Unicode Emoji 14.0 introduced 112 new emoji in 2021.
The total includes 37 new emoji characters and 75 additional emoji sequences, including skin-tone variants. The release was part of Unicode 14.0, published in September 2021.
Emoji counts can be confusing because sources may count characters, sequences, or rendered designs differently. A single base character can produce several skin-tone versions, while a ZWJ sequence may combine multiple characters into one visible emoji.
Emoji 14.0 added widely used designs such as Melting Face, Face Holding Back Tears, Saluting Face, and Pregnant Person. Unicode 14.0 also added scripts and symbols unrelated to emoji, so its total character count is much larger than its emoji count.