Population of Lithuania (edition 2020)

International migration

In 2019, 40.1 thousand people immigrated to Lithuania, which is by 1.4 times (11.2 thousand) more than in 2018.

In 2019, 29.3 thousand residents emigrated from Lithuania. Against 2018, the number of emigrants decreased by 9.1 per cent (2.9 thousand).

In 2019, the number of immigrants exceeded that of emigrants by 10.8 thousand. Since 1990, this is the first time when net international migration is positive. In 2019, net international migration of the residents of the Republic of Lithuania was negative (4.1 thousand more emigrated than immigrated), of the foreigners – positive (14.9 thousand more immigrated than emigrated).

Over the last eleven years (2009–2019), 225.2 thousand persons immigrated to Lithuania, of whom 158.6 thousand (70.4 per cent) were Lithuanian nationals who returned to Lithuania and 66.6 thousand (29.6 per cent) – foreigners. In 2009–2019, 496.3 thousand residents emigrated from Lithuania, of whom 453.3 thousand (91.3 per cent) were Lithuanian nationals and 43 thousand (8.7 per cent) – foreigners. During the same period, in 2009–2019, the number of people who emigrated from Lithuania exceeded the number of those who immigrated to Lithuania by 271.1 thousand. The net international migration by Lithuanian nationals was negative (emigrated 294.6 thousand more than immigrated), by foreigners – positive (immigrated 23.5 thousand more than emigrated).

Net international migration, 2009–2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

In 2019, the crude immigration rate stood at 14.3 (in 2018, 10.3). Last year, there were 7.3 citizens of the Republic of Lithuania per 1,000 population who returned to Lithuania, and 7 foreigners per 1,000 population who immigrated to Lithuania (in 2018, 5.9 and 4.4 respectively).

In 2019, 20.4 thousand (50.9 per cent of all immigrants) citizens of the Republic of Lithuania returned to Lithuania, which is by 3.8 thousand (23 per cent) more than in 2018. In 2019, more than half (11.7 thousand (57.3 per cent) of them were men.

In 2019, mainly (9.6 thousand, or 47 per cent) of all citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who returned to Lithuania came back from the United Kingdom, Norway (2 thousand or 10 per cent), Germany (1.5 thousand or 7.6 per cent), Ireland (1.5 thousand or 7.5 per cent). Against 2018, the number of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who returned to Lithuania from Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland increased by a quarter (27.8, 26.2 and 24.4 per cent respectively), from Norway – 9.2 per cent.

In 2019, the median age of male and female citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who returned to Lithuania was 29 years (in 2018, 29 and 28 years respectively).

More than half (56.8 per cent) of male citizens and almost half (48.3 per cent) of female citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, aged 18 and over, who returned to Lithuania in 2019, have never been married, one third of them (31.6 per cent of men and 35.7 per cent of women) – were married.

In 2019, 19.7 thousand foreigners immigrated to the country (49.1 per cent of all immigrants), which is by 7.3 thousand (1.6 times) more than in 2018. In 2019, the majority (17.6 thousand or 89.7 per cent) of foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania were men.

Almost half (8.9 thousand, or 45.1 per cent) of foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania in 2019 were the citizens of Ukraine, 6.4 thousand (32.5 per cent) – Belarus, 1 thousand (5.3 per cent) – the Russian Federation. Over the year, the number of citizens of Ukraine who immigrated to Lithuania grew by 1.5 times, Belarus – 2 times, the Russian Federation – 1.3 times.

In 2019, the median age of male foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania was 37, female – 28 years (in 2018, 37 and 27 years respectively).

The majority of male (91 per cent) and more than half of female (60.9 per cent) foreign immigrants aged 18 and older had never been married, 7.9 per cent of men and 37.5 per cent of women – were married.

Return migration of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania, 2009–2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

In 2019, the crude emigration rate (the number of emigrants per 1,000 population) was on the decrease and stood at 10.5 ‰ (in 2018, at 11.5 ‰).

In 2019, the number of male and female emigrants amounted to 16.2 thousand and 13.1 thousand respectively, i.e. by 3.1 thousand male more than female emigrants. Against 2018, the number of male emigrants decreased by 861 (5.1 per cent), females – by 2.1 thousand (13.6 per cent).

Emigrants 2009–2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

In 2019, the majority (67.4 per cent) of emigrants declared their departure to the EU countries (in 2018, 72.9 per cent). Last year, 10.1 thousand (34.6 per cent) of all emigrants chose the United Kingdom as their destination of emigration, Germany was chosen by 2.6 thousand (8.8 per cent), Norway – 2.4 thousand (8.1 per cent), Ukraine – 2.2 thousand (7.5 per cent), Ireland – 1.6 thousand (5.5 per cent). Compared to 2018, the number of emigrants to the United Kingdom decreased by 2 thousand (16.7 per cent), Germany – 590 (18.6 per cent), Norway – 629 (21 per cent), Ireland – 401 (19.9 per cent), but to Ukraine increase by 1.1 thousand (2 times).

Emigrants by next place (country) of residence, 2018, 2019

2018	2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

In 2019, the median age of the male emigrants was 29 years and female – 26 years, that is the age of women remained the same, while that of men increased by 2 years, against 2018.

In 2019, the majority (76.9 per cent) of emigrants were born in Lithuania, 7.1 per cent – in Ukraine, 3.6 per cent – in Belarus, 3 per cent – in Russia, 2.6 per cent – in the United Kingdom.

