List of sovereign states by immigrant and emigrant population

These are lists of countries by foreign-born population (immigrants) and lists of countries by number of native-born persons living in a foreign country (emigrants).

According to the United Nations, in 2024 the United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia, France and the United Kingdom had the largest numbers of immigrants of any country, while Tuvalu, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Tokelau had the lowest. In terms of percentage of population, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait had the highest shares, while Cuba, Madagascar and China had the lowest.

According to estimates from the same UN 2015 report, in 2013 India and Mexico had the highest numbers of native-born persons living in a foreign country, while Tokelau and San Marino had the lowest.

Illegal immigration can be underreported.[1]

Definition

The United Nations defines "foreign-born" as "born in a country other than that in which one resides" to estimate the international migrant stock, whenever this information is available. In countries lacking data on place of birth, the UN uses the country of citizenship instead.[2]

According to the UN: "Equating international migrants with foreign citizens when estimating the migrant stock has important shortcomings. In countries where citizenship is conferred on the basis of jus sanguinis, people who were born in the country of residence may be included in the number of international migrants even though they may have never lived abroad. Conversely, persons who were born abroad and who naturalized in their country of residence are excluded from the stock of international migrants when using citizenship as the criterion to define international migrants."[2]

Immigrant population by destination

Emigrant population

Countries and regions of origin by emigrant population in 2019[5]
Country or region of origin Emigrants Destinations Article
World 271,642,105
Other South 7,950,425
Other North 3,407,920
Afghanistan 5,120,756 Germany, London, Scandinavia, United States, Canada Afghan diaspora
Albania 1,207,032 Italy, Germany, London, Switzerland Albanian diaspora
Algeria 1,944,784 France, Quebec
American Samoa 1,817
Andorra 9,114
Angola 661,590 Portugal, Brazil
Anguilla 2,707
Antigua and Barbuda 55,089 New York City
Argentina 1,013,414 Spain, Florida, Italy
Armenia 964,848 California, France, Russia Armenian diaspora
Aruba 19,640 Netherlands
Australia 577,255 United States, UAE, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan Australian diaspora
Austria 575,950 Germany, Switzerland Austrians Abroad
Azerbaijan 1,155,852 Turkiye, Russia, Germany Azerbaijani diaspora
Bahamas 46,467 United States, England
Bahrain 60,153
Bangladesh 7,835,152 England, New York, Ontario, Japan Bangladeshi diaspora
Barbados 112,925 England
Belarus 1,480,794 Russia, Poland, United States Belarusian diaspora
Belgium 581,740 France
Belize 68,144 United States
Benin 666,357 France
Bermuda 18,049 United States, England
Bhutan 49,216
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 878,211 Brazil, Argentina, Spain, United States
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba 12,764
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,653,056 Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkiye, Austria Bosnian diaspora
Botswana 86,501 South Africa
Brazil 1,745,339 United States, Portugal, London, Netherlands, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Uruguay, Italy, Switzerland, Paris, Spain Brazilian diaspora
British Virgin Islands 5,417
Brunei Darussalam 46,977
Bulgaria 1,541,860 Germany, Spain, Turkiye Bulgarian diaspora
Burkina Faso 1,581,083 France, Ivory Coast
Burundi 623,999
Cabo Verde 186,372 Boston, Rhode Island, Portugal, France, Rotterdam
Cambodia 1,097,884 Vietnam, Australia, Paris
Cameroon 383,029 France, Maryland, Quebec, Germany, Russia
Canada 1,323,087 United States, London, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan Canadian diaspora
Cayman Islands 1,973
Central African Republic 767,884 France
Chad 206,400 France
Channel Islands 22,545 England
Chile 650,151 Spain
China 10,732,281 United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Angola, South Korea, Panama Chinese diaspora
Hong Kong 1,110,358 United Kingdom, Canada, United States Emigration from Hong Kong
Macau 161,930
Colombia 2,869,032 United States, Spain Colombian diaspora
Comoros 120,297 France
Congo 239,397 France
Cook Islands 22,488 New Zealand
Costa Rica 150,400 Spain
Côte d'Ivoire 1,114,003 France, Quebec, London
Croatia 990,012 Germany, Switzerland, United States, Australia, Canada, Austria Croatian diaspora
Cuba 1,654,684 Florida, New York, Spain Cuban diaspora
Curaçao 123,132 Netherlands
Cyprus 214,648 London, United States, Australia Greek Cypriot diaspora
