MigrantoBissau-Guinean Diaspora
104K Bissau-Guineans live abroad — 5% of the population of Guinea-Bissau
Bissau-Guinean diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 80% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Portugal | 36682 |
| Senegal | 31321 |
| Gambia | 15119 |
| Cape Verde | 5576 |
| Guinea | 4217 |
| Italy | 3131 |
| Luxembourg | 1751 |
| Brazil | 1521 |
| Mauritania | 1415 |
| Western Sahara | 1091 |
| Sierra Leone | 605 |
| Mali | 465 |
| Libya | 348 |
| Liberia | 330 |
| Denmark | 151 |
| Togo | 131 |
| Norway | 76 |
| Slovenia | 40 |
| Hungary | 12 |
| Finland | 9 |
| Bulgaria | 4 |
| Iceland | 3 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Greece | 0 |
By region
58% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Bissau-Guinean diaspora in numbers
Most Bissau-Guineans abroad live in Portugal
35% of the diaspora lives in Portugal, while the next country accounts for just 30%.
The share of the diaspora living in Africa has declined since 1990
85.3% of the diaspora lived in Africa in 1990, compared with 58.3% today.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 52% to 35%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Luxembourg, Slovenia, Finland. Luxembourg climbed from outside the top 20 to #7.
Bissau-Guinean diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 45577 |
| 1995 | 57547 |
| 2000 | 66613 |
| 2005 | 73544 |
| 2010 | 78973 |
| 2015 | 86283 |
| 2020 | 98064 |
| 2024 | 103999 |
Largest communities over time
Bissau-Guineans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Portugal | Senegal | Gambia | Cape Verde | Guinea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6588 | 23825 | 7591 | 539 | 2798 |
| 1995 | 13671 | 24916 | 9365 | 839 | 3226 |
| 2000 | 21309 | 23437 | 11733 | 1138 | 3495 |
| 2005 | 25289 | 24985 | 11396 | 2984 | 4194 |
| 2010 | 25070 | 27726 | 11904 | 4829 | 5032 |
| 2015 | 28422 | 29591 | 12328 | 5015 | 4540 |
| 2020 | 32607 | 30550 | 13808 | 5330 | 4361 |
| 2024 | 36682 | 31321 | 15119 | 5576 | 4217 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Bissau-Guineans in each country has changed since the selected year
Bissau-Guineans among immigrants in other countries
Where Bissau-Guineans 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 Bissau-Guineans live outside Guinea-Bissau?
Around 104K Bissau-Guineans live abroad, the world's #152 largest diaspora.
Where do most Bissau-Guineans abroad live?
Most Bissau-Guineans live in Portugal, Senegal and Gambia — these three countries account for about 80% of all Bissau-Guineans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Bissau-Guinean population outside Guinea-Bissau?
Portugal is home to the largest Bissau-Guinean community abroad — 36.7K people, about 35% of all Bissau-Guineans living abroad.
What share of the population of Guinea-Bissau lives abroad?
About 5% of the population of Guinea-Bissau lives abroad — that's 104K out of a total population of 2.2M.
Is the Bissau-Guinean diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Bissau-Guineans living abroad has grown from 86.3K to 104K, about 21%.
Where does the data on the Bissau-Guinean diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Guinea-Bissau who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Guinea-Bissau
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