MigrantoAlbanian Diaspora
1.2M Albanians live abroad — 51% of the population of Albania
Albanian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 89% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Italy | 542638 |
| Greece | 474441 |
| North Macedonia | 68356 |
| France | 54967 |
| Canada | 20718 |
| Belgium | 16175 |
| Sweden | 11986 |
| Austria | 6148 |
| Australia | 4105 |
| Montenegro | 2741 |
| Norway | 2417 |
| Bulgaria | 1858 |
| Mali | 1663 |
| Denmark | 1237 |
| Luxembourg | 1222 |
| Serbia | 853 |
| Finland | 831 |
| Romania | 810 |
| Hungary | 593 |
| Malta | 398 |
| Chile | 341 |
| Libya | 338 |
| Iceland | 332 |
| Cyprus | 291 |
| South Africa | 243 |
| Colombia | 236 |
| Slovenia | 166 |
| Croatia | 152 |
| Slovakia | 145 |
| Portugal | 62 |
| Estonia | 42 |
| San Marino | 41 |
| Lithuania | 29 |
| Venezuela | 16 |
| Latvia | 11 |
| Guinea | 9 |
| Georgia | 9 |
| Costa Rica | 5 |
| Liechtenstein | 2 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| Cuba | 0 |
By region
98% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Albanian diaspora in numbers
The community in France is growing fastest
The number of Albanians living in France has grown 212% since 2015, from 17.6K to 55K.
1 in 2 people born in Albania lives abroad
1.2M people born in Albania now live in other countries — 51.2% of a population of 2.4M.
Most Albanians abroad live in Italy
45% of the diaspora lives in Italy, while the next country accounts for just 39%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
5 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Norway, Mali, Denmark. Norway climbed from outside the top 20 to #11.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 36% to 45%, and today that country is Italy.
Albanian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 178747 |
| 1995 | 394084 |
| 2000 | 629192 |
| 2005 | 784369 |
| 2010 | 962514 |
| 2015 | 985561 |
| 2020 | 1103849 |
| 2024 | 1216628 |
Largest communities over time
Albanians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Italy | Greece | North Macedonia | France | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 60088 | 63963 | 45001 | 1134 | 195 |
| 1995 | 94077 | 230218 | 58009 | 1840 | 1178 |
| 2000 | 141643 | 400253 | 69367 | 3185 | 4254 |
| 2005 | 260914 | 423598 | 69782 | 5816 | 9657 |
| 2010 | 386978 | 463157 | 70230 | 7342 | 13414 |
| 2015 | 418672 | 436566 | 67799 | 17618 | 15850 |
| 2020 | 493666 | 446614 | 68113 | 34341 | 17525 |
| 2024 | 542638 | 474441 | 68356 | 54967 | 20718 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Albanians in each country has changed since the selected year
Albanians among immigrants in other countries
Where Albanians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Albanians live outside Albania?
Around 1.2M Albanians live abroad, the world's #63 largest diaspora.
Where do most Albanians abroad live?
Most Albanians live in Italy, Greece and North Macedonia — these three countries account for about 89% of all Albanians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Albanian population outside Albania?
Italy is home to the largest Albanian community abroad — 542.6K people, about 45% of all Albanians living abroad.
What share of the population of Albania lives abroad?
About 51% of the population of Albania lives abroad — that's 1.2M out of a total population of 2.4M.
Is the Albanian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Albanians living abroad has grown from 985.6K to 1.2M, about 23%.
Where does the data on the Albanian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Albania who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Albania
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