MigrantoBosnian Diaspora
1.6M Bosnians live abroad — 51% of the population of Bosnia
Bosnian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 60% of the diaspora
| 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 region
96% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Bosnian diaspora in numbers
1 in 2 people born in Bosnia lives abroad
1.6M people born in Bosnia now live in other countries — 50.8% of a population of 3.2M.
The community in Germany is growing fastest
The number of Bosnians living in Germany has grown 71% since 2015, from 187.2K to 320.4K.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 38% to 23%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Denmark, Norway, Czech Republic. Denmark climbed from outside the top 20 to #13.
Bosnian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 1108999 |
| 1995 | 1705561 |
| 2000 | 1624537 |
| 2005 | 1494812 |
| 2010 | 1481062 |
| 2015 | 1477261 |
| 2020 | 1542552 |
| 2024 | 1608324 |
Largest communities over time
Bosnians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| 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 communities
How the number of Bosnians in each country has changed since the selected year
Bosnians among immigrants in other countries
Where Bosnians 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 Bosnians live outside Bosnia?
Around 1.6M Bosnians live abroad, the world's #51 largest diaspora.
Where do most Bosnians abroad live?
Most Bosnians live in Croatia, Germany and Serbia — these three countries account for about 60% of all Bosnians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Bosnian population outside Bosnia?
Croatia is home to the largest Bosnian community abroad — 363K people, about 23% of all Bosnians living abroad.
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.
Is the Bosnian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Bosnians living abroad has grown from 1.5M to 1.6M, about 9%.
Where does the data on the Bosnian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Bosnia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Bosnia
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