MigrantoMigration trends in Bahrain
Middle East
Bahrain takes in more people than it loses: 804.5K immigrants against 57.2K emigrants. Net balance +747.3K — 47% of the country's population
1.6M
Population
804.5K
Immigrants
57.2K
Emigrants
+747.3K
Inflow
1 in 2 residents of Bahrain was born abroad — and 1 in 29 people born in Bahrain lives abroad
#68 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Bahrain
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
174.4K immigrants · 11.3K emigrants
1995
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 92%
- Migration accounted for 79% of the country's population growth
2005
- Migration accounted for 57% of the country's population growth
2010
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 64%
- The foreign-born population passed 500K residents
2015
- Migration accounted for 53% of the country's population growth
Today
- Since 1990: 630.1K more foreign-born residents and roughly the same number of emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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