MigrantoMalian Diaspora
1.3M Malians live abroad — 5% of the population of Mali
Malian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 56% of the diaspora
| 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 region
86% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Malian diaspora in numbers
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 65% to 31%.
The community in Spain is growing fastest
The number of Malians living in Spain has grown 82% since 2015, from 19.8K to 36K.
Most Malians abroad live in Ivory Coast
31% of the diaspora lives in Ivory Coast, while the next country accounts for just 14%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Italy, Cameroon, Benin. Italy climbed from outside the top 20 to #12.
1 in 19 people born in Mali lives abroad
1.3M people born in Mali now live in other countries — 5.3% of a population of 24.5M.
Malian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 587626 |
| 1995 | 743318 |
| 2000 | 706904 |
| 2005 | 822077 |
| 2010 | 897610 |
| 2015 | 1117148 |
| 2020 | 1200058 |
| 2024 | 1292519 |
Largest communities over time
Malians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| 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 communities
How the number of Malians in each country has changed since the selected year
Malians among immigrants in other countries
Where Malians 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 Malians live outside Mali?
Around 1.3M Malians live abroad, the world's #57 largest diaspora.
Where do most Malians abroad live?
Most Malians live in Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Niger — these three countries account for about 56% of all Malians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Malian population outside Mali?
Ivory Coast is home to the largest Malian community abroad — 403.6K people, about 31% of all Malians living abroad.
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.
Is the Malian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Malians living abroad has grown from 1.1M to 1.3M, about 16%.
Where does the data on the Malian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Mali who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Mali
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