Germany’s 17 Million Immigrants: The place They Come From
How Has Europe’s Migrant Population Changed Since 2000?
Key Takeaways:
- Europe’s resident migrant inhabitants grew by 40.8 million, or 67%, between 2000 and 2024.
- The UK added probably the most migrants in absolute phrases (7.1 million), adopted by Spain (6.8 million) and Germany (6.4 million).
- Malta recorded the most important share improve (827%), whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina noticed the steepest decline (-59%).
Europe’s migrant inhabitants has expanded considerably since 2000, reshaping labor bourses and demographics throughout the continent.
This visualization makes use of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) estimates to match resident migrant populations between July 2000 and July 2024. Depending on country-level definitions, the estimates could embrace refugees, asylum seekers, and naturalized residents.
The figures measure modifications within the variety of migrants residing in every nation, slightly than cumulative arrivals or web migration flows.
Which European Countries Added the Most Migrants?
The following desk ranks European international locations by absolutely the improve of their resident migrant populations:
| Rank | Country | Migrant Population | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2024 | Growth | ||
| 1 | 🇬🇧 UK | 4,747,902 | 11,845,479 | 7,097,577 |
| 2 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2,023,886 | 8,870,527 | 6,846,641 |
| 3 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 10,397,459 | 16,750,084 | 6,352,625 |
| 4 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 1,279,019 | 7,083,501 | 5,804,482 |
| 5 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2,143,259 | 6,553,671 | 4,410,412 |
| 6 | 🇫🇷 France | 6,141,350 | 9,186,757 | 3,045,407 |
| 7 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 920,045 | 2,327,064 | 1,407,019 |
| 8 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1,584,638 | 2,956,518 | 1,371,880 |
| 9 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,484,514 | 2,773,840 | 1,289,326 |
| 10 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 1,076,676 | 2,349,032 | 1,272,356 |
| 11 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1,022,156 | 2,272,158 | 1,250,002 |
| 12 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 822,627 | 1,739,901 | 917,274 |
| 13 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 376,321 | 1,216,237 | 839,916 |
| 14 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 292,440 | 1,012,404 | 719,964 |
| 15 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 134,204 | 655,579 | 521,375 |
| 16 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 651,472 | 1,127,184 | 475,712 |
| 17 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 372,128 | 847,475 | 475,347 |
| 18 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 296,957 | 689,565 | 392,608 |
| 19 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 639,018 | 1,025,199 | 386,181 |
| 20 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 136,203 | 514,432 | 378,229 |
| 21 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 1,111,665 | 1,423,964 | 312,299 |
| 22 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 43,360 | 299,100 | 255,740 |
| 23 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 116,376 | 323,991 | 207,615 |
| 24 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 139,750 | 344,309 | 204,559 |
| 25 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 21,521 | 199,466 | 177,945 |
| 26 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 80,076 | 202,062 | 121,986 |
| 27 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 214,508 | 315,122 | 100,614 |
| 28 | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 15,892 | 98,818 | 82,926 |
| 29 | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 125,665 | 150,902 | 25,237 |
| 30 | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 73,743 | 92,237 | 18,494 |
| 31 | 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 15,483 | 27,669 | 12,186 |
| 32 | 🇲🇨 Monaco | 21,787 | 27,106 | 5,319 |
| 33 | 🇦🇱 Albania | 76,695 | 46,377 | -30,318 |
| 34 | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 214,311 | 175,194 | -39,117 |
| 35 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 249,512 | 203,046 | -46,466 |
| 36 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | 82,952 | 34,120 | -48,832 |
| 37 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 585,298 | 527,831 | -57,467 |
| 38 | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 250,134 | 188,207 | -61,927 |
| 39 | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 1,123,586 | 1,054,604 | -68,982 |
| 40 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 430,178 | 220,471 | -209,707 |
| 41 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 5,527,087 | 5,064,173 | -462,914 |
| 42 | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 1,419,951 | 712,550 | -707,401 |
| 43 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 11,900,297 | 7,605,774 | -4,294,523 |
Together, the UK, Spain, and Germany accounted for almost half of Europe’s complete improve, including roughly 20.4 million migrants.