In 2019, 24.5 thousand (83.7 per cent of the total number of emigrants) citizens of the Republic of Lithuania emigrated from Lithuania (in 2018, 29 thousand (90 per cent). 4.8 thousand (16.3 per cent) citizens of other countries emigrated from Lithuania; most of them were citizens of Ukraine (2.1 thousand), Belarus (999), the Russian Federation (433), India (245), China (89).

In 2019, more than half of male (69.7 per cent) and female (56.3 per cent) emigrants aged 18 and older had never been married, 21.9 per cent male and 28.7 per cent female – were married.

International migration, 2009–2019

	Immigration	Emigration	Net international migration	Crude immigration rate (per 1,000 population)	Crude emigration rate (per 1,000 population)	Crude net international migration rate (per 1,000 population)
2019	40 ,067	29 ,273	10 ,794	14.3	10.5	3.8
2018	28 ,914	32 ,206	–3 ,292	10.3	11.5	–1.2
2017	20 ,368	47 ,925	–27 ,557	7.2	16.9	–9.7
2016	20 ,162	50 ,333	–30 ,171	7.0	17.5	–10.5
2015	22 ,130	44 ,533	–22 ,403	7.6	15.3	–7.7
2014	24 ,294	36 ,621	–12 ,327	8.3	12.5	–4.2
2013	22 ,011	38 ,818	–16 ,807	7.4	13.1	–5.7
2012	19 ,843	41 ,100	–21 ,257	6.6	13.7	–7.1
2011	15 ,685	53 ,863	–38 ,178	5.2	17.8	–12.6
2010	5 ,213	83 ,157	–77 ,944	1.7	26.9	–25.2
2009	6 ,487	38 ,500	–32 ,013	2.1	12.2	–10.1

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

Return migration of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania by previous place (country) of residence, 2019

Return migration of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania	Foreigners who immigrated to Lithuania

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

Emigrants by age group, 2009–2019

Age group	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Total	38 ,500	83 ,157	53 ,863	41 ,100	38 ,818	36 ,621	44 ,533	50 ,333	47 ,925	32 ,206	29 ,273
0–4	2 ,249	3 ,040	2 ,137	1 ,969	1 ,912	1 ,825	1 ,935	2 ,753	1 ,916	1 ,411	1 ,192
5–9	1 ,290	2 ,757	1 ,772	1 ,672	1 ,749	1 ,808	1 ,964	2 ,269	1 ,947	1 ,533	1 ,386
10–14	1 ,118	2 ,686	1 ,742	1 ,538	1 ,399	1 ,326	1 ,640	1 ,736	1 ,452	1 ,088	978
15–19	2 ,314	4 ,909	3 ,823	2 ,900	2 ,502	2 ,351	2 ,726	3 ,011	3 ,637	2 ,781	2 ,127
20–24	6 ,930	15 ,131	11 ,724	8 ,435	7 ,684	6 ,742	8 ,595	8 ,320	10 ,957	6 ,500	5 ,386
25–29	7 ,248	18 ,520	11 ,310	8 ,233	7 ,145	6 ,562	7 ,634	9 ,312	9 ,627	5 ,960	5 ,171
30–34	4 ,467	11 ,964	6 ,830	5 ,067	5 ,136	4 ,874	5 ,747	7 ,160	5 ,822	3 ,833	3 ,715
35–39	3 ,958	7 ,853	4 ,648	3 ,601	3 ,421	3 ,497	4 ,478	4 ,985	3 ,713	2 ,556	2 ,798
40–44	3 ,033	5 ,715	3 ,516	2 ,667	2 ,608	2 ,479	3 ,244	3 ,537	2 ,898	2 ,067	2 ,049
45–49	2 ,566	4 ,815	2 ,712	2 ,081	1 ,988	1 ,959	2 ,576	2 ,748	2 ,491	1 ,777	1 ,796
50–54	1 ,448	3 ,388	1 ,999	1 ,465	1 ,506	1 ,432	1 ,807	2 ,200	1 ,709	1 ,252	1 ,210
55–59	917	1 ,610	960	711	805	969	1 ,165	1 ,322	1 ,057	780	792
60–64	389	331	274	273	289	307	405	467	310	283	289
65–69	200	140	120	140	204	156	232	203	158	125	133
70–74	164	104	99	108	145	83	101	91	70	80	73
75–79	89	72	70	91	111	91	123	91	75	66	72
≥ 80	120	122	127	149	214	160	161	128	86	114	106

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

Emigrants by sex and next place (country) of residence, 2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

Emigrants and immigrants by municipality, 2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

Emigrants and immigrants by rural area of counties, 2019

Counties	Immigrants	Emigrants	Net international migration
Total	40 ,067	29 ,273	10 ,794
Alytus	1 ,431	1 ,257	174
Kaunas	7 ,322	5 ,296	2 ,026
Klaipėda	5 ,632	3 ,824	1 ,808
Marijampolė	1 ,464	1 ,660	–196
Panevėžys	1 ,846	2 ,055	–209
Šiauliai	5 ,719	3 ,587	2 ,132
Tauragė	764	1 ,035	–271
Telšiai	1 ,395	1 ,375	20
Utena	1 ,377	1 ,300	77
Vilnius	13 ,117	7 ,884	5 ,233

Emigrants by citizenship and sex, 2019

Emigrants by sex and marital status, 2018, 2019

Immigrants by sex and age group, 2009–2019

Immigrants by previous place (country) of residence, 2009–2019

Immigrants by previous place (country) of residence and sex, 2019

Immigrants by sex and marital status, 2018, 2019

The latest and detailed data are available in the Database of Indicators

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Population of Lithuania (edition 2020)

International migration

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