MigrantoMigration trends in Somalia
Africa
Somalia loses more people than it takes in: 1.9M emigrants against 46.7K immigrants. Net balance −1.9M — 10% of the country's population
19M
Population
46.7K
Immigrants
1.9M
Emigrants
−1.9M
Outflow
1 in 407 residents of Somalia was born abroad — and 1 in 11 people born in Somalia lives abroad
#42 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Somalia
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
460K immigrants · 599.2K emigrants
1995
- Surge of departures to Kenya — 164.3K people left
- Immigration from Ethiopia declined sharply — 442K fewer migrants from there
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 773.7K
2000
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 97%
2005
- Kenya replaced Ethiopia as the main destination for those leaving
- Emigration to Ethiopia declined sharply — 139.7K fewer migrants there
2010
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 2149%
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 64%
- Surge of departures to Yemen — 102.3K people left
- The diaspora passed 1M people
2015
- Surge of departures to Ethiopia — 176.3K people left
2020
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 79%
Today
- Since 1990: 413.3K fewer foreign-born residents and 1.3M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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