MigrantoMalian Diaspora
1.3M Malians live abroad — the #57 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 56% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Ivory Coast | 403646 |
| Nigeria | 184965 |
| Niger | 140431 |
| Mauritania | 122945 |
| France | 120393 |
| Gabon | 59837 |
| Guinea | 43694 |
| Burkina Faso | 37862 |
| Senegal | 36252 |
| Spain | 36036 |
| Republic of Congo | 33521 |
| Italy | 23958 |
| Gambia | 11344 |
| Cameroon | 10608 |
| Togo | 8256 |
| Ghana | 6592 |
| Benin | 3721 |
| Sudan | 1630 |
| Tunisia | 1112 |
| China | 960 |
| Liberia | 924 |
| South Africa | 836 |
| Brazil | 454 |
| Western Sahara | 404 |
| Libya | 381 |
| Zambia | 354 |
| Central African Republic | 339 |
| Sierra Leone | 244 |
| South Sudan | 215 |
| Portugal | 143 |
| Greece | 112 |
| Luxembourg | 91 |
| Norway | 63 |
| Denmark | 60 |
| Australia | 53 |
| Hungary | 31 |
| Finland | 27 |
| Slovenia | 7 |
| Cape Verde | 6 |
| Iceland | 6 |
| Bulgaria | 4 |
| Lithuania | 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| Latvia | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 86%
1.1M
180.9K
960
455
53
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Mali.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 65% to 31%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
Spain is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Spain has increased by 82% since 2015, rising from 19.8K to 36K in 9 years.
Ivory Coast is the primary destination for emigrants
Ivory Coast attracts 31% of all emigrants from Mali, while the second-largest destination receives just 14%.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
4 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Italy, Cameroon, Benin — Italy rose from outside the top 20 to rank #12.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 587626 |
| 1995 | 743318 |
| 2000 | 706904 |
| 2005 | 822077 |
| 2010 | 897610 |
| 2015 | 1117148 |
| 2020 | 1200058 |
| 2024 | 1292519 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Ivory Coast | Nigeria | Niger | Mauritania | France |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 380960 | 14578 | 31142 | 6776 | 32674 |
| 1995 | 384296 | 39251 | 64573 | 41626 | 36981 |
| 2000 | 387632 | 65493 | 43060 | 7483 | 43739 |
| 2005 | 390968 | 130172 | 43857 | 7559 | 58965 |
| 2010 | 394305 | 132962 | 44544 | 5297 | 69346 |
| 2015 | 397641 | 160967 | 94640 | 104491 | 82137 |
| 2020 | 400977 | 172481 | 108802 | 114379 | 106194 |
| 2024 | 403646 | 184965 | 140431 | 122945 | 120393 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Mali as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Mali
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Malians move to?
Most Malians have moved to Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Niger — these three countries account for about 56% of all Malians living abroad.
How many Malians live abroad?
Around 1.3M Malians live abroad, making it the #57-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Mali lives abroad?
About 5% of the population of Mali lives abroad — that's 1.3M out of a total population of 24.5M.
How has emigration from Mali changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Mali has grown from 1.1M to 1.3M people, a growth of about 16%.
Where to live?
Match a country to your priorities
Explore other countries
See where people move around the world