people | +59.8% |
| 2009 | 10,339 people | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 10,025 people | -3.0% |
| 2011 | 14,457 people | +44.2% |
| 2012 | 267,063 people | +1747.3% |
| 2013 | 609,931 people | +128.4% |
| 2014 | 1.59 million people | +160.3% |
| 2015 | 2.54 million people | +60.1% |
| 2016 | 2.87 million people | +12.9% |
| 2017 | 3.48 million people | +21.3% |
| 2018 | 3.68 million people | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 3.58 million people | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 3.65 million people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 3.76 million people | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 3.57 million people | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 3.25 million people | -8.9% |
| 2024 | 2.94 million people | -9.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,222 people | 2,000 people | 2,700 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 2,053 people | 1,400 people | 2,300 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1,100 people | 1,050 people | 1,170 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 5,630 people | 1,180 people | 33,067 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 16,393 people | 2,448 people | 30,462 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4,877 people | 2,395 people | 11,090 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.86 million people | 10,025 people | 3.68 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.43 million people | 2.94 million people | 3.76 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More population data for Turkey
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.1546 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.543 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9701 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.0% (2100)
- Population density 84.9 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.26 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.0% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 0.4098 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in Turkey?
- Refugees by country of asylum in Turkey was 2.94 million 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 Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 3.76 million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,050 people in 1977.
- How does Turkey rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- Turkey ranks 2nd out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is up 85.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Turkey 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.