MigrantoKyrgyz Diaspora
540.6K Kyrgyz live abroad — 7% of the population of Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 88% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Russia | 333664 |
| Kazakhstan | 100242 |
| Turkey | 44361 |
| Ukraine | 27538 |
| Tajikistan | 11382 |
| Belarus | 5096 |
| Uzbekistan | 4827 |
| Italy | 2833 |
| Israel | 2664 |
| Czech Republic | 1439 |
| Azerbaijan | 1321 |
| Australia | 731 |
| Latvia | 697 |
| Greece | 592 |
| China | 591 |
| Estonia | 555 |
| Lithuania | 366 |
| Bulgaria | 326 |
| Hungary | 291 |
| Norway | 262 |
| Georgia | 256 |
| Denmark | 156 |
| Moldova | 131 |
| Finland | 99 |
| Luxembourg | 54 |
| Slovakia | 36 |
| Cyprus | 23 |
| Slovenia | 22 |
| Iceland | 9 |
| Bolivia | 6 |
| Liechtenstein | 3 |
By region
69% of the diaspora lives in Europe
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Key facts
The Kyrgyz diaspora in numbers
The community in Turkey is growing fastest
The number of Kyrgyz living in Turkey has grown 187% since 2015, from 15.5K to 44.4K.
Most Kyrgyz abroad live in Russia
62% of the diaspora lives in Russia, while the next country accounts for just 19%.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 71% to 62%.
The share of the diaspora living in Europe has declined since 1990
79.3% of the diaspora lived in Europe in 1990, compared with 69.2% today.
1 in 13 people born in Kyrgyzstan lives abroad
540.6K people born in Kyrgyzstan now live in other countries — 7.5% of a population of 7.2M.
Kyrgyz diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 606963 |
| 1995 | 600786 |
| 2000 | 590619 |
| 2005 | 663215 |
| 2010 | 713989 |
| 2015 | 641517 |
| 2020 | 584710 |
| 2024 | 540573 |
Largest communities over time
Kyrgyz living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Russia | Kazakhstan | Turkey | Ukraine | Tajikistan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 433625 | 88352 | 1752 | 37304 | 20042 |
| 1995 | 455644 | 72562 | 1752 | 33724 | 15292 |
| 2000 | 461140 | 64408 | 1752 | 30557 | 11944 |
| 2005 | 526124 | 70819 | 5686 | 27921 | 11502 |
| 2010 | 566372 | 77837 | 9876 | 26640 | 11495 |
| 2015 | 480993 | 85504 | 15450 | 26729 | 11301 |
| 2020 | 399110 | 93946 | 30942 | 27175 | 11351 |
| 2024 | 333664 | 100242 | 44361 | 27538 | 11382 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Kyrgyz in each country has changed since the selected year
Kyrgyz among immigrants in other countries
Where Kyrgyz 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 Kyrgyz live outside Kyrgyzstan?
Around 540.6K Kyrgyz live abroad, the world's #99 largest diaspora.
Where do most Kyrgyz abroad live?
Most Kyrgyz live in Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey — these three countries account for about 88% of all Kyrgyz living abroad.
Which country has the largest Kyrgyz population outside Kyrgyzstan?
Russia is home to the largest Kyrgyz community abroad — 333.7K people, about 62% of all Kyrgyz living abroad.
What share of the population of Kyrgyzstan lives abroad?
About 7% of the population of Kyrgyzstan lives abroad — that's 540.6K out of a total population of 7.2M.
Is the Kyrgyz diaspora growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of Kyrgyz living abroad has fallen from 641.5K to 540.6K, about 16%.
Where does the data on the Kyrgyz diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Kyrgyzstan who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Kyrgyzstan
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