MigrantoMigration trends in Kenya
Africa
Kenya takes in more people than it loses: 927.1K immigrants against 540.5K emigrants. Net balance +386.7K — 1% of the country's population
56.4M
Population
927.1K
Immigrants
540.5K
Emigrants
+386.7K
Inflow
1 in 61 residents of Kenya was born abroad — and 1 in 105 people born in Kenya lives abroad
#63 in the world by net migration gain
Top corridors
The largest migration flows 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 passed 500K people
- Since 1990: 730.4K more foreign-born residents and 302.5K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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