MigrantoKenyan Diaspora
540.5K Kenyans live abroad — 1% of the population of Kenya
Kenyan diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 70% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| USA | 210991 |
| United Kingdom | 137817 |
| Australia | 30123 |
| Canada | 29988 |
| Tanzania | 26345 |
| Mozambique | 25824 |
| Uganda | 23416 |
| South Sudan | 10153 |
| South Africa | 6208 |
| Sudan | 6189 |
| Ethiopia | 5564 |
| Italy | 4755 |
| Rwanda | 2572 |
| Norway | 2567 |
| Denmark | 2150 |
| India | 2078 |
| Guinea | 1856 |
| Finland | 1839 |
| Burundi | 1377 |
| Botswana | 1277 |
| Namibia | 1232 |
| China | 1078 |
| Japan | 1041 |
| Zambia | 875 |
| Greece | 489 |
| Seychelles | 422 |
| Libya | 377 |
| Hungary | 300 |
| Eritrea | 274 |
| Israel | 239 |
| Malta | 167 |
| Iceland | 156 |
| Luxembourg | 128 |
| Portugal | 127 |
| Cyprus | 86 |
| Comoros | 74 |
| Cayman Islands | 43 |
| Slovenia | 40 |
| Bulgaria | 39 |
| Slovakia | 30 |
| Faroe Islands | 26 |
| Sierra Leone | 24 |
| Estonia | 22 |
| Bahamas | 22 |
| Ghana | 17 |
| Bolivia | 17 |
| Costa Rica | 11 |
| Liechtenstein | 9 |
| Lithuania | 8 |
| Latvia | 4 |
By region
45% of the diaspora lives in North America
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Key facts
The Kenyan diaspora in numbers
Most Kenyans abroad live in the USA
39% of the diaspora lives in the USA, while the next country accounts for just 25%.
The share of the diaspora living in North America has grown since 1990
12.7% of the diaspora lived in North America in 1990, compared with 44.6% today.
The community in Australia is growing fastest
The number of Kenyans living in Australia has grown 53% since 2015, from 19.7K to 30.1K.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
5 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: South Sudan, Guinea, Finland. South Sudan climbed from outside the top 20 to #8.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 47% to 39%.
Kenyan diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 238008 |
| 1995 | 249228 |
| 2000 | 296430 |
| 2005 | 346666 |
| 2010 | 390142 |
| 2015 | 452369 |
| 2020 | 483045 |
| 2024 | 540466 |
Largest communities over time
Kenyans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | USA | United Kingdom | Australia | Canada | Tanzania |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13883 | 111254 | 4190 | 16283 | 33613 |
| 1995 | 5144 | 119424 | 5799 | 17840 | 31740 |
| 2000 | 43039 | 128179 | 7217 | 19504 | 30272 |
| 2005 | 65380 | 134123 | 10795 | 22174 | 29010 |
| 2010 | 89390 | 139811 | 15303 | 25192 | 27864 |
| 2015 | 140254 | 139658 | 19736 | 28317 | 27247 |
| 2020 | 164517 | 138636 | 24960 | 29160 | 24274 |
| 2024 | 210991 | 137817 | 30123 | 29988 | 26345 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Kenyans in each country has changed since the selected year
Kenyans among immigrants in other countries
Where Kenyans 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 Kenyans live outside Kenya?
Around 540.5K Kenyans live abroad, the world's #100 largest diaspora.
Where do most Kenyans abroad live?
Most Kenyans live in USA, United Kingdom and Australia — these three countries account for about 70% of all Kenyans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Kenyan population outside Kenya?
USA is home to the largest Kenyan community abroad — 211K people, about 39% of all Kenyans living abroad.
What share of the population of Kenya lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Kenya lives abroad — that's 540.5K out of a total population of 56.4M.
Is the Kenyan diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Kenyans living abroad has grown from 452.4K to 540.5K, about 19%.
Where does the data on the Kenyan diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Kenya who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Kenya
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