Czech Republic 911,388 Germany, England, United States, Canada Czech diaspora
North Korea 113,118 Korean diaspora
Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,684,615 Belgium, France
Denmark 255,616 Germany, Sweden, Norway, United States
Djibouti 18,668
Dominica 78,634 Antigua and Barbuda
Dominican Republic 1,558,668 United States, Spain, Italy, American Virgins
Ecuador 1,183,685 United States, London, Spain, Italy, Lausanne Emigration from Ecuador
Egypt 3,547,626 England, United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE Egyptian diaspora
El Salvador 1,600,739 United States, Milan
Equatorial Guinea 125,670 Spain
Eritrea 751,481 Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, London
Estonia 208,257 Finland
Eswatini 108,188 South Africa
Ethiopia 871,747 London, Washington D. C., Canada, Germany, Scandinavia
Falkland Islands 1,623
Faroe Islands 13,838 Denmark
Fiji 222,633 Australia, United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand
Finland 290,006 United States, Sweden Finnish diaspora
France 2,296,534 Quebec, Spain, United States, London, New Caledonia French diaspora
French Guiana 4,555 France
French Polynesia 1,982 New Zealand
Gabon 46,684 France
Gambia 118,483 United States, United Kingdom
Georgia 852,816 United States, Turkiye, Iran Georgian diaspora
Germany 4,014,203 United States, Switzerland, Canada, United Kingdom, Turkiye German diaspora
Ghana 970,625 United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy
Gibraltar 14,320
Greece 1,039,257 Germany, United States, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Sweden, London Greek diaspora
Greenland 18,684
Grenada 75,784 Barbados, United States, United Kingdom
Guadeloupe 11,856 France
Guam 2,197 United States
Guatemala 1,205,644 United States
Guinea 530,963 France
Guinea-Bissau 103,587 Portugal
Guyana 520,196 New York City, United Kingdom
Haiti 1,585,681 Florida, Massachusetts, New York, France, Belgium, Dominican Rep.
Holy See 217
Honduras 800,707 United States
Hungary 632,126 Germany, United States Hungarian diaspora
Iceland 42,186 United States, Canada Icelandic diaspora
India 17,510,931 United States, United Kingdom, UAE, Canada, Qatar, Eindhoven, Basel, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Fiji, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Malaysia Indian diaspora
Indonesia 4,532,992 Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, California, Singapore Indonesian diaspora
Iran 4,037,258[6] California, Germany, London, Sweden, Norway, Bahrain Iranian diaspora
Iraq 2,033,522 United States, London, Germany, Scandinavia Iraqi diaspora
Ireland 816,797 United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada Irish diaspora
Isle of Man 12,809 United Kingdom
Israel 369,935 Yordim
Italy 3,077,777 Germany, France, Barcelona, London, Ontario, United States, Australia Italian diaspora
Jamaica 1,111,021 New York City, Florida, United Kingdom, Canada, Antigua and Barbuda Jamaican diaspora
Japan 838,852 United States, London, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Federated States of Micronesia Japanese diaspora
Jordan 784,377
Kazakhstan 4,005,587 Russia, London
Kenya 525,437 London, United States
Kiribati 4,370
Kuwait 205,382 United States, United Kingdom Kuwaiti diaspora
Kyrgyzstan 754,969 Russia
Lao People's Democratic Republic 1,347,034 Minnesota, Wisconsin, France Laotian diaspora
Latvia 332,220 London, Scandinavia, Germany Latvian diaspora
Lebanon 844,158 Michigan, Canada, Paris, Scandinavia, Australia, Germany Lebanese diaspora
Lesotho 341,580 South Africa
Liberia 219,338 United States
Libya 180,586
Liechtenstein 3,713
Lithuania 610,223 London, Scandinavia
Luxembourg 75,470 Germany, France, United States
Madagascar 184,762 France
Malawi 324,541 South Africa
Malaysia 1,689,222 United Kingdom, United States, Australia Malaysian diaspora
Maldives 3,053 Maldivian diaspora
Mali 1,264,700 France
Malta 111,137 Australia Emigration from Malta
Marshall Islands 8,205
Martinique 13,919 France
Mauritania 128,506 France, Spain
Mauritius 188,344 United Kingdom, France, Australia
Mayotte 6,617 France
Mexico 11,796,178 United States Emigration from Mexico
Micronesia (Fed. States of) 21,819 United States
Monaco 31,452
Mongolia 73,488 Russia, China, South Korea Mongolian diaspora
Montenegro 153,009 United States, Germany, Serbia
Montserrat 22,838 United Kingdom
Morocco 3,136,069 France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Frankfurt am Main, Quebec Moroccan diaspora
Mozambique 1,013,416 Portugal
Myanmar 3,699,472 United States, Japan, Australia Burmese diaspora
Namibia 195,515 South Africa
Nauru 2,421
  Nepal 2,285,364 United States, London, Australia Nepalese diaspora
Netherlands 980,753 United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand Dutch diaspora
New Caledonia 5,098
New Zealand 777,303 Australia
Nicaragua 682,865 United States, Costa Rica
