MigrantoMigration trends in Ethiopia
Africa
1.2M people from Ethiopia have built lives abroad. That's 0.9% of the country population, spread across 56 different countries
132.1M
Population
1.1M
Immigrants
1.2M
Emigrants
−103.7K
Outflow
0.9% of people born in Ethiopia now live abroad
The #61 largest source of emigrants worldwide
Top corridors
The largest migration routes in Ethiopia
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
869.6K immigrants · 1.6M emigrants
1995
- The exodus eased — the diaspora abroad shrank by 55%
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 46%
- Slipped out of the 3 biggest countries by emigrants in Africa
- Emigration to Somalia declined sharply — 442K fewer migrants there
2000
- Emigration to Sudan declined sharply — 373.3K fewer migrants there
2005
- South Sudan overtook Somalia as the largest source of new arrivals
- USA replaced Sudan as the main destination for those leaving
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 47%
- Immigration from Somalia declined sharply — 139.7K fewer migrants from there
2010
- The diaspora abroad passed 500K people
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 280%
- South Sudan overtook Somalia as the largest source of new arrivals
- Surge of immigrants from South Sudan — 247.5K new arrivals
- Surge of immigrants from Somalia — 176.3K new arrivals
2020
- The diaspora abroad passed 1M people
Today
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
- Since 1990: 267.3K more foreign-born residents and 390.2K fewer citizens living abroad
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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