MigrantoBahraini Diaspora
57.2K Bahrainis live abroad — 4% of the population of Bahrain
Bahraini diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 89% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 40631 |
| Palestine | 7891 |
| Australia | 2395 |
| UAE | 1870 |
| Kuwait | 1503 |
| Libya | 1091 |
| Qatar | 816 |
| Sri Lanka | 406 |
| Denmark | 128 |
| Cyprus | 110 |
| Namibia | 52 |
| Egypt | 45 |
| Hungary | 44 |
| Bulgaria | 39 |
| Norway | 38 |
| Finland | 24 |
| Dominican Republic | 23 |
| Greece | 22 |
| Slovakia | 15 |
| Luxembourg | 10 |
| Lithuania | 5 |
| Guinea | 1 |
| Costa Rica | 1 |
| Estonia | 0 |
| Iceland | 0 |
| Latvia | 0 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
72% of the diaspora lives in Asia
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Key facts
The Bahraini diaspora in numbers
Most Bahrainis abroad live in Bangladesh
71% of the diaspora lives in Bangladesh, while the next country accounts for just 14%.
The share of the diaspora living in Asia has grown since 1990
0.8% of the diaspora lived in Asia in 1990, compared with 71.8% today.
The diaspora has grown 26% since 2020
The number of Bahrainis living abroad rose from 45.4K to 57.2K in four years.
Bahraini diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 11251 |
| 1995 | 21614 |
| 2000 | 32137 |
| 2005 | 36803 |
| 2010 | 42283 |
| 2015 | 45263 |
| 2020 | 45356 |
| 2024 | 57160 |
Largest communities over time
Bahrainis living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Bangladesh | Palestine | Australia | UAE | Kuwait |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 89 | 8351 | 483 | 230 | 186 |
| 1995 | 10375 | 8161 | 623 | 490 | 234 |
| 2000 | 20661 | 7971 | 772 | 771 | 360 |
| 2005 | 24592 | 7951 | 1077 | 815 | 546 |
| 2010 | 28471 | 7931 | 1353 | 1250 | 848 |
| 2015 | 30160 | 7911 | 1734 | 1573 | 1181 |
| 2020 | 29574 | 7900 | 2135 | 1647 | 1371 |
| 2024 | 40631 | 7891 | 2395 | 1870 | 1503 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Bahrainis in each country has changed since the selected year
Bahrainis among immigrants in other countries
Where Bahrainis 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 Bahrainis live outside Bahrain?
Around 57.2K Bahrainis live abroad, the world's #162 largest diaspora.
Where do most Bahrainis abroad live?
Most Bahrainis live in Bangladesh, Palestine and Australia — these three countries account for about 89% of all Bahrainis living abroad.
Which country has the largest Bahraini population outside Bahrain?
Bangladesh is home to the largest Bahraini community abroad — 40.6K people, about 71% of all Bahrainis living abroad.
What share of the population of Bahrain lives abroad?
About 4% of the population of Bahrain lives abroad — that's 57.2K out of a total population of 1.6M.
Is the Bahraini diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Bahrainis living abroad has grown from 45.3K to 57.2K, about 26%.
Where does the data on the Bahraini diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Bahrain who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Bahrain
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