MigrantoZambian Diaspora
122.8K Zambians live abroad — the #147 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 70% of all emigrants
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 32680 |
| Malawi | 30614 |
| South Africa | 22946 |
| Tanzania | 8289 |
| Australia | 8060 |
| Mozambique | 5539 |
| Botswana | 4661 |
| Namibia | 3359 |
| China | 1737 |
| Italy | 911 |
| Mali | 761 |
| Denmark | 726 |
| Norway | 620 |
| Finland | 401 |
| Angola | 316 |
| Greece | 256 |
| India | 221 |
| Eritrea | 188 |
| Lesotho | 158 |
| Cyprus | 143 |
| Croatia | 40 |
| Hungary | 35 |
| Luxembourg | 24 |
| Tajikistan | 21 |
| Bulgaria | 18 |
| Iceland | 18 |
| Sierra Leone | 16 |
| Slovakia | 12 |
| Cayman Islands | 11 |
| Slovenia | 7 |
| Estonia | 3 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
| Latvia | 0 |
| Lithuania | 0 |
| Liechtenstein | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 89%
109.5K
8.1K
3.1K
2K
143
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Zambia.
Zimbabwe is the primary destination for emigrants
Zimbabwe attracts 27% of all emigrants from Zambia, while the second-largest destination receives just 25%.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 73861 |
| 1995 | 116003 |
| 2000 | 125019 |
| 2005 | 133582 |
| 2010 | 134473 |
| 2015 | 128590 |
| 2020 | 122981 |
| 2024 | 122793 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | Zimbabwe | Malawi | South Africa | Tanzania | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 18966 | 5637 | 17949 | 18188 | 2262 |
| 1995 | 22815 | 47571 | 15413 | 14501 | 2855 |
| 2000 | 26337 | 45797 | 21074 | 13584 | 3428 |
| 2005 | 29759 | 43640 | 26127 | 11845 | 4548 |
| 2010 | 30373 | 42865 | 29149 | 10265 | 6165 |
| 2015 | 30538 | 36918 | 28326 | 8573 | 7323 |
| 2020 | 31692 | 31375 | 25677 | 7637 | 7609 |
| 2024 | 32680 | 30614 | 22946 | 8289 | 8060 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Zambia as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Zambia
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Zambians move to?
Most Zambians have moved to Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa — these three countries account for about 70% of all Zambians living abroad.
How many Zambians live abroad?
Around 122.8K Zambians live abroad, making it the #147-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Zambia lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Zambia lives abroad — that's 122.8K out of a total population of 21.3M.
How has emigration from Zambia changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Zambia has changed from 128.6K to 122.8K people, a change of about 5%.
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