MigrantoFinnish Diaspora
181.8K Finns live abroad — the #134 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 80% of all emigrants
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Sweden | 129139 |
| Norway | 7986 |
| Australia | 7752 |
| Canada | 7526 |
| Estonia | 6040 |
| Denmark | 3948 |
| Belgium | 2596 |
| Italy | 2577 |
| Belarus | 2055 |
| Luxembourg | 1333 |
| Russia | 1227 |
| Hungary | 1088 |
| Libya | 936 |
| Greece | 833 |
| Israel | 687 |
| Poland | 652 |
| Brazil | 626 |
| China | 575 |
| Cyprus | 519 |
| Portugal | 429 |
| Malta | 407 |
| Iceland | 356 |
| Bulgaria | 290 |
| South Africa | 288 |
| Chile | 264 |
| Egypt | 236 |
| Slovakia | 226 |
| Mexico | 222 |
| Lithuania | 173 |
| Latvia | 139 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 109 |
| Namibia | 86 |
| Panama | 84 |
| Romania | 71 |
| Venezuela | 64 |
| Sri Lanka | 61 |
| Bolivia | 48 |
| Slovenia | 44 |
| Croatia | 34 |
| Costa Rica | 31 |
| Dominican Republic | 29 |
| Greenland | 12 |
| Cayman Islands | 11 |
| Georgia | 10 |
| Liechtenstein | 9 |
| Guinea | 4 |
| Mongolia | 2 |
By destination region
Europe is the leading destination region at 89%
161.7K
7.8K
7.5K
1.6K
1.4K
1.2K
747
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Finland.
Sweden is the primary destination for emigrants
Sweden attracts 71% of all emigrants from Finland, while the second-largest destination receives just 4%.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
4 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Hungary, Poland, Cyprus — Hungary rose from outside the top 20 to rank #12.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 82% to 71%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 266717 |
| 1995 | 255507 |
| 2000 | 247766 |
| 2005 | 236417 |
| 2010 | 221943 |
| 2015 | 209216 |
| 2020 | 195782 |
| 2024 | 181834 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Sweden | Norway | Australia | Canada | Estonia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 218888 | 4257 | 9389 | 17112 | 651 |
| 1995 | 206860 | 4533 | 9390 | 15620 | 1010 |
| 2000 | 196304 | 6635 | 9412 | 14257 | 1369 |
| 2005 | 185076 | 6476 | 9503 | 12707 | 1891 |
| 2010 | 170856 | 6593 | 9523 | 10422 | 2398 |
| 2015 | 157247 | 6779 | 9175 | 10068 | 3870 |
| 2020 | 142468 | 7182 | 8576 | 8685 | 5928 |
| 2024 | 129139 | 7986 | 7752 | 7526 | 6040 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Finland as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Finland
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Finns move to?
Most Finns have moved to Sweden, Norway and Australia — these three countries account for about 80% of all Finns living abroad.
How many Finns live abroad?
Around 181.8K Finns live abroad, making it the #134-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Finland lives abroad?
About 3% of the population of Finland lives abroad — that's 181.8K out of a total population of 5.6M.
How has emigration from Finland changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Finland has fallen from 209.2K to 181.8K people, a decline of about 13%.
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