http://ourworldindata.org/explorers/migration
Immigration by Country, as a Percentage of the Population
Many people move countries for work, study, or family. However, they may also be displaced by climate change, conflict, or economic instability.
There were 272 million immigrants in 2020, amounting to 3.5% of the global population. Where do they end up?
This interactive map from Our World in Data highlights immigration by country, as a percentage of the total population, using data from the United Nations (UN) Populations Division.
What Is an Immigrant?
The UN defines an immigrant as someone who has been living in a country other than their country of birth for one year or longer. In addition to new citizens or residents, a variety of people fit under this definition:
- Foreign workers
- International students
- Refugees
The UN also includes estimates of unauthorized immigrants living in various countries. On the flip side, tourists, temporary workers, and overseas military personnel are typically not included.
Immigration by Country Over Time
With this definition in mind, here’s a breakdown of immigration by country as a percentage of the nation’s population.
| Country | 1990 | 2020 | Absolute Change | Relative Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 0.47% | 0.37% | -0.10 p.p. | -20% |
| Albania | 2.01% | 1.70% | -0.31 p.p. | -16% |
| Algeria | 1.06% | 0.57% | -0.49 p.p. | -46% |
| American Samoa | 45.18% | 30.35%² | -14.83 p.p. | -33% |
| Andorra | 71.35% | 58.98% | -12.37 p.p. | -17% |
| Angola | 0.28% | 2.00% | 1.71 p.p. | 606% |
| Anguilla | 30.59% | 33.24%² | 2.66 p.p. | 9% |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 19.24% | 30.01% | 10.77 p.p. | 56% |
| Argentina | 5.06% | 5.05% | >-0.01 p.p. | >-1% |
| Armenia | 18.62% | 6.42% | -12.20 p.p. | -65% |
| Aruba | 22.84% | 34.52%² | 11.67 p.p. | 51% |
| Australia | 23.32% | 30.14% | 6.82 p.p. | 29% |
| Austria | 10.27% | 19.30% | 9.03 p.p. | 88% |
| Azerbaijan | 4.98% | 2.49% | -2.49 p.p. | -50% |
| Bahamas | 10.48% | 16.17% | 5.69 p.p. | 54% |
| Bahrain | 34.93% | 55.01% | 20.09 p.p. | 58% |
| Bangladesh | 0.85% | 1.28% | 0.43 p.p. | 50% |
| Barbados | 9.21% | 12.13% | 2.93 p.p. | 32% |
| Belarus | 12.30% | 11.29% | -1.01 p.p. | -8% |
| Belgium | 12.80% | 17.30% | 4.51 p.p. | 35% |
| Belize | 16.21% | 15.60% | -0.61 p.p. | -4% |
| Benin | 1.54% | 3.25% | 1.71 p.p. | 111% |
| Bhutan | 4.49% | 6.95% | 2.46 p.p. | 55% |
| Bolivia | 1.07% | 1.41% | 0.33 p.p. | 31% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1.25% | 1.10% | -0.16 p.p. | -12% |
| Botswana | 2.14% | 4.69% | 2.55 p.p. | 119% |
| Brazil | 0.54% | 0.51% | -0.03 p.p. | -5% |
| Brunei | 28.29% | 25.59% | -2.70 p.p. | -10% |
| Bulgaria | 0.24% | 2.65% | 2.41 p.p. | 992% |
| Burkina Faso | 3.97% | 3.46% | -0.50 p.p. | -13% |
| Burundi | 6.13% | 2.90% | -3.23 p.p. | -53% |