However, the share rankings inform a special story. Smaller international locations recorded a few of the largest proportional positive aspects, led by Malta (+827%), Bulgaria (+590%), and Iceland (+522%).
| Rank | Country | Growth in resident migrant inhabitants %(2000-2024) | Change (folks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 826.8 | 177,945 |
| 2 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 589.8 | 255,740 |
| 3 | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 521.8 | 82,926 |
| 4 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 453.8 | 5,804,482 |
| 5 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 388.5 | 521,375 |
| 6 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 338.3 | 6,846,641 |
| 7 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 277.7 | 378,229 |
| 8 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 246.2 | 719,964 |
| 9 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 223.2 | 839,916 |
| 10 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 205.8 | 4,410,412 |
| 11 | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 178.4 | 207,615 |
| 12 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 152.9 | 1,407,019 |
| 13 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 152.3 | 121,986 |
| 14 | 🇬🇧 UK | 149.5 | 7,097,577 |
| 15 | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 146.4 | 204,559 |
| 16 | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 132.2 | 392,608 |
| 17 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 127.7 | 475,347 |
| 18 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 122.3 | 1,250,002 |
| 19 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 118.2 | 1,272,356 |
| 20 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 111.5 | 917,274 |
| 21 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 86.9 | 1,289,326 |
| 22 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 86.6 | 1,371,880 |
| 23 | 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 78.7 | 12,186 |
| 24 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 73 | 475,712 |
| 25 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 61.1 | 6,352,625 |
| 26 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 60.4 | 386,181 |
| 27 | 🇫🇷 France | 49.6 | 3,045,407 |
| 28 | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 46.9 | 100,614 |
| 29 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 28.1 | 312,299 |
| 30 | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 25.1 | 18,494 |
| 31 | 🇲🇨 Monaco | 24.4 | 5,319 |
| 32 | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 20.1 | 25,237 |
| 33 | 🇧🇾 Belarus | -6.1 | -68,982 |
| 34 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | -8.4 | -462,914 |
| 35 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | -9.8 | -57,467 |
| 36 | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | -18.3 | -39,117 |
| 37 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | -18.6 | -46,466 |
| 38 | 🇲🇩 Moldova | -24.8 | -61,927 |
| 39 | 🇷🇺 Russia | -36.1 | -4,294,523 |
| 40 | 🇦🇱 Albania | -39.5 | -30,318 |
| 41 | 🇱🇻 Latvia | -48.7 | -209,707 |
| 42 | 🇷🇸 Serbia | -49.8 | -707,401 |
| 43 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | -58.9 | -48,832 |
Spain’s migrant inhabitants greater than quadrupled, partly reflecting its early-2000s development growth and a 2005 regularization program that attracted almost 700,000 functions.
Meanwhile, the UK’s migrant inhabitants rose 149% over the interval. More just lately, nevertheless, migration traits have shifted. According to the Office for National Statistics, annual web migration fell to 171,000 in 2025, following tighter visa guidelines.
Not each nation skilled development. Russia recorded the most important absolute decline, with its resident migrant inhabitants falling by roughly 4.3 million. Serbia, Ukraine, and a number of other different Eastern European international locations additionally recorded decreases.
Why Has Europe Become a Migration Hub?
Economic alternatives, EU freedom of motion, household reunification, and humanitarian safety have all contributed to Europe’s rising migrant inhabitants.
An getting older workforce has additionally elevated demand for overseas employees in healthcare, development, and hospitality. These pressures assist clarify broader immigration trends throughout developed economies.
Conflicts have additionally reshaped migration patterns, notably the Syrian refugee disaster and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
What Does Rising Immigration Mean for Europe?
Immigration can ease labor shortages, increase the tax base, and assist offset demographic decline. However, fast inhabitants development may also pressure housing, faculties, and public companies, particularly when development projects fails to maintain tempo.
Policies governing work permits, housing, language coaching, and recognition of overseas {qualifications} assist decide how efficiently newcomers combine. These challenges are notably related as some international locations additionally expertise heightened emigration amongst their native-born populations.
Ultimately, Europe’s migration story isn’t merely about attracting extra folks, however about how successfully international locations accommodate and combine them.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To discover migration past Europe, see The Top 15 Sources of U.S. Immigrants on Voronoi, which highlights the international locations shaping America’s immigrant inhabitants.
