MigrantoBosnian Diaspora
1.6M Bosnians live abroad — the #51 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 60% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Croatia | 363041 |
| Germany | 320423 |
| Serbia | 277641 |
| Austria | 180515 |
| Slovenia | 138576 |
| Sweden | 60819 |
| Switzerland | 58221 |
| Canada | 36008 |
| Montenegro | 31869 |
| Italy | 29671 |
| Australia | 29317 |
| Netherlands | 28178 |
| Denmark | 16175 |
| Norway | 15507 |
| North Macedonia | 8781 |
| Luxembourg | 3156 |
| Czech Republic | 2793 |
| South Africa | 1445 |
| Poland | 1381 |
| Finland | 955 |
| Malta | 859 |
| Hungary | 517 |
| Slovakia | 503 |
| Greece | 474 |
| Iceland | 412 |
| Libya | 371 |
| Liechtenstein | 320 |
| Bulgaria | 226 |
| Cyprus | 69 |
| Portugal | 52 |
| Venezuela | 21 |
| Bolivia | 11 |
| Latvia | 8 |
| Dominican Republic | 5 |
| Estonia | 2 |
| Lithuania | 2 |
| Guinea | 0 |
By destination region
Europe is the leading destination region at 96%
1.5M
36K
29.3K
1.8K
69
37
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Bosnia.
A significant share of the population lives abroad
1 in 2 residents of Bosnia has emigrated — 1.6M out of 3.2M, representing 50.8% of the population.
Germany is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Germany has increased by 71% since 2015, rising from 187.2K to 320.4K in 9 years.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 38% to 23%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
3 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Denmark, Norway, Czech Republic — Denmark rose from outside the top 20 to rank #13.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1108999 |
| 1995 | 1705561 |
| 2000 | 1624537 |
| 2005 | 1494812 |
| 2010 | 1481062 |
| 2015 | 1477261 |
| 2020 | 1542552 |
| 2024 | 1608324 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Croatia | Germany | Serbia | Austria | Slovenia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 312821 | 32000 | 416017 | 97482 | 68549 |
| 1995 | 506365 | 314000 | 488060 | 116832 | 68327 |
| 2000 | 430399 | 155037 | 574192 | 138319 | 77361 |
| 2005 | 416359 | 157972 | 434881 | 130147 | 79262 |
| 2010 | 402318 | 162323 | 360622 | 149818 | 102915 |
| 2015 | 404874 | 187192 | 324368 | 160538 | 100880 |
| 2020 | 381100 | 252498 | 300294 | 171472 | 122235 |
| 2024 | 363041 | 320423 | 277641 | 180515 | 138576 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Bosnia as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Bosnia
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Bosnians move to?
Most Bosnians have moved to Croatia, Germany and Serbia — these three countries account for about 60% of all Bosnians living abroad.
How many Bosnians live abroad?
Around 1.6M Bosnians live abroad, making it the #51-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Bosnia lives abroad?
About 51% of the population of Bosnia lives abroad — that's 1.6M out of a total population of 3.2M.
How has emigration from Bosnia changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Bosnia has grown from 1.5M to 1.6M people, a growth of about 9%.
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