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Serbian diaspora refers to Serbian emigrant communities in the diaspora. The existence of a numerous diaspora of Serbian nationals is mainly a consequence of either economic or political (coercion or expulsion) reasons.

There were different waves of Serbian migration, characterized by:^[1]

1. Economic emigration (end of 19th–beginning of 20th c.)
2. Political emigration (from 1945 up to 1967) of anti-Communist regime members, better known as the Chetnik Immigration
3. Economic emigration (1967 up to the 1980s) of mostly laborers with mid-level education or professionals of higher education
4. Political emigration (1990s) refugees of the Yugoslav Wars.

The main countries of destination were Germany, Austria, the United States, Sweden, Canada, and Australia.^[2] Based on a 2007 estimate, there were 4.2 to 5.8 million Serbians or people of Serbian origin in the diaspora.^[3] The Ministry of Diaspora (MoD) estimated in 2008 that the Serbian diaspora numbered 3,908,000 to 4,170,000, the numbers including not only Serbian citizens but people who view Serbia as their nation-state regardless of the citizenship they hold; these could include second- and third-generation Serbian emigrants or descendants of emigrants from other former Yugoslav republics who never obtained Serbian citizenship but are ethnic Serbs.^[3] By continent or region, it was estimated that 2,705,000–2,765,000 lived in Europe (excluding former Yugoslavia), 1–1,2 million in North America, 130,000 in Australia, 26,000 in Africa, 20,000 in Central and South America, 8,000 in Asia, 5,000–7,000 in New Zealand, 5,000 in the Middle East.^[4] There were c. 1,000 diaspora associations, registered in 191 countries.^[1]

In 2014 it was estimated based on diplomatic-consular posts that the Serbian diaspora numbered 5.1 million in about 100 states.^[5] The term "Serbs in the region" is used for ethnic Serbs of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Albania, Kosovo and Hungary, estimated to number 2,120,000.^[5] The latter group may or may not be included in estimates.

Serbian diaspora by countries

Europe

List of countries and territories by Serbian population

Country	Official data	Estimates	Notes
Germany	272,145 (2017) Serbian nationals and Serbian-born German citizens.[6]	580,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	See also Serbs in Germany.
Austria	262,072 (2018) Serbian nationals and Serbian-born Austrian citizens.[8]	250,000–300,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	c. 300,000 (est.)[9][10]–320 000+ Serbs in Austria (Domestic numbers)[11] Approximately 100,000 Serbians in Vienna alone[12]
Switzerland	64,490 (2016)[13]	120,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	150,000 Serbian and Montenegrin immigrants (2000 est.).[14] 200,000 Serbian immigrants (2008 est.).[15] An Unknown number of ethnic Serbs in Switzerland. Based on the census in 2000, 103,350 persons gave Serbian or Croatian as their main language. At the end of 2012, approximately 98,700 Serbian nationals lived in Switzerland. Ethnic Serbs are mainly concentrated in German-speaking areas of Switzerland.
Sweden	83,735 (2016) Serbian-born (excl. Kosovo) Swedish citizens.[16] 6,409 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	75,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	80,000 (2003) Serbs in Sweden.[18]
France	116,793 (2011) Serbian ancestry[19][20]	120,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	120,000 Serbs in France.
Italy	39,937 (2017) "Foreign citizens" from Serbia (excl. Kosovo)[21]	50,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	41,678 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17] 109,474 Serbian immigrants (2014).[22] 42,264 (2016) "Foreign citizens" from Serbia (excl. Kosovo)[23] Unknown number of Serbs in Italy.
Slovenia	7,784 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	38,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	38,964 self-declared "Serb(ian)" community (2011).[24] See also Serbs in Slovenia.
United Kingdom	8,161 "Serbian" "Usual residents" in England and Wales (2011)[25]	80,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	Serbian Embassy estimated 70,000 ethnic Serbs (2001), see Serbs in the United Kingdom[26]
Romania	6,937 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	22,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	18,076 ethnic Serbs (Serbs in Romania) (2011 census)[27] Estimated 23,000 Serbs.
Netherlands	2,116 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	20,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	53,845 (2005) Serbian immigrants.[28] Serbs in the Netherlands
Hungary	4,894 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	10,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	The census records a "Serbian (ethnic) minority", 7,210 (2011),[29] which does not include Serbian nationals in Hungary.
Greece	25,835 (2014) non-resident Serbian nationals (incl. Kosovo).[30] 5,200 Serbian-born Greek citizens (2001).	15,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	15,000 (est.) Serbs in Greece
Russia	29,499 (2015) Serbian nationals, temporary residents.[31]	30,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	3,510 Russian nationals of Serb ethnicity (2010 census).[32] See also Serbs in Russia.
Turkey	N/A	15,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	The 1965 census registered over 65,000 Serbian speakers.[33] See also Serbs in Turkey.
Finland	14,059 (2018) 1st and 2nd generation Serbian immigrants.[34]	4,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	462 (2015) Serbian speakers.[35]
Denmark	1,786 (2017)	7,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]
Luxembourg	7,000 (2015)[36]	3,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	See also Serbs in Luxembourg.
Belgium	6,937 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	5,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]
Norway	6,396 (2017) Serbian (post-2006) immigrants and Norwegian-born descendants.[37]	2,500 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	See also Serbs in Norway.
Spain	3,456 (2017) Serbian citizens, residents.[38] 1,010 (2017) Spanish citizens.[38]	1,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7] 7,000 (January 2012 est.).[39]	3,173 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17] See also Serbs in Spain.
Czech Republic	2,253 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	3,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]
Cyprus	712 (2011)[40]	5,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]
Ireland	343 (2016)[41]	2,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	Higher estimate of ethnic Serbs.
Poland	252 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	1,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	The number can reach up to 7,000.
Slovakia	716 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	500 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	11,000 (December 2017).[42] See also Serbs of Slovakia.
Ukraine	104 (2001) ethnic Serb Serbian nationals[43]	15,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	623 ethnic Serbs, out of whom 219 had Serbian citizenship, 104 Ukrainian, 218 Russian, and 68 others. See also Serbs in Ukraine.
Bulgaria	645 (2013) Serbian citizens, residents.[17]	2,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	See also Serbs of Bulgaria.
Malta	541 (2011) Serbian-born.[44]
Iceland	732 (2016)
Liechtenstein	267 (2014)[45]
Portugal	274 (2021, foreigners only; for instance excludes 234 Luso-Serbs naturalised since 2008)[46][47]	1,000 (2013MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7] [48]	See also Serbs in Portugal.
Belarus	83 (1989)[49]	500 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora.[7]	See also Serbs in Belarus.
Latvia	40 (2015) Serbian nationals[50]
Estonia	20 (2011) Serbian nationals.[51]
Moldova	21 (2014)[52]
Lithuania	10 (2011)[53]

