MigrantoEritrean Diaspora
912.8K Eritreans live abroad — the #71 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 68% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Sudan | 384053 |
| Ethiopia | 176860 |
| Sweden | 59751 |
| Canada | 42246 |
| Uganda | 41731 |
| Egypt | 32390 |
| Switzerland | 31946 |
| Netherlands | 27133 |
| Norway | 25546 |
| UAE | 18093 |
| Italy | 9107 |
| Israel | 7896 |
| Australia | 6928 |
| Qatar | 6174 |
| Denmark | 5985 |
| Libya | 5815 |
| Kuwait | 5478 |
| Belgium | 5434 |
| South Sudan | 3524 |
| Malta | 3516 |
| South Africa | 3109 |
| Yemen | 1966 |
| Bahrain | 1824 |
| Kenya | 1749 |
| Greece | 1416 |
| Finland | 1019 |
| Iraq | 824 |
| Luxembourg | 810 |
| Indonesia | 171 |
| Slovenia | 73 |
| Somalia | 48 |
| Hungary | 47 |
| Lithuania | 32 |
| Venezuela | 24 |
| Guinea | 19 |
| Bulgaria | 18 |
| Liechtenstein | 17 |
| Iceland | 14 |
| Latvia | 5 |
| Cyprus | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 0 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 71%
649.3K
171.9K
42.3K
42.2K
6.9K
171
24
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Eritrea.
Canada is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Canada has increased by 200% since 2015, rising from 14.1K to 42.2K in 9 years.
Sudan is the primary destination for emigrants
Sudan attracts 42% of all emigrants from Eritrea, while the second-largest destination receives just 19%.
Emigration has accelerated notably since 2020
The emigrant population grew 38% from 663.3K to 912.8K, indicating an acceleration in emigration flows following COVID and recent geopolitical shifts.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
6 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Uganda, Israel, Denmark — Uganda rose from outside the top 20 to rank #5.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 156294 |
| 1995 | 370422 |
| 2000 | 505394 |
| 2005 | 267114 |
| 2010 | 283312 |
| 2015 | 478597 |
| 2020 | 663275 |
| 2024 | 912792 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Sudan | Ethiopia | Sweden | Canada | Uganda |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64790 | 64266 | 637 | 2333 | 0 |
| 1995 | 287519 | 49258 | 1030 | 3228 | 0 |
| 2000 | 435158 | 27869 | 2603 | 4468 | 28 |
| 2005 | 196564 | 19447 | 5093 | 5961 | 148 |
| 2010 | 142187 | 40794 | 9606 | 7795 | 5278 |
| 2015 | 159748 | 139524 | 25145 | 14071 | 9379 |
| 2020 | 220960 | 169990 | 46543 | 28286 | 15472 |
| 2024 | 384053 | 176860 | 59751 | 42246 | 41731 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Eritrea as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Eritrea
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Eritreans move to?
Most Eritreans have moved to Sudan, Ethiopia and Sweden — these three countries account for about 68% of all Eritreans living abroad.
How many Eritreans live abroad?
Around 912.8K Eritreans live abroad, making it the #71-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Eritrea lives abroad?
About 26% of the population of Eritrea lives abroad — that's 912.8K out of a total population of 3.5M.
How has emigration from Eritrea changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Eritrea has grown from 478.6K to 912.8K people, a growth of about 91%.
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