Guinea-Bissau: immigration

How many people from Guinea-Bissau seek asylum abroad?

At the end of 2025 there were 1,355 asylum seekers and 1,800 refugees from Guinea-Bissau in other countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Pending asylum claims have fallen from 2,546 at the end of 2021.

Guinea-Bissau itself hosted 24 refugees and 30 asylum seekers at the end of 2025, down from 1,846 refugees in 2021. Asylum seekers are people whose claims for protection have not yet been decided. The figures do not include people who move abroad for work.

Official sources: UNHCR: Refugee Data Finder

How much money do people abroad send to Guinea-Bissau?

Personal remittances received by Guinea-Bissau were equal to 9.9% of GDP in 2024, according to the World Bank, compared with 10.8% in 2021.

Personal remittances cover money sent home by people living abroad and the pay of residents working abroad for short periods. The series is based on balance of payments data and is revised as those data are updated. The share was 10.3% in 2022 and 9.8% in 2023, so it has stayed close to a tenth of GDP.

Official sources: World Bank: Personal remittances received, Guinea-Bissau

What share of Guinea-Bissau's population are immigrants?

In 2024, the share of people born abroad in Guinea-Bissau was 0.7%, according to the UN Population Division. That compares with 1.3% in 2015. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 2.2%; Guinea-Bissau is 41st highest of 48. Worldwide: 161st of 193.

Are more people leaving Guinea-Bissau than arriving?

-1,373: that is net migration in Guinea-Bissau for 2025, according to the UN Population Division. That is the highest since at least 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: -5,646; Guinea-Bissau is 15th highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 94th of 193.

How many refugees are in Guinea-Bissau?

24: that is the number of refugees in the country in Guinea-Bissau for 2025, according to UNHCR. That is the lowest since at least 2005. It is 41st highest of 45 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 35,241. Worldwide: 146th of 169.

How many people from Guinea-Bissau are refugees?

1,800: that is the number of refugees from the country living abroad in Guinea-Bissau for 2025, according to UNHCR. The peak was 2,093 in 2019 and the low 1,000 in 2006. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 12,726, and Guinea-Bissau placed 31st highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 95th of 189.

How much are remittances to Guinea-Bissau?

According to the World Bank, personal remittances received in Guinea-Bissau was 9.9% of GDP in 2024. Since 2005 it has ranged from 3.1% of GDP (2005) to 10.8% of GDP (2021). Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 2.5% of GDP, and Guinea-Bissau placed 5th highest of 36. Worldwide: 23rd of 156.