Elsewhere

List of countries and territories by Serbian population

Country	Official data	Estimates	Notes
United States		750,000–1,000,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	191,400 Serbian Americans (2015).[54] It is highly likely that among the citizens who declared Yugoslavian ethnicity (328,547 in 2010; 310,682 in 2012 estimation), are siblings to or offshoots of American Serbs.[55]
Canada		200,000–250,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	80,320 of "Serbian descent" (2011)[56]
Australia		130,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	69,544 (2011) Serbian ancestry.[57][58] 55,114 (0.3%) English and Serbian speakers (2011 census[57]); 9,857 only Serbian speakers;[57] the 2011 census recorded 69,544 people of Serbian ancestry from which 20,267 were born in Serbia.[57] See also Serbian Australians
Argentina	5,000 (2010) Serbian nationals.[59]	5,000–7,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora in Argentina.[3]	30,000 Argentines of Serb descent.[60]
United Arab Emirates		6,500 (2012 est.)[61]
Brazil	3,107 (2012) Serbian immigrant residents.	6,000–8,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]
Venezuela		1,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	2,000 Venezuelans of Serb descent[62]
New Zealand	N/A	5,000–7,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	1,059 (2013) "Serbian ethnic group", residents[63] See also Serbian New Zealanders
Libya	N/A	2,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]
Syria	N/A		200 Serbians prior to 2012 evacuation.[64]
South Africa	153 (2013) Serbian immigrants (excl. Kosovo)[65]	20,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]	c. 30,000 ethnic Serbs (including by ancestry)[66]
Mexico	98 (2009) Serbian residents[67]	1,000 (2007 MoD est.) Serbian diaspora[3]
Botswana	N/A	c. >1,000[68]	The main community of Serbs in Botswana is centered around Gaborone
Kazakhstan	183 (1989)[69]
Georgia	46 (1989)[70]
Uzbekistan	26 (1989)[71]
Kyrgyzstan	10 (1989)[72]
Armenia	8 (1989)[73]
Turkmenistan	8 (1989)[74]
Azerbaijan	6 (1989)[75]		See also Serbs in Azerbaijan.
Tajikistan	4 (1989)[76]
Zambia	24		24 Serbian Orthodox families (May 2009).[77]
Philippines	200

Serbian diaspora by cities

• Chicago 300,000
• Vienna 163,483 (2017)^[78][79]
• Los Angeles 50,000 (2018)^[80]
• Toronto (Greater, i.e. Census Metropolitan Area) 33,055 (2016)^[81]
• Sydney 28,307 (2001)
• Berlin 27,536 (2014)^[82]
• Paris 27,373 (2011)
• Munich 26,976 (2017)
• Prague 25,255 (2015)^[83]
• Vancouver 12,895 (2016)^[84]
• Hamburg 9,539 (2016)^[85]
• Frankfurt am Main 9,404 (2019)
• Brisbane 7,218 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census)(2011)^[86]
• Timișoara 6,311 (2002)^[87]
• Trieste 4,501 (2017)^[88]
• London 4,316 (2011)^[89]
• Helsinki 2,840 (2017)^[90]
• Vicenza 2,609 (2017)^[88]
• Linz 2,012 (2017)^[91]
• Budapest 1,861 (2011)^[92]
• Graz 1,641 (2017)^[93]
• Niagara Falls 1,500 (2016)^[94]
• Innsbruck 1,552 (2017)
• Moscow 1,195 (2010)^[95]
• Vantaa 923 (2017)^[90]
• Rome 731 (2017)^[88]
• Naples 646 (2017)^[88]
• Espoo 645 (2017)^[90]
• Arzignano 504 (2017)^[88]
• Milan 493 (2017)^[88]
• Turku 432 (2017)^[90]
• Turin 216 (2017)^[88]

See also

• Serb diaspora
• List of diplomatic missions of Serbia

Annotations

References