| Cambodia | 0.43% | 0.47% | 0.05 p.p. | 11% |
| Cameroon | 2.26% | 2.18% | -0.08 p.p. | -3% |
| Canada | 15.73% | 21.33% | 5.59 p.p. | 36% |
| Cape Verde | 2.64% | 2.84% | 0.20 p.p. | 7% |
| Central African Republic | 2.40% | 1.83% | -0.56 p.p. | -23% |
| Chad | 1.25% | 3.33% | 2.09 p.p. | 167% |
| Chile | 0.81% | 8.61% | 7.79 p.p. | 962% |
| China | 0.03% | 0.07% | 0.04 p.p. | 125% |
| Colombia | 0.32% | 3.75% | 3.43 p.p. | 1089% |
| Comoros | 3.42% | 1.44% | -1.98 p.p. | -58% |
| Congo | 5.49% | 7.02% | 1.53 p.p. | 28% |
| Costa Rica | 13.39% | 10.22% | -3.17 p.p. | -24% |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 15.23% | 9.72% | -5.51 p.p. | -36% |
| Croatia | 9.95% | 12.86% | 2.91 p.p. | 29% |
| Cuba | 0.33% | 0.03% | -0.30 p.p. | -92% |
| Cyprus | 5.71% | 15.77% | 10.05 p.p. | 176% |
| Czechia | 1.07% | 5.05% | 3.98 p.p. | 373% |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 2.18% | 1.06% | -1.11 p.p. | -51% |
| Denmark | 4.58% | 12.39% | 7.81 p.p. | 171% |
| Djibouti | 20.70% | 12.12% | -8.58 p.p. | -41% |
| Dominica | 3.58% | 11.51% | 7.93 p.p. | 222% |
| Dominican Republic | 4.08% | 5.57% | 1.48 p.p. | 36% |
| Ecuador | 0.77% | 4.45% | 3.68 p.p. | 478% |
| Egypt | 0.31% | 0.53% | 0.22 p.p. | 72% |
| El Salvador | 0.90% | 0.66% | -0.24 p.p. | -27% |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0.65% | 16.44% | 15.78 p.p. | 2413% |
| Eritrea | 0.53% | 0.39% | -0.13 p.p. | -25% |
| Estonia | 24.41% | 15.02% | -9.38 p.p. | -38% |
| Eswatini | 9.12% | 2.83% | -6.29 p.p. | -69% |
| Ethiopia | 2.41% | 0.94% | -1.47 p.p. | -61% |
| Faeroe Islands | 9.01% | 10.96%² | 1.95 p.p. | 22% |
| Falkland Islands | 42.69% | 50.53%² | 7.84 p.p. | 18% |
| Fiji | 1.82% | 1.57% | -0.25 p.p. | -14% |
| Finland | 1.27% | 6.97% | 5.70 p.p. | 450% |
| France | 10.41% | 13.06% | 2.65 p.p. | 25% |
| French Guiana | 54.35% | 41.09%² | -13.26 p.p. | -24% |
| Gabon | 13.50% | 18.72% | 5.22 p.p. | 39% |
| Gambia | 12.36% | 8.92% | -3.44 p.p. | -28% |
| Georgia | 5.63% | 1.99% | -3.64 p.p. | -65% |
| Germany | 7.51% | 18.81% | 11.30 p.p. | 151% |
| Ghana | 1.12% | 1.53% | 0.42 p.p. | 37% |
| Greece | 6.04% | 12.86% | 6.81 p.p. | 113% |
| Greenland | 16.71% | 10.52%² | -6.19 p.p. | -37% |
| Grenada | 4.43% | 6.41% | 1.98 p.p. | 45% |
| Guadeloupe | 18.72% | 21.13%² | 2.41 p.p. | 13% |
| Guatemala | 2.85% | 0.47% | -2.38 p.p. | -83% |
| Guinea | 6.35% | 0.93% | -5.43 p.p. | -85% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1.58% | 0.91% | -0.66 p.p. | -42% |
| Guyana | 0.55% | 3.96% | 3.41 p.p. | 619% |
| Haiti | 0.27% | 0.17% | -0.11 p.p. | -39% |
| Honduras | 5.46% | 0.40% | -5.06 p.p. | -93% |
| Hong Kong | 38.73% | 39.52% | 0.78 p.p. | 2% |
| Hungary | 3.35% | 6.05% | 2.70 p.p. | 81% |
| Iceland | 3.76% | 19.17% | 15.41 p.p. | 410% |
| India | 0.87% | 0.35% | -0.52 p.p. | -59% |
