MigrantoMigration trends in Zimbabwe
Africa
Zimbabwe loses more people than it takes in: 1.5M emigrants against 308.7K immigrants. Net balance −1.2M — 7% of the country's population
16.6M
Population
308.7K
Immigrants
1.5M
Emigrants
−1.2M
Outflow
1 in 54 residents of Zimbabwe was born abroad — and 1 in 12 people born in Zimbabwe lives abroad
#52 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Zimbabwe
Where people move to
Where people come from
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 passed 500K people
2010
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora 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 passed 1M people
Today
- Since 1990: 296.2K fewer foreign-born residents and 1.3M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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