Niger 401,653
Nigeria 1,438,331 United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands Nigerian diaspora
Niue 5,593
North Macedonia 658,264 Germany, Switzerland, Turkiye Macedonian diaspora
Northern Mariana Islands 2,764
Norway 202,336 United States, Canada Norwegian diaspora
Oman 24,939
Pakistan 6,303,286 United Kingdom, Qatar, UAE, United States, Germany, Norway, Barcelona, Australia Pakistani diaspora
Palau 2,650
Panama 161,107 United States
Papua New Guinea 219,126 Australia
Paraguay 871,638 Brazil, United States
Peru 3,505,511 [7] United States, Spain, Italy, Argentina
Philippines 5,377,337 United States, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Australia, UAE, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, London, Northern Ireland Overseas Filipinos
Poland 4,446,985 United States, United Kingdom, Argentina, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Ireland Polish diaspora
Portugal 2,631,559 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, Germany, Switzerland
Puerto Rico 5,807,347 United States Puerto Rican diaspora[note 2]
Qatar 171,632 London, New York City
Republic of Moldova 1,013,417 Italy, Spain, Portugal Moldovan diaspora
Réunion 133,769 France
Romania 3,572,794 United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Germany, United States Romanian diaspora
Russia 10,491,715 United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, UAE, Canada, Turkiye, China, Czech Rep., Kazakhstan Russian diaspora
Rwanda 588,544
Saint Helena 6,596
Saint Kitts and Nevis 124,941 United States, United Kingdom
Saint Lucia 63,605
Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2,356
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 60,655 United States
Samoa 124,403 New Zealand
San Marino 2,425
Sao Tome and Principe 37,013
Saudi Arabia 296,254 United States, London
Senegal 642,654 France, United States
Serbia 950,485 Germany, Switzerland, United States, Austria Serbian diaspora
Seychelles 36,788 France, England
Sierra Leone 187,102 London, United States
Singapore 340,751 United States, England, Australia, New Zealand Overseas Singaporean
Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 29,209
Slovakia 345,683 Germany, United States Slovak diaspora
Slovenia 147,593 Austria, United States Slovene diaspora
Solomon Islands 4,234
Somalia 2,054,377 Sweden, United Kingdom, Minnesota, Canada, Norway, Germany Somali diaspora
South Africa 824,601 United Kingdom, Netherlands, Canada, Australia South African diaspora
South Korea 2,176,580 United States, London, Canada, Australia, New Zealand Korean diaspora
South Sudan 2,608,218 Austalia, United States South Sudanese diaspora
Spain 1,444,942 France, Germany, Switzerland Spanish diaspora
Sri Lanka 1,775,768 London, Canada, Australia, Japan, Palermo, Lucerne Sri Lankan diaspora
State of Palestine 3,890,650 Belgium, United States, Canada, Chile Palestinian diaspora
Sudan 2,040,613 London, United States, Australia
Suriname 423,517 Netherlands
Sweden 353,825 United States, Canada Swedish diaspora
 Switzerland 679,796 Germany, France, United States Swiss abroad
Syria 8,225,499 Germany, United States, Netherlands, Sweden, Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Turkiye, Lebanon Syrian diaspora
Tajikistan 597,959 Russia
Thailand 1,020,119 United States, Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand
Timor-Leste 39,202
Togo 543,277 France
Tokelau 2,242
Tonga 74,433 United States, Australia
Trinidad and Tobago 334,304 United States, United Kingdom
Tunisia 813,213 France, Italy
Turkey 3,493,071 Germany, London, Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Krasnodar Krai, Northern Cyprus Turkish diaspora
Turkmenistan 260,832 Iran, Turkiye
Turks and Caicos Islands 31,033
Tuvalu 3,276
Uganda 734,951 London
Ukraine 5,901,067 Germany, American Midwest, Spain, Poland Ukrainian diaspora
United Arab Emirates 154,404 London, United States Emirati diaspora
United Kingdom 4,274,998 Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Cyprus, Caribbean British diaspora
United Republic of Tanzania 323,173 London
United States 4,779,929 Philippines, Mexico, Portugal, London, Germany, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, UAE, Ireland American diaspora[8]
United States Virgin Islands 25,863 United States
Uruguay 633,439 Spain, Brazil Emigration from Uruguay
Uzbekistan 1,979,523 Russia, Persian Gulf, New York City
Vanuatu 7,346
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 2,519,780 Florida, Spain, Italy, Colombia Venezuelan diaspora
Vietnam 2,683,954 United States, Canada, France, Japan, Australia, Czech Rep., Germany, Russia, Poland Overseas Vietnamese
Wallis and Futuna Islands 11,820
Western Sahara 195,572
Yemen 1,267,610 London, Michigan Yemeni diaspora
Zambia 493,087 South Africa
Zimbabwe 933,654 United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa Zimbabwean diaspora

