MigrantoEstonian Diaspora
124.2K Estonians live abroad — 9% of the population of Estonia
Estonian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 73% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Finland | 55655 |
| Russia | 24906 |
| Ukraine | 10531 |
| Sweden | 9461 |
| Norway | 5273 |
| Australia | 3498 |
| Belarus | 3157 |
| Latvia | 2622 |
| Italy | 1524 |
| Denmark | 1483 |
| Kazakhstan | 1346 |
| Lithuania | 866 |
| Luxembourg | 690 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 545 |
| South Africa | 529 |
| Chile | 385 |
| Iceland | 269 |
| Argentina | 224 |
| Brazil | 210 |
| Hungary | 189 |
| Portugal | 163 |
| Bulgaria | 142 |
| Greece | 138 |
| Georgia | 124 |
| Slovakia | 75 |
| Moldova | 57 |
| Venezuela | 45 |
| Cyprus | 28 |
| Slovenia | 27 |
| Croatia | 16 |
| Bahamas | 16 |
| Azerbaijan | 10 |
| Bolivia | 7 |
| Costa Rica | 4 |
| Liechtenstein | 1 |
By region
94% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Estonian diaspora in numbers
Most Estonians abroad live in Finland
45% of the diaspora lives in Finland, while the next country accounts for just 20%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
6 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg. Norway climbed from outside the top 20 to #5.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 59% to 45%.
1 in 11 people born in Estonia lives abroad
124.2K people born in Estonia now live in other countries — 9.1% of a population of 1.4M.
Estonian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 106726 |
| 1995 | 108115 |
| 2000 | 111603 |
| 2005 | 115845 |
| 2010 | 116903 |
| 2015 | 128194 |
| 2020 | 123628 |
| 2024 | 124216 |
Largest communities over time
Estonians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Finland | Russia | Ukraine | Sweden | Norway |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5711 | 62441 | 10585 | 11482 | 23 |
| 1995 | 3285 | 65943 | 11068 | 11213 | 159 |
| 2000 | 6569 | 67055 | 11687 | 10315 | 302 |
| 2005 | 16258 | 63001 | 10678 | 9893 | 626 |
| 2010 | 21761 | 56895 | 10188 | 9981 | 1975 |
| 2015 | 41006 | 43974 | 10222 | 10291 | 5013 |
| 2020 | 47280 | 33399 | 10392 | 9718 | 4742 |
| 2024 | 55655 | 24906 | 10531 | 9461 | 5273 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Estonians in each country has changed since the selected year
Estonians among immigrants in other countries
Where Estonians 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 Estonians live outside Estonia?
Around 124.2K Estonians live abroad, the world's #146 largest diaspora.
Where do most Estonians abroad live?
Most Estonians live in Finland, Russia and Ukraine — these three countries account for about 73% of all Estonians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Estonian population outside Estonia?
Finland is home to the largest Estonian community abroad — 55.7K people, about 45% of all Estonians living abroad.
What share of the population of Estonia lives abroad?
About 9% of the population of Estonia lives abroad — that's 124.2K out of a total population of 1.4M.
Is the Estonian diaspora growing?
Barely — over the past decade, the number of Estonians living abroad has changed from 128.2K to 124.2K, about 3%.
Where does the data on the Estonian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Estonia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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