The number of people living outside of their countries of origin has grown significantly from 2000, when the total was 173 million, to 2019, when it reached 272 million. It is important to emphasize that these numbers are estimates as countries do not report statistics on a regular basis, particularly in between decennial censuses. Moreover, countries use different definitions of an international migrant in collecting these data. In some cases, the data refer to those of foreign birth whereas in others they refer to foreign nationality, even if that person was born on the territory of the reporting country. Usually a migrant is defined as one who lives outside one’s own country for a continuous period of one year, but these criteria are not strictly adhered to in national counting of migrants. (See Migration Data for further information).
Understanding international migration requires analysis of both the flow of people across international borders each year as well as what demographers refer to as ‘stock’—the number of people who live outside of their country of origin at any given point in time.
This section provides a brief overview of trends regarding the number, proportion of the world’s total population, regional distribution, gender and age, and other characteristics of international migrant stock and flow. As figures on stock have been collected in a more systematic way, the discussion begins with these numbers. All data on migrants are taken from the United Nations (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019). Additional data on displacement are provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Source: Based on UNDESA (2019)
Source: Based on UNDESA (2019)
In any case, it is safe to assert that the international migrant population grew at a faster rate than the total population. Yet, migrants remain a relatively small and stable proportion of the world’s total population. In 2000, international migrants represented 2.8 percent of the world’s population; by 2019, they were 3.5 percent.
The distribution of international migrants varies by region as well as origin and destination countries. In 2019, the region with the largest number of emigrants (that is, those leaving their countries of origin) was Asia (112 million). India was the largest country of origin of international migrants (17.5 million).
Source: UN DESA 2019
Asia was also the largest destination region for migrants, with 84 million immigrants, closely followed by Europe (82 million). Notably, the top 20 destination countries accounted for two thirds of all international migrants many of which reside in the United States of America.
Source: UN DESA 2019
Most international migrants live in high income countries, which saw higher rates of growth of international migration than those with lower incomes during this century. Nevertheless, a significant element in international migration is composed of movements within regions and even sub-regions—for example, South Africa hosts 4.2 million international migrants, including some 700 thousand from Mozambique alone (UNDESA, 2019)
Just under 50 percent of international migrants are female. In 2019, women and girls represented 130.2 million migrants worldwide, with men and boys representing 141.5 million migrants worldwide. The proportion of migrant women and girls is higher in Europe, Northern America, and Oceania. Male migrants predominate in Africa and Asia (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019). The most even distribution is in Latin America and the Caribbean, in which women represent 49.9 percent of international migrants.
Source: UN DESA 2019
A majority of international migrants are of working age. In 2019, migrants of working age outnumbered national population of working age (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019) (see figure 6). The median age of migrants worldwide was 39, meaning that half of all migrants were younger than 39 and half were older. Migrants in Europe, North America and Oceania tended to be older than those in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2019). Women tend to dominate the oldest age groups (see figure 7).
Source: UN DESA 2019
Source: UN DESA 2019
The number of refugees globally has reached a record high of 25.9 million by the end of 2018. Nevertheless, there has been an observed decrease of the annual rate of growth since 2012. Furthermore, there was an estimated 3.5 million people demanding for international protection and awaiting to obtain refugee status (also known as asylum seekers).
The number of refugees and asylum seekers represent only 10 percent of the international migrant stock (UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 2018). More than 80 percent of the refugees and asylum seekers resided in developing countries. Sex and age disaggregated data were available for only 63 and 60 percent of refugees, respectively, and 55 and 45 percent of asylum seekers. Overall, adults and children of all gender were about equally represented. By region, the proportions vary considerably, however. In Africa, women and girls represent 51 percent of refugees whereas in Europe, they constitute only 39 percent of the refugee population. Overall, children under the age of 18 represent 52 percent of the refugee population. Differences by region are evident here as well, with children accounting for 58 percent of the refugee population in Africa and only 20 percent in the Americas.
Source: Muse Mohammed/IOM, 2019
Official statistics on the annual flow of migrants from origin to destination countries are much weaker than on the stock. Data and estimates from international organizations, academics and other researchers fill some of the gaps in flow data. The data for member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are among the most comprehensive.
While not representative of other regions, these data indicate common categories for admission of migrants (and, relatedly, motivations and avenues to migrate):
Reflecting the recent so called “migration crisis”, annual numbers of migrants seeking permanent admissions into OECD countries ranged from four to just over five million during the period 2010-2017. Almost three-quarters of OECD countries received more migrant men than women in 2016. The large increase in asylum seekers may explain the trend. According to the Pew Research Center (2016), in 2015, 73 percent of asylum seekers in the EU-28, Norway and Switzerland were male. Asylum seekers formed an important and sharply growing component of the OECD migrant flow in the period from 2007 to 2017. In 2007, new asylum applications in OECD countries numbered just over 285 thousand; they went up to more than 836 thousand in 2014, and then doubled to more than 1.6 million in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, new asylum applications declined to 1.2 million.
Source: Based on OECD data (2019)
The largest countries of origin were India, Mexico, and China with 18, 12 and 11 million emigrants (see figure 3). The largest destination countries were the United States with 50.6 million immigrants, and Germany, and Saudia Arabia with both 13 million (see figure 4) (UNDESA, 2019).
- International migration is a large and growing phenomenon (272 million in 2019) but international migrants still represent only 3.4 percent of the world’s population.
- About 61 percent of migrants move to Asia or Europe; whereas, North America, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean represent the remainder.
- International migrants are about equally divided by sex; a large majority of them are of working age. About a third of international migrants are admitted for family reunification. Other admission categories include free movement agreements, humanitarian admissions, work visas.