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Approximately 268 million people, or 3.9% of the global population, live in a country other than where they were born.

The number of international migrants grew steadily from 92 million in 1960 to 268 million in 2020.

peoplemovin visualizes global migration flows —based on the foreign-born definition of migrants— showing data from 2020. Through an interactive slopegraph, the website reveals the connections between countries, with origin countries displayed on the left and destination countries on the right. The thickness of the lines connecting the countries reflects the number of migrants, offering a clear and intuitive way to explore global migration patterns.
By leveraging open data, peoplemovin provides a comprehensive view of how people move across borders, making complex migration statistics accessible and visually compelling.

Number of international migrants by region of destination

  • Europe and Central Asia91,483,923
  • North America55,998,660
  • Gulf Cooperation Council (Middle East)29,804,288
  • East Asia and Pacific27,331,895
  • Sub-Saharan Africa20,524,719
  • Latin America and the Caribbean13,449,995
  • Middle East and North Africa12,986,288
  • South Asia10,391,177

Top destinationssee more

Top origin countriessee more

Top corridorssee more

Refugees and Asylum


In June 2020, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported 26.4 million refugees, 4.2 million asylum seekers, and 3.6 million Venezuelans displaced abroad.
Two-thirds of the global refugee population come from five countries of origin: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan and Myanmar.
The vast majority of displaced populations are hosted in countries and communities neighbouring the centre of a crisis, which are often developing countries. In 2020, Turkey continued to be the top hosting country, followed by Colombia, Pakistan, Uganda and Germany.

About peoplemovin


peoplemovin began in 2011 😱 as a personal project driven by a deep interest in migration and a passion for data visualization. What started as an exploration of a topic close to my heart has grown into a widely recognized tool, featured in several publications and books. Teachers around the world have used peoplemovin to explain migration patterns to students, making complex data relatable and educational. One of the proudest moments came when Prof. Hans Rosling showcased peoplemovin at the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Stockholm, highlighting its value in understanding global migration flows.

Data Sources


All the presented data are the latest available as of  2020.


Migration Data
World Development Report 2023
Global Bilateral Migration Matrix 1960-2020

Refugees and Asylum
Migrants, Refugees, and Societies

World Population Data
World Development Indicators (WDI)