MigrantoUgandan Diaspora
578K Ugandans live abroad — 1% of the population of Uganda
Ugandan diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 90% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Kenya | 274655 |
| South Sudan | 156437 |
| Rwanda | 91955 |
| Canada | 15355 |
| South Africa | 7678 |
| DR Congo | 6776 |
| Australia | 5079 |
| Tanzania | 4695 |
| Sudan | 3003 |
| Denmark | 2226 |
| Norway | 1764 |
| Italy | 1205 |
| Eritrea | 1195 |
| Burundi | 1188 |
| China | 917 |
| Zambia | 741 |
| India | 718 |
| Namibia | 532 |
| Botswana | 342 |
| Israel | 329 |
| Finland | 319 |
| Lesotho | 313 |
| Greece | 149 |
| Hungary | 114 |
| Iceland | 91 |
| Eswatini | 55 |
| Luxembourg | 40 |
| Portugal | 33 |
| Seychelles | 27 |
| Cyprus | 19 |
| Ethiopia | 18 |
| Costa Rica | 13 |
| Bulgaria | 12 |
| Slovakia | 12 |
| Bahamas | 12 |
| Estonia | 9 |
| Slovenia | 7 |
| Latvia | 1 |
| Guinea | 0 |
| Lithuania | 0 |
| Liechtenstein | 0 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
95% of the diaspora lives in Africa
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Key facts
The Ugandan diaspora in numbers
Most Ugandans abroad live in Kenya
48% of the diaspora lives in Kenya, while the next country accounts for just 27%.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 34% to 48%, and today that country is Kenya.
Ugandan diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 247275 |
| 1995 | 294857 |
| 2000 | 446491 |
| 2005 | 477529 |
| 2010 | 582479 |
| 2015 | 619064 |
| 2020 | 586241 |
| 2024 | 578034 |
Largest communities over time
Ugandans living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Kenya | South Sudan | Rwanda | Canada | South Africa |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 83355 | 0 | 34106 | 8811 | 808 |
| 1995 | 134005 | 0 | 48486 | 9640 | 1282 |
| 2000 | 261491 | 0 | 79241 | 10551 | 2526 |
| 2005 | 291776 | 0 | 93430 | 10969 | 5979 |
| 2010 | 326978 | 125406 | 92808 | 11961 | 5396 |
| 2015 | 333789 | 145607 | 92195 | 13438 | 8609 |
| 2020 | 290597 | 151003 | 92061 | 14870 | 10155 |
| 2024 | 274655 | 156437 | 91955 | 15355 | 7678 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Ugandans in each country has changed since the selected year
Ugandans among immigrants in other countries
Where Ugandans 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 Ugandans live outside Uganda?
Around 578K Ugandans live abroad, the world's #97 largest diaspora.
Where do most Ugandans abroad live?
Most Ugandans live in Kenya, South Sudan and Rwanda — these three countries account for about 90% of all Ugandans living abroad.
Which country has the largest Ugandan population outside Uganda?
Kenya is home to the largest Ugandan community abroad — 274.7K people, about 48% of all Ugandans living abroad.
What share of the population of Uganda lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Uganda lives abroad — that's 578K out of a total population of 50M.
Is the Ugandan diaspora growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of Ugandans living abroad has fallen from 619.1K to 578K, about 7%.
Where does the data on the Ugandan diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Uganda who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Uganda
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