UN: Number of migrants rose to 272 million globally in 2019
The total number of migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million this year, posting an increase of 51 million since 2010, according to data released by the United Nations on Tuesday.
Currently, migrants comprise 3.5 per cent of the global population, compared to 2.8 per cent in the year 2000, based on the International Migrant Stock 2019, a dataset released by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
The report provides the latest estimates of the number of international migrants by age, sex and origin for all countries and areas of the world. The estimates are based on official national statistics on the foreign-born or the foreign population obtained from population censuses, population registers or nationally representative surveys.
“These data are critical for understanding the important role of migrants and migration in the development of both countries of origin and destination. Facilitating orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people will contribute much to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for DESA, said on the report.
Europe hosts the largest number of international migrants at 82 million this year, followed by Northern America with 59 million and Northern Africa and Western Asia with 49 million people.
