Our World in Data has published an analysis answering two deceptively simple questions: where do the world's migrants live today, and where were they born? The piece consolidates international migration data into a global picture of origin and destination countries.

The publication serves as a reference for anyone comparing immigration systems, diaspora populations, or corridor volumes between specific pairs of countries. Readers can trace which countries send the most migrants abroad and which countries host the largest foreign-born populations.

What does the resource cover?

The analysis is built around the relationship between a migrant's country of birth and country of residence. Its core framing:

• Every migrant is defined by two data points: a birth country and a current country of residence.
• Aggregating birth countries shows the world's leading origin nations.
• Aggregating residence countries shows the leading host nations.
• Pairing the two reveals bilateral migration corridors between states.

This structure lets readers distinguish between headline immigration totals and the actual composition of foreign-born populations, which often differ sharply from popular assumptions.

Who is this useful for?

The data is aimed at a general global audience rather than at policy specialists alone. It can support:

• Researchers comparing host-country intake across regions.
• Journalists checking claims about the size or origin of migrant populations.
• Policy readers tracking how migration patterns shift between censuses and survey rounds.
• Anyone assessing diaspora links between two specific countries.

Because the underlying statistics are compiled and standardised by the Our World in Data team, the resource presents a single comparable dataset rather than a patchwork of national definitions.

Why definitions matter

The central methodological point is the use of country of birth as the defining characteristic of a migrant. This matters because some countries count migrants by citizenship, others by place of birth, and others by self-declared ethnicity or foreign parentage.

Birthplace-based definitions:

• Capture naturalised citizens who were born abroad.
• Exclude native-born citizens of migrant descent.
• Allow genuine cross-country comparison on one consistent measure.

For immigration observers, this distinction changes the picture substantially. A country can report a small foreign citizen population while hosting a large foreign-born one, depending on how quickly newcomers naturalise.

Where to read it

The full analysis, "Where do migrants live, and where were they born?", is available on the Our World in Data website. Readers should consult the original publication for the specific figures, interactive charts, and country-level breakdowns, as the dataset is updated as new estimates are released.

This article is an informational summary of a published data resource. It does not constitute legal advice on any individual immigration matter.