| Indonesia | 0.26% | 0.13% | -0.13 p.p. | -49% |
| Iran | 7.61% | 3.33% | -4.28 p.p. | -56% |
| Iraq | 0.48% | 0.91% | 0.43 p.p. | 89% |
| Ireland | 6.49% | 17.64% | 11.15 p.p. | 172% |
| Israel | 36.70% | 22.57% | -14.13 p.p. | -39% |
| Italy | 2.50% | 10.56% | 8.06 p.p. | 322% |
| Jamaica | 0.85% | 0.80% | -0.05 p.p. | -6% |
| Japan | 0.86% | 2.19% | 1.33 p.p. | 154% |
| Jordan | 32.15% | 33.89% | 1.74 p.p. | 5% |
| Kazakhstan | 22.09% | 19.88% | -2.21 p.p. | -10% |
| Kenya | 1.26% | 1.95% | 0.70 p.p. | 55% |
| Kiribati | 2.99% | 2.62% | -0.37 p.p. | -12% |
| Kuwait | 51.27% | 72.83% | 21.55 p.p. | 42% |
| Kyrgyzstan | 14.25% | 3.05% | -11.20 p.p. | -79% |
| Laos | 0.54% | 0.67% | 0.13 p.p. | 25% |
| Latvia | 24.25% | 12.69% | -11.55 p.p. | -48% |
| Lebanon | 18.68% | 25.09% | 6.41 p.p. | 34% |
| Lesotho | 0.48% | 0.56% | 0.08 p.p. | 16% |
| Liberia | 4.58% | 1.74% | -2.84 p.p. | -62% |
| Libya | 10.30% | 12.03% | 1.73 p.p. | 17% |
| Liechtenstein | 37.88% | 67.85% | 29.97 p.p. | 79% |
| Lithuania | 9.45% | 5.33% | -4.12 p.p. | -44% |
| Luxembourg | 29.81% | 47.62% | 17.81 p.p. | 60% |
| Madagascar | 0.21% | 0.13% | -0.08 p.p. | -38% |
| Malawi | 11.99% | 1.00% | -10.99 p.p. | -92% |
| Malaysia | 3.86% | 10.74% | 6.88 p.p. | 178% |
| Maldives | 3.89% | 12.96% | 9.07 p.p. | 233% |
| Mali | 1.90% | 2.40% | 0.50 p.p. | 26% |
| Malta | 4.17% | 25.99% | 21.83 p.p. | 524% |
| Marshall Islands | 2.45% | 5.57% | 3.12 p.p. | 127% |
| Martinique | 10.77% | 16.75%² | 5.98 p.p. | 55% |
| Mauritania | 5.49% | 3.92% | -1.57 p.p. | -29% |
| Mauritius | 0.34% | 2.27% | 1.93 p.p. | 564% |
| Mexico | 0.83% | 0.93% | 0.10 p.p. | 12% |
| Moldova | 12.46% | 2.59% | -9.88 p.p. | -79% |
| Monaco | 69.17% | 67.78% | -1.39 p.p. | -2% |
| Mongolia | 0.31% | 0.65% | 0.34 p.p. | 111% |
| Montenegro | 12.58%¹ | 11.30% | -1.27 p.p. | -10% |
| Montserrat | 18.76% | 21.79%² | 3.03 p.p. | 16% |
| Morocco | 0.22% | 0.28% | 0.06 p.p. | 25% |
| Mozambique | 0.94% | 1.08% | 0.14 p.p. | 15% |
| Myanmar | 0.32% | 0.14% | -0.18 p.p. | -56% |
| Namibia | 8.42% | 4.30% | -4.11 p.p. | -49% |
| Nauru | 29.61% | 20.32% | -9.30 p.p. | -31% |
| Nepal | 2.27% | 1.67% | -0.60 p.p. | -26% |
| Netherlands | 7.90% | 13.76% | 5.86 p.p. | 74% |
| New Caledonia | 22.20% | 25.45%² | 3.25 p.p. | 15% |
| New Zealand | 15.24% | 28.65% | 13.41 p.p. | 88% |
| Nicaragua | 0.99% | 0.64% | -0.35 p.p. | -36% |
| Niger | 1.44% | 1.44% | >-0.01 p.p. | >-1% |
| Nigeria | 0.48% | 0.64% | 0.16 p.p. | 32% |
| North Korea | 0.17% | 0.19% | 0.02 p.p. | 14% |
| North Macedonia | 4.77% | 6.30% | 1.54 p.p. | 32% |
| Norway | 4.53% | 15.72% | 11.19 p.p. | 247% |
| Oman | 16.78% | 46.47% | 29.69 p.p. | 177% |
| Pakistan | 5.77% | 1.48% | -4.28 p.p. | -74% |
| Palau | 18.59% | 28.12% | 9.53 p.p. | 51% |
| Palestine | 13.72% | 5.35% | -8.37 p.p. | -61% |
| Panama | 2.54% | 7.26% | 4.72 p.p. | 186% |
