Somali diaspora

Somali diaspora

𐒎𐒚𐒇𐒁𐒖𐒃𐒝𐒌𐒂𐒖 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒜𐒆

Qurbajoogta Soomaaliyeed
Total population
1,998,764 (2015 UN estimate)
Regions with significant populations
Arabian Peninsula, Europe, North America, Oceania, South Africa
 United Kingdom176,000 (2018 ONS estimate)
 United States169,799 (2023)
 United Arab Emirates101,000 (2020)
 Sweden70,170
 Canada62,550
 Yemen46,750
 Norway44,100
 South Africa27,000-40,000
 Netherlands39,465
 Germany38,675
 Saudi Arabia34,000
 Finland24,365 (2022)
 Denmark21,210
 Australia18,401
 Turkey10,815 (2024)
 Italy8,228
 Austria7,101
  Switzerland7,025
 Belgium2,627
 Pakistan2,500
 Libya2,500
 New Zealand1,617
 Ireland1,495
Languages
Somali (mother tongue), English (working language)
Religion
Vast majority: Islam (Sunni and Sufism)

Somali diaspora (Somali: 𐒎𐒚𐒇𐒁𐒖𐒃𐒝𐒌𐒂𐒖 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒜𐒆, romanized: Qurbajoogta Soomaaliyeed ) refers to ethnic Somalis who reside in areas of the world outside of Greater Somalia. The Somali Civil War greatly increased the size of the Somali diaspora, as many Somalis moved from Somalia primarily to Europe, North America, Oceania, North Africa, West Africa, Middle East, South Asia and Southern Africa. There are also Somali populations in Asia. The UN estimates that in 2015, approximately 2 million people from Somalia were living outside of the country's borders.