Who moves to the Maldives
70.2K people have chosen Maldives for relocation — #147 most popular destination worldwide
Considering a move to the Maldives? — See where people come from, regional patterns, and how it's changed since 1990.
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 95% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 43282 |
| India | 15642 |
| Sri Lanka | 7912 |
| Philippines | 1062 |
| Pakistan | 353 |
| Thailand | 348 |
| Germany | 290 |
| Italy | 190 |
| Switzerland | 137 |
| France | 133 |
| Japan | 126 |
| United Kingdom | 118 |
| Malaysia | 116 |
| Canada | 108 |
| Australia | 90 |
| Singapore | 88 |
| United States | 49 |
| Egypt | 41 |
| Sweden | 40 |
| Austria | 25 |
| New Zealand | 18 |
| Lebanon | 10 |
By region of origin
Asia is the leading region of origin at 98%
68.9K
933
157
108
41
10
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in the Maldives.
Bangladesh is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Bangladesh accounts for 62% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 22%.
Immigration is a key driver of population growth
20% of the population growth of the Maldives since 1990 came from new immigrants, reflecting immigration's central demographic role.
Immigration has become more concentrated over time
The top source's share rose from 51% to 62%, with Bangladesh increasingly the primary origin.
A significant share of residents were born abroad
1 in 8 residents of the Maldives is foreign-born — 70.2K out of 527.8K, representing 13.3% of the population.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 8435 |
| 1995 | 17826 |
| 2000 | 26021 |
| 2005 | 42763 |
| 2010 | 51407 |
| 2015 | 60058 |
| 2020 | 65487 |
| 2024 | 70178 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Bangladesh | India | Sri Lanka | Philippines | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1623 | 951 | 4289 | 303 | 79 |
| 1995 | 3574 | 6418 | 6212 | 237 | 92 |
| 2000 | 5286 | 11427 | 7720 | 156 | 100 |
| 2005 | 20163 | 13773 | 6929 | 525 | 104 |
| 2010 | 28598 | 13568 | 6850 | 717 | 203 |
| 2015 | 37034 | 13364 | 6772 | 910 | 303 |
| 2020 | 40390 | 14596 | 7383 | 991 | 329 |
| 2024 | 43282 | 15642 | 7912 | 1062 | 353 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Maldives as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in the Maldives