| Papua New Guinea | 0.73% | 0.35% | -0.38 p.p. | -52% |
| Paraguay | 4.64% | 2.38% | -2.26 p.p. | -49% |
| Peru | 0.26% | 3.71% | 3.46 p.p. | 1345% |
| Philip.p.ines | 0.25% | 0.21% | -0.04 p.p. | -17% |
| Poland | 2.97% | 2.16% | -0.81 p.p. | -27% |
| Portugal | 4.40% | 9.83% | 5.42 p.p. | 123% |
| Puerto Rico | 9.12% | 7.59%² | -1.53 p.p. | -17% |
| Qatar | 65.04% | 77.27% | 12.23 p.p. | 19% |
| Reunion | 9.47% | 14.39%² | 4.91 p.p. | 52% |
| Romania | 0.58% | 3.67% | 3.09 p.p. | 534% |
| Russia | 7.81% | 7.97% | 0.16 p.p. | 2% |
| Rwanda | 2.19% | 3.97% | 1.77 p.p. | 81% |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 7.97% | 14.52% | 6.55 p.p. | 82% |
| Saint Lucia | 3.84% | 4.54% | 0.70 p.p. | 18% |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 19.69% | 19.14%² | -0.55 p.p. | -3% |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 3.69% | 4.27% | 0.58 p.p. | 16% |
| Samoa | 2.06% | 2.03% | -0.03 p.p. | -2% |
| San Marino | 13.72% | 16.33% | 2.61 p.p. | 19% |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 4.68% | 0.98% | -3.71 p.p. | -79% |
| Saudi Arabia | 30.79% | 38.65% | 7.86 p.p. | 26% |
| Senegal | 3.59% | 1.64% | -1.95 p.p. | -54% |
| Serbia | 1.04% | 9.42% | 8.38 p.p. | 803% |
| Seychelles | 5.27% | 13.27% | 8.00 p.p. | 152% |
| Sierra Leone | 5.14% | 0.67% | -4.47 p.p. | -87% |
| Singapore | 24.14% | 43.14% | 19.00 p.p. | 79% |
| Slovakia | 0.78% | 3.61% | 2.83 p.p. | 362% |
| Slovenia | 8.88% | 13.37% | 4.50 p.p. | 51% |
| Solomon Islands | 1.35% | 0.37% | -0.99 p.p. | -73% |
| Somalia | 6.62% | 0.37% | -6.25 p.p. | -94% |
| South Africa | 3.16% | 4.82% | 1.66 p.p. | 52% |
| South Korea | 0.10% | 3.37% | 3.27 p.p. | 3238% |
| South Sudan | 2.43%¹ | 7.88% | 5.46 p.p. | 225% |
| Spain | 2.10% | 14.63% | 12.54 p.p. | 598% |
| Sri Lanka | 0.24% | 0.19% | -0.05 p.p. | -22% |
| Sudan | 6.96% | 3.15% | -3.82 p.p. | -55% |
| Suriname | 4.46% | 8.15% | 3.68 p.p. | 83% |
| Sweden | 9.21% | 19.84% | 10.63 p.p. | 116% |
| Switzerland | 20.93% | 28.79% | 7.86 p.p. | 38% |
| Syria | 5.74% | 4.96% | -0.77 p.p. | -13% |
| Tajikistan | 8.12% | 2.89% | -5.22 p.p. | -64% |
| Tanzania | 2.28% | 0.71% | -1.56 p.p. | -69% |
| Thailand | 0.94% | 5.20% | 4.27 p.p. | 457% |
| Togo | 2.25% | 3.38% | 1.13 p.p. | 50% |
| Tonga | 3.06% | 3.54% | 0.48 p.p. | 16% |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 4.15% | 5.63% | 1.49 p.p. | 36% |
| Tunisia | 0.46% | 0.51% | 0.05 p.p. | 10% |
| Turkey | 2.16% | 7.18% | 5.02 p.p. | 233% |
| Turkmenistan | 8.32% | 3.23% | -5.09 p.p. | -61% |
| Tuvalu | 3.57% | 2.03% | -1.54 p.p. | -43% |
| Uganda | 3.14% | 3.76% | 0.63 p.p. | 20% |
| Ukraine | 13.39% | 11.43% | -1.97 p.p. | -15% |
| United Arab Emirates | 71.46% | 88.13% | 16.67 p.p. | 23% |
| United Kingdom | 6.39% | 13.79% | 7.40 p.p. | 116% |
| United States | 9.22% | 15.30% | 6.08 p.p. | 66% |
