MigrantoMigration trends in the Central African Republic
Central African Republic loses more people than it takes in: 905.8K emigrants against 68K immigrants. Net balance −837.8K — 16% of the country's population
5.3M
Population
68K
Immigrants
905.8K
Emigrants
−837.8K
Outflow
1 in 78 residents of the Central African Republic was born abroad — and 1 in 7 people born in the Central African Republic lives abroad
#72 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in the Central African Republic
Where people move to
Where people come from
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
57.5K immigrants · 37.1K emigrants
2005
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 156%
- Chad replaced Sudan as the main destination for those leaving
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 22%
2010
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 161.1K
2015
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 192%
- Surge of departures to Cameroon — 165.7K people left
- The diaspora passed 500K people
- DR Congo became a significant new destination — 253.4K residents had moved there
2020
- DR Congo replaced Cameroon as the main destination for those leaving
Today
- Since 1990: roughly the same number of foreign-born residents and 868.7K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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Central African Diaspora
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