Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia
Australia: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled was 29,511 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia, 1951–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2024, refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia stood at 29,511.
The figure is down 14.5% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia peaked at 317,000 in 1981 and was at its lowest, 20,915, in 2008.
Australia ranks 74th of 183 countries on this measure, 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, gaps filled in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 180,000 | — |
| 1965 | 40,000 | -77.8% |
| 1966 | 40,000 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 44,000 | +10.0% |
| 1968 | 43,000 | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 42,000 | -2.3% |
| 1970 | 42,000 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 304,000 | +623.8% |
| 1979 | 304,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 304,000 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 317,000 | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 317,000 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 317,000 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 89,000 | -71.9% |
| 1985 | 89,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 85,900 | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 87,600 | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 90,970 | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 97,915 | +7.6% |
| 1990 | 97,915 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 53,117 | -45.8% |
| 1992 | 52,604 | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 53,505 | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 57,575 | +7.6% |
| 1995 | 62,145 | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 67,298 | +8.3% |
| 1997 | 66,056 | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 69,714 | +5.5% |
| 1999 | 64,879 | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 60,219 | -7.2% |
| 2001 | 57,885 | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 59,422 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 56,242 | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 63,478 | +12.9% |
| 2005 | 64,955 | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 68,942 | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 22,161 | -67.9% |
| 2008 | 20,915 | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 22,543 | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 21,790 | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 23,423 | +7.5% |
| 2012 | 30,056 | +28.3% |
| 2013 | 34,485 | +14.7% |
| 2014 | 35,565 | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 36,917 | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 42,187 | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 48,480 | +14.9% |
| 2018 | 56,934 | +17.4% |
| 2019 | 58,529 | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 57,411 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 55,606 | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 54,430 | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 34,502 | -36.6% |
| 2024 | 29,511 | -14.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 180,000 | 180,000 | 180,000 | 1 |
| 1960s | 41,800 | 40,000 | 44,000 | 5 |
| 1970s | 216,667 | 42,000 | 304,000 | 3 |
| 1980s | 179,538 | 85,900 | 317,000 | 10 |
| 1990s | 64,481 | 52,604 | 97,915 | 10 |
| 2000s | 49,676 | 20,915 | 68,942 | 10 |
| 2010s | 38,837 | 21,790 | 58,529 | 10 |
| 2020s | 46,292 | 29,511 | 57,411 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More population data for Australia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5755 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2553 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 32,193 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8589 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.2773 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 5.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.09 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled in Australia was 29,511 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 317,000 in 1981.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,915 in 2008.
- How does Australia rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled?
- Australia ranks 74th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees by country of asylum UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum with 169 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.