| Uruguay | 3.15% | 3.12% | -0.04 p.p. | -1% |
| Uzbekistan | 8.10% | 3.47% | -4.63 p.p. | -57% |
| Vanuatu | 1.57% | 1.06% | -0.51 p.p. | -33% |
| Venezuela | 5.22% | 4.66% | -0.56 p.p. | -11% |
| Vietnam | 0.04% | 0.08% | 0.04 p.p. | 93% |
| Western Sahara | 0.97% | 0.83%² | -0.14 p.p. | -15% |
| World | 2.87% | 3.60% | 0.73 p.p. | 25% |
| Yemen | 1.01% | 1.30% | 0.28 p.p. | 28% |
| Zambia | 3.48% | 1.02% | -2.46 p.p. | -71% |
| Zimbabwe | 6.08% | 2.80% | -3.28 p.p. | -54% |
¹Data as of 2010 due to data availability
²Data as of 2015 due to data availability
Higher immigration levels are generally correlated with higher standards of living and advanced economies. For instance, North America, Europe, and Oceania all have a relatively high proportion of immigrants.
The United States is home to the largest number of immigrants—over 50 million—which now make up 15% of the country’s population. Since 1990, the proportion of immigrants in the country has continued to rise. As with most advanced economies, immigration has helped to counter a decline in fertility rates.
http://ourworldindata.org/grapher/population-growth-rate-with-and-without-migration
Over the last 30 years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has had the highest immigration by country, with 88% of its population being defined as immigrants in 2020. The country has the highest GDP per capita of any of its neighboring countries, and draws many migrant workers.
Meanwhile, South Korea has seen the largest relative increase in immigrants over the last three decades. Faced with the lowest fertility rate in the world and an aging population, the country has enacted policy reforms to encourage immigration, including a formal guest worker program and local voting rights for permanent foreign residents.
Integration or Separation?
Immigrants can help fill labor gaps and drive economic innovation in their new country of residence. Depending on their destination, they may benefit from things like higher pay, access to better education, and a more stable political climate.
Notably, countries respond to immigration in different ways. In one study measuring what governments are doing to integrate migrants, Sweden ranked at the top. The country offers non-EU citizens equal access to education, labor market rights and its social safety net, and it also has strong anti-discrimination laws.
On the flip side, immigrants may face challenges integrating into other countries. For instance, the UAE’s kafala (sponsorship) system is structured so that employment visas are granted by local individuals or companies rather than the state. This gives employers enhanced power over their workers, and in the past it has resulted in alleged human rights abuses.
The post Mapped: Immigration by Country, as a Percentage of the Population appeared first on Visual Capitalist.