MigrantoMigration trends in Zimbabwe
Africa
1.5M people from Zimbabwe have built lives abroad. That's 9.1% of the country population, spread across 39 different countries
16.6M
Population
308.7K
Immigrants
1.5M
Emigrants
−1.2M
Outflow
1 in every 12 people born in Zimbabwe now lives abroad
The #52 largest source of emigrants worldwide
Top corridors
The largest migration routes in Zimbabwe
Where people move to
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
604.9K immigrants · 221.4K emigrants
1995
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 35%
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
2005
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
- The diaspora abroad passed 500K people
2010
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora abroad grew by 71%
- Surge of departures to South Africa — 291.6K people left
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 644.7K
2015
- The diaspora abroad passed 1M people
Today
- Since 1990: 296.2K fewer foreign-born residents and 1.3M more citizens living abroad
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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