The Diaspora and You
What is a Diaspora? It is the dispersion of any people from their original homeland. Diaspora status is primarily related to ancestry and territory, and only secondarily with citizenship. Well known Diasporas include the Indian, Chinese, and Jewish Diasporas.
Diasporas are not clubs or associations. There is no application or fee to join. They are simply a group identifier for people of common ancestry and/or from the same homelands.
You are a member of a Diaspora if you are living in a country other than your original homeland. For example, a person of Nigerian ancestry living in the United Kingdom is a member of the Nigerian Diaspora. You can be several generations removed from your homeland and still be a member of a Diaspora. Black Americans are considered members of the African Diaspora despite their families’ relocation having occurred hundreds of years ago. Chinese in Singapore are part of the Chinese Diaspora. You do not need to change continents to become a member of a Diaspora. Relocating to the country next door will also make you a Diaspora member.
Dual Nationals and the Diaspora
Dual nationals, also known as dual citizens, are always a member of at least one Diaspora at any given time, since it is impossible to be in two physical locations at once. If living in a third county then the dual national is a member of two Diasporas simultaneously. For example, a US-Canadian dual citizen who moves to Honduras is automatically a member of the both the US Diaspora and the Canadian Diaspora.
Q. Why should you care about the existence of a Diaspora?
A. Resources and support
Members of a Diaspora often maintain a very strong tie to their homeland and their culture.
Large Diasporas establish local, regional, and global networks. Geographically concentrated Diasporas establish a home away from home such as San Francisco’s Chinatown, Los Angeles’ Koreatown, and Le Petit Sénégal in New York City.
Diasporas around the World in 2019
People have always migrated to new locations as their circumstances warranted. What changes over time is where people are emigrating from and where they are immigrating to.
The United Nations released a study on global migration, from which the figures are provided or derived. You can do a deep dive into migration statistics at https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates19.asp
What countries are losing people?
The four largest Diasporas are from India, Mexico, China, and Russia, with each Diaspora in excess of 10 million individuals. The majority are from Asia and Europe.
Here are the countries with the 10 largest Diasporas in 2019.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/nris-in-news/at-17-5-million-indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report/articleshow/71179163.cms
What countries are gaining people?
The top destination is the United States at 51 million and with Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Kingdom each having received 10 million.
The top 10 Diaspora destinations are shown below.
Source: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/nris-in-news/at-17-5-million-indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report/articleshow/71179163.cms
As a member of the Kenyan Diaspora, I wanted to know where Kenyans have settled abroad. Notice the interesting 3-way split between Africa, Europe, and Northern America.
Diaspora Destinations by Region
| Global Region | Population | Kenyan Diaspora Population |
| Africa | 27 million | 137,969 |
| Asia | 84 million | 2,711 |
| Europe | 82 million | 194,581 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 12 million | 292 |
| Northern America | 59 million | 164,001 |
| Oceania | 9 million | 25,883 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). International Migrant Stock 2019. (United Nations database, POP/DB/MIG/Stock/Rev.2019). https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates19.asp
And naturally, I wanted more detail than just regional numbers. The United Kingdom has the largest Kenyan Diaspora population of almost 150,000, followed closely by the United States at approximately 135,000. Half of the destinations with Kenyan Diaspora populations of at least 2,000 are within Africa, only three are in Europe, and only one is in Asia (India). Central and Southern America and the Caribbean have Kenyan Diasporas smaller than 2000, as does Asia (excepting India). The Kenyan Diaspora is now located in 63 different countries around the world, reaching from Australia to Bolivia to Latvia.
| Country | Kenyan Diaspora Population Size |
| United Kingdom | 149,797 |
| United States | 135,187 |
| Uganda | 36,822 |
| Canada | 28,920 |
| South Africa | 28,769 |
| Mozambique | 24,863 |
| Tanzania | 24,434 |
| Australia | 24,122 |
| Germany | 13,901 |
| South Sudan | 9,800 |
| Sweden | 4,881 |
| Sudan | 3,175 |
| Rwanda | 2,707 |
| India | 2,338 |
| Finland | 1,942 |
| Denmark | 1,930 |
| France | 1,924 |
| Guinea | 1,908 |
| New Zealand | 1,761 |
| Belgium | 1,626 |
| Spain | 1,611 |
| Botswana | 1,215 |
| Austria | 1,159 |
| Namibia | 1,149 |
| Burundi | 1,143 |
| Zambia | 608 |
| Ireland | 529 |
| Russian Federation | 450 |
| Greece | 441 |
| Seychelles | 413 |
| Libya | 355 |
| Eritrea | 354 |
| Turkey | 233 |
| Hungary | 144 |
| Egypt | 136 |
| Czechia | 119 |
| Portugal | 102 |
| Iceland | 101 |
| Cyprus | 86 |
| Chile | 76 |
| Comoros | 75 |
| Malta | 72 |
| Mexico | 70 |
| Poland | 63 |
| Brazil | 60 |
| Philippines | 54 |
| Cayman Islands | 39 |
| Slovakia | 29 |
| Slovenia | 28 |
| Sierra Leone | 27 |
| Bulgaria | 24 |
| Bahamas | 22 |
| Faroe Islands | 20 |
| Ghana | 16 |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 15 |
| Estonia | 9 |
| Costa Rica | 8 |
| Argentina | 2 |
| Latvia | 2 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019). International Migrant Stock 2019. (United Nations database, POP/DB/MIG/Stock/Rev.2019). https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates19.asp
Bottom line – if you are thinking of moving abroad, there is probably already a Diaspora at your intended destination. They can be a valuable resource to advise and prepare you for both the actual move and the culture shock that will often occur. If you are already living abroad, it is never too late to reach out to Diaspora communities in your country of residence. Locating your local Diaspora – google it or check your embassy’s website for Diaspora resources.