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The United Nations statistically considers people born in mainland China and Macau with the right of abode in Hong Kong as international migrants, despite the fact that they have been retroactively Chinese citizens since the Handover of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has been a special administrative region of China since 1997.
  2. ^ The United Nations statistically considers people born in the archipelago and island of Puerto Rico and living in the 50 states of the United States as international migrants, despite the fact that they have been U.S. citizens since the enactment of the Jones–Shafroth Act in 1917. Puerto Rico has been an unincorporated territory of the United States since 1898.

References

  1. ^ Passel, Jeffrey S.; Krogstad, Jens Manuel (24 April 2025). "What we know about unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S." Pew Research Center. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b INTERNATIONAL MIGRANT STOCK 2019 DOCUMENTATION
  3. ^ "International Migrant Stock". Population Division. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
  4. ^ "International Migrants Day (18 December 2024) – Central Bureau of Statistics". 20 December 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  5. ^ UN_MigrantStockByOriginAndDestination_2019, Table 1, Line 1715
  6. ^ Published on 21 February 2021 by Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Iran).
  7. ^ "Más de 3 millones 500 mil peruanos viven en el extranjero". Gob.pe (in Spanish). Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI). 18 December 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  8. ^ "2018 Overseas Citizen – Population Analysis Report" (PDF). July 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 September 2020.