Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda
Rwanda: Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled was 249,087 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda, 1961–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2024, refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda stood at 249,087.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 213.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda peaked at 2.26 million in 1994 and was at its lowest, 63,792, in 2004.
That places Rwanda 16th out of 204 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.
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 147,000 | — |
| 1962 | 147,000 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 154,000 | +4.8% |
| 1964 | 166,300 | +8.0% |
| 1965 | 155,900 | -6.3% |
| 1966 | 159,600 | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 160,230 | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 160,100 | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 144,930 | -9.5% |
| 1970 | 142,050 | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 141,630 | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 153,650 | +8.5% |
| 1973 | 163,595 | +6.5% |
| 1974 | 178,260 | +9.0% |
| 1975 | 175,720 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 176,410 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 169,780 | -3.8% |
| 1978 | 175,110 | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 176,540 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 286,650 | +62.4% |
| 1981 | 277,010 | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 327,950 | +18.4% |
| 1983 | 321,760 | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 357,110 | +11.0% |
| 1985 | 376,520 | +5.4% |
| 1986 | 371,910 | -1.2% |
| 1987 | 353,440 | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 327,540 | -7.3% |
| 1989 | 319,500 | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 361,317 | +13.1% |
| 1991 | 431,239 | +19.4% |
| 1992 | 434,731 | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 450,459 | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 2.26 million | +401.2% |
| 1995 | 1.82 million | -19.4% |
| 1996 | 469,132 | -74.2% |
| 1997 | 67,996 | -85.5% |
| 1998 | 77,738 | +14.3% |
| 1999 | 88,934 | +14.4% |
| 2000 | 119,051 | +33.9% |
| 2001 | 84,508 | -29.0% |
| 2002 | 75,251 | -11.0% |
| 2003 | 75,258 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 63,792 | -15.2% |
| 2005 | 100,252 | +57.2% |
| 2006 | 92,956 | -7.3% |
| 2007 | 80,955 | -12.9% |
| 2008 | 72,529 | -10.4% |
| 2009 | 129,108 | +78.0% |
| 2010 | 115,519 | -10.5% |
| 2011 | 106,832 | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 97,357 | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 83,943 | -13.8% |
| 2014 | 79,396 | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 286,357 | +260.7% |
| 2016 | 286,063 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 258,986 | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 247,469 | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 246,407 | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 245,781 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 248,219 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 249,744 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 249,946 | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 249,087 | -0.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 249,087 is above the median for low income countries, which is 150,081, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 249,087 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 11,036, 22.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +401.2% | 450,459 | 2.26 million |
| 2015 | +260.7% | 79,396 | 286,357 |
| 1997 | -85.5% | 469,132 | 67,996 |
| 2009 | +78.0% | 72,529 | 129,108 |
| 1996 | -74.2% | 1.82 million | 469,132 |
| 1980 | +62.4% | 176,540 | 286,650 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 155,007 | 144,930 | 166,300 | 9 |
| 1970s | 165,274 | 141,630 | 178,260 | 10 |
| 1980s | 331,939 | 277,010 | 376,520 | 10 |
| 1990s | 645,849 | 67,996 | 2.26 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 89,366 | 63,792 | 129,108 | 10 |
| 2010s | 180,833 | 79,396 | 286,357 | 10 |
| 2020s | 248,555 | 245,781 | 249,946 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More population data for Rwanda
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5502 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 23,030 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.06 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Population density 1,329 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.01 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda?
- Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Rwanda was 249,087 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 2.26 million in 1994.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 63,792 in 2004.
- How does Rwanda rank for refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled?
- Rwanda ranks 16th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 213.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 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 origin with 133 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 origin 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 origin with 133 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.