MigrantoRwandan Diaspora
539K Rwandans live abroad — the #101 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 84% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| DR Congo | 286208 |
| Burundi | 85969 |
| Uganda | 79149 |
| Republic of Congo | 24825 |
| Belgium | 15445 |
| Zambia | 12201 |
| Canada | 9317 |
| Malawi | 6128 |
| Kenya | 5208 |
| South Africa | 3172 |
| China | 1400 |
| Australia | 1338 |
| Angola | 1299 |
| Italy | 954 |
| Norway | 736 |
| Togo | 674 |
| Denmark | 674 |
| Mali | 621 |
| Finland | 617 |
| Tanzania | 561 |
| Ghana | 488 |
| Namibia | 397 |
| Eswatini | 392 |
| Eritrea | 365 |
| Senegal | 289 |
| Gabon | 226 |
| Luxembourg | 217 |
| Greece | 103 |
| Guinea | 35 |
| Hungary | 27 |
| Estonia | 4 |
| Bulgaria | 1 |
| Slovakia | 1 |
| Latvia | 1 |
| Lithuania | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Costa Rica | 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 0 |
| Iceland | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 94%
508.2K
18.8K
9.3K
1.4K
1.3K
2
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Rwanda.
DR Congo is the primary destination for emigrants
DR Congo attracts 53% of all emigrants from Rwanda, while the second-largest destination receives just 16%.
Top emigration destinations have shifted significantly since 1990
6 new countries have entered the top 20 destinations: Republic of Congo, Zambia, Australia — Republic of Congo rose from outside the top 20 to rank #4.
Emigration has become more concentrated over time
The top destination's share rose from 44% to 53%, with DR Congo increasingly the primary choice.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 584280 |
| 1995 | 2109879 |
| 2000 | 346850 |
| 2005 | 293186 |
| 2010 | 334656 |
| 2015 | 496392 |
| 2020 | 486754 |
| 2024 | 539046 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | DR Congo | Burundi | Uganda | Republic of Congo | Belgium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22972 | 221943 | 257379 | 0 | 3525 |
| 1995 | 1132791 | 160197 | 187709 | 5503 | 4714 |
| 2000 | 85936 | 66415 | 104439 | 12480 | 6296 |
| 2005 | 82035 | 61104 | 92150 | 7936 | 9034 |
| 2010 | 123871 | 54794 | 84421 | 18900 | 12799 |
| 2015 | 275136 | 64363 | 80434 | 25119 | 14033 |
| 2020 | 251333 | 76567 | 76677 | 24955 | 14698 |
| 2024 | 286208 | 85969 | 79149 | 24825 | 15445 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Rwanda as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Rwanda
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Rwandans move to?
Most Rwandans have moved to DR Congo, Burundi and Uganda — these three countries account for about 84% of all Rwandans living abroad.
How many Rwandans live abroad?
Around 539K Rwandans live abroad, making it the #101-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Rwanda lives abroad?
About 4% of the population of Rwanda lives abroad — that's 539K out of a total population of 14.3M.
How has emigration from Rwanda changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Rwanda has grown from 496.4K to 539K people, a growth of about 9%.
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