MigrantoMauritanian Diaspora
91.7K Mauritanians live abroad — 2% of the population of Mauritania
Mauritanian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 86% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Senegal | 47547 |
| Mali | 27160 |
| Gambia | 3992 |
| Republic of Congo | 3111 |
| Belgium | 3018 |
| Morocco | 1863 |
| Guinea | 1070 |
| Italy | 846 |
| Tunisia | 588 |
| Western Sahara | 587 |
| Libya | 402 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 342 |
| Mexico | 299 |
| Iraq | 204 |
| Togo | 145 |
| Brazil | 142 |
| Sierra Leone | 83 |
| Norway | 77 |
| Greece | 64 |
| Portugal | 49 |
| Finland | 44 |
| Denmark | 30 |
| Ghana | 15 |
| Luxembourg | 13 |
| Hungary | 6 |
| Bulgaria | 3 |
| Iceland | 3 |
| Estonia | 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| Latvia | 0 |
| Lithuania | 0 |
| Slovenia | 0 |
By region
95% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Mauritanian diaspora in numbers
Most Mauritanians abroad live in Senegal
52% of the diaspora lives in Senegal, while the next country accounts for just 30%.
The community in Mali is growing fastest
The number of Mauritanians living in Mali has grown 101% since 2015, from 13.5K to 27.2K.
The diaspora is spread more widely than in 1990
The largest country's share fell from 81% to 52%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Mexico, Brazil, Greece. Mexico climbed from outside the top 20 to #13.
Mauritanian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 111270 |
| 1995 | 127054 |
| 2000 | 81064 |
| 2005 | 69192 |
| 2010 | 73350 |
| 2015 | 73527 |
| 2020 | 86409 |
| 2024 | 91705 |
Largest communities over time
Mauritanians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Senegal | Mali | Gambia | Republic of Congo | Belgium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 89862 | 14942 | 2005 | 965 | 98 |
| 1995 | 98848 | 20955 | 2474 | 1115 | 147 |
| 2000 | 59956 | 12423 | 3100 | 1564 | 216 |
| 2005 | 53740 | 6283 | 3011 | 994 | 608 |
| 2010 | 50090 | 10600 | 3146 | 2369 | 1682 |
| 2015 | 45357 | 13539 | 3257 | 3149 | 2198 |
| 2020 | 46376 | 24197 | 3646 | 3127 | 2523 |
| 2024 | 47547 | 27160 | 3992 | 3111 | 3018 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Mauritanians in each country has changed since the selected year
Mauritanians among immigrants in other countries
Where Mauritanians 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 Mauritanians live outside Mauritania?
Around 91.7K Mauritanians live abroad, the world's #153 largest diaspora.
Where do most Mauritanians abroad live?
Most Mauritanians live in Senegal, Mali and Gambia — these three countries account for about 86% of all Mauritanians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Mauritanian population outside Mauritania?
Senegal is home to the largest Mauritanian community abroad — 47.5K people, about 52% of all Mauritanians living abroad.
What share of the population of Mauritania lives abroad?
About 2% of the population of Mauritania lives abroad — that's 91.7K out of a total population of 5.2M.
Is the Mauritanian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Mauritanians living abroad has grown from 73.5K to 91.7K, about 25%.
Where does the data on the Mauritanian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Mauritania who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Mauritania
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