The largest immigrant communities across the Middle East
According to the UNHCR, the Middle East and North Africa region remains one of the largest hosts of refugees and migrants in the world. Millions are displaced by conflict and economic hardship, and the region accounts for about 14% of the global migrant population.
The Pew Research Centre also reports that the Middle East’s migrant population more than doubled between 2005 and 2015, increasing from 7% to 13% of the total regional population. Labour migration, mainly from South Asia, is a key factor in this rise.
In the Gulf states, including Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, foreign nationals make up the majority of the population. Indians remain the largest group in Kuwait and across much of the Gulf, forming a large part of the workforce.
Conflict continues to drive migration within the region. Millions of Syrians have fled to countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey since 2011, and Iraqi and Sudanese migrants have also moved across borders seeking safety and stability.
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In Europe, governments are debating the future of refugee policies, with new discussions over whether Syrian refugees should begin returning home.
At the same time, migrant arrivals in southern Europe continue to rise, showing the ongoing link between Middle Eastern migration and global movements.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
