Where Malians move
1.3M Malians live abroad — #57 largest source of emigrants worldwide
Considering a move from Mali? — See top destinations, regional flows, and how it's changed since 1990.
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 56% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Cote d'Ivoire | 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
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.
Cote d'Ivoire is the primary destination for emigrants
Cote d'Ivoire 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 | Cote d'Ivoire | 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