MigrantoMigration trends in Romania
Europe
Romania loses more people than it takes in: 4.6M emigrants against 584K immigrants. Net balance −4M — 21% of the country's population
19.1M
Population
584K
Immigrants
4.6M
Emigrants
−4M
Outflow
1 in 33 residents of Romania was born abroad — and 1 in 5 people born in Romania lives abroad
#14 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Romania
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
131.8K immigrants · 957.8K emigrants
1995
- The diaspora passed 1M people
2005
- Italy replaced Germany as the main destination for those leaving
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 60%
2010
- Entered the world's 20 largest diasporas
- Surge of departures to Italy — 388.2K people left
- Surge of departures to Spain — 375.5K people left
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 48%
2020
- Surge of departures to United Kingdom — 312.7K people left
Today
- Ukraine overtook Moldova as the largest source of new arrivals
- Germany replaced Italy as the main destination for those leaving
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 90%
- Surge of immigrants from Ukraine — 167.5K new arrivals
- Since 1990: 452.2K more foreign-born residents and 3.6M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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