MigrantoMauritanian Diaspora
91.7K Mauritanians live abroad — the #153 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 86% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| 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 destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 95%
86.9K
4.2K
442
204
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Mauritania.
Senegal is the primary destination for emigrants
Senegal attracts 52% of all emigrants from Mauritania, while the second-largest destination receives just 30%.
Mali is the fastest-growing major destination
Emigration to Mali has increased by 101% since 2015, rising from 13.5K to 27.2K in 9 years.
Emigration destinations have diversified since 1990
The top destination's share fell from 81% to 52%, indicating a broader spread of emigration patterns.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
3 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Mexico, Brazil, Greece — Mexico rose from outside the top 20 to rank #13.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 111270 |
| 1995 | 127054 |
| 2000 | 81064 |
| 2005 | 69192 |
| 2010 | 73350 |
| 2015 | 73527 |
| 2020 | 86409 |
| 2024 | 91705 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| 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 destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Mauritania as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Mauritania
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Mauritanians move to?
Most Mauritanians have moved to Senegal, Mali and Gambia — these three countries account for about 86% of all Mauritanians living abroad.
How many Mauritanians live abroad?
Around 91.7K Mauritanians live abroad, making it the #153-largest emigrant population in the world.
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.
How has emigration from Mauritania changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Mauritania has grown from 73.5K to 91.7K people, a growth of about 25%.
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