MigrantoMigration trends in Kenya
Africa
927.1K people from around the world have made Kenya their home. That's 1.6% of the country population, arriving from 13 different countries
56.4M
Population
927.1K
Immigrants
540.5K
Emigrants
+386.7K
Inflow
Immigrants make up 1.6% of the population in Kenya
The #63 largest immigrant destination worldwide
Top corridors
The largest migration routes in Kenya
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
196.7K immigrants · 238K emigrants
1995
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 160%
- Somalia overtook Uganda as the largest source of new arrivals
- The country became a destination — more people arriving than leaving
- Surge of immigrants from Somalia — 164.3K new arrivals
2010
- Somalia overtook Uganda as the largest source of new arrivals
- Rose into the 3 biggest immigrant destinations in Africa
2015
- USA replaced United Kingdom as the main destination for those leaving
- The foreign-born population passed 1M residents
Today
- The diaspora abroad passed 500K people
- Since 1990: 730.4K more foreign-born residents and 302.5K more citizens living abroad
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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