Ethnic and Racial Diversity in Population: Trends in Multicultural Societies
Ethnic and Racial Diversity in Population: Trends in Multicultural Societies
There is no single globally comparable official percentage that ranks countries by ethnic or racial diversity. Statistical systems measure race, ethnicity, ancestry, population group, country of birth, citizenship and migration background differently, so national percentages cannot be merged into one valid global diversity score.
This research therefore separates those concepts and examines one internationally comparable demographic trend: change in international migrant stock as a share of population between 2015 and 2024. The twelve countries below are illustrative case studies chosen to show different regions, starting levels and national statistical contexts. They are not a global Top 12 and are not presented as a representative sample of all countries.
Direct answer: racial and ethnic diversity cannot be ranked reliably across countries with one official global classification. International migrant stock can show how the migration-related component of population composition changes over time, but it does not measure race or ethnicity itself.
Comparative metric: 2024 international migrant share minus 2015 international migrant share. Unit: percentage points. Coverage: 12 illustrative country case studies with confirmed 2015 and 2024 values in the same UN source family. All 12 changes are calculated_value results derived from official UN estimates; there are no forecasts or modeled projections.
This is a compiled research dataset based on 9 official source groups. UN DESA / UNData supplies the numeric migrant-stock inputs, while national statistical agencies document why race, ethnicity and migration-background concepts cannot be treated as interchangeable.
International migrant share increased from 11.8% in 2015 to 37.0% in 2024.
The published UN share decreased from 79.1% in 2015 to 74.0% in 2024.
Ten case studies increased; Canada and the United Arab Emirates decreased.
Illustrative cross-country panel; not a global ranking or representative statistical sample.
Race, ethnicity and migration background measure different things
Cross-country comparisons become unreliable when these concepts are treated as synonyms. A country may have substantial ethnic diversity without a high recent migrant share, while another may have a large foreign-born or foreign-citizen population without publishing official racial categories.
The numerical comparison on this page uses international migrant stock because paired 2015 and 2024 inputs can be drawn consistently from the UN series. The resulting changes describe migration-related population composition, not racial or ethnic diversity scores.
Why national racial and ethnic statistics cannot be merged into one global score
Major statistical agencies use different systems because those systems reflect different national histories, laws and policy needs. The differences are substantive rather than alternative labels for one common variable.
United States
U.S. Census Bureau race and ethnicity data use U.S. federal statistical standards and self-identification. The Census Bureau also publishes a U.S.-specific Diversity Index based on the probability that two randomly selected people belong to different racial and ethnic groups. That index should not be transferred directly to countries using different classifications.
England and Wales
Census 2021 asked people to identify their ethnic group using an England-and-Wales-specific classification. The high-level framework contains Asian, Black, Mixed or Multiple, White and Other ethnic group categories with more detailed response options beneath them.
Canada
Canada's 2021 Census includes a population-group question used in statistical reporting linked to the Employment Equity Act framework. Canadian classifications are not directly interchangeable with U.S. race categories or the England and Wales ethnic-group variable.
Australia
The Australian Bureau of Statistics describes cultural diversity using variables including country of birth, ancestry, language and religion. These measures provide detailed population context but are not equivalent to U.S. race or England and Wales ethnicity.
Germany
Destatis publishes migration-related concepts including migration background and immigration history. These definitions incorporate migration and family history rather than reproducing a U.S.-style racial classification.
Cross-country implication
Combining percentages from these systems into one global diversity table would mix different categories, denominators and identity rules. This page therefore keeps national race and ethnicity statistics separate from the UN migration-based comparison.
Largest changes among the selected case studies
Sorting the panel by percentage-point change highlights the strongest movements without implying that these countries form a global ranking. Malta shows the largest increase among the twelve case studies, followed by Austria and Luxembourg.
Five largest increases within the illustrative 12-country panel
| Country | 2015 | 2024 | Change | Method note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | 11.8% | 37.0% | +25.2 pp | calculated_value; 37.0 − 11.8; official UN inputs; not a forecast. |
| Austria | 17.8% | 25.5% | +7.7 pp | calculated_value; 25.5 − 17.8; official UN inputs; not a forecast. |
| Luxembourg | 43.7% | 51.2% | +7.5 pp | calculated_value; 51.2 − 43.7; official UN inputs; not a forecast. |
| Sweden | 16.7% | 21.4% | +4.7 pp | calculated_value; 21.4 − 16.7; official UN inputs; not a forecast. |
| Germany | 15.4% | 19.8% | +4.4 pp | calculated_value; 19.8 − 15.4; official UN inputs; not a forecast. |
Chart: change across all 12 case studies
The bars use the same calculated percentage-point differences as the comparison table. The baseline represents zero: bars to the right indicate a higher migrant share in 2024, while bars to the left indicate a lower share.
Methodology
The quantitative section compares percentage-point change in international migrant stock as a share of total population from 2015 to 2024. The twelve-country set is an illustrative case-study panel, not a probability sample, exhaustive global table or ranking of ethnic diversity.
Metric and unit
Metric: change in international migrant stock as a percentage of total population. Unit: percentage points.
Formula
2024 migrant share − 2015 migrant share = percentage-point change. Example: Malta, 37.0% − 11.8% = +25.2 percentage points.
Data status
All 12 change values are calculated_value. Each uses two official UN estimates. The calculated differences are not forecasts or modeled projections.
Years
Base year: 2015. Target year: 2024. The 2026 label describes the publication snapshot of this research page.
Panel design
The twelve countries are used as illustrative case studies spanning multiple UN M49 regions, different starting migrant-share levels and different national approaches to population statistics. The panel is descriptive and is not used to infer a global distribution.
Numeric source hierarchy
UN DESA / UNData is the controlling source family for both years in every calculation. No conflicting external numeric value is substituted or averaged.
Comparability assumption
The calculation assumes that the paired 2015 and 2024 estimates presented together in the UN statistical series are sufficiently comparable within each country for a direct percentage-point difference. StatRanker does not independently re-harmonize national source definitions beyond the UN methodology.
Country-of-birth and citizenship basis
UN international migrant stock generally prioritizes country of birth. Where birthplace data are unavailable, country of citizenship may be used. Country-specific source notes must therefore be considered when comparing levels between countries.
UAE source note
The UN source note for the United Arab Emirates identifies a foreign-citizen basis. Its 2015 and 2024 values are therefore used only as paired estimates within the UN series and should not be described as strictly equivalent to foreign-born statistics.
Precision
Australia and Switzerland both produce +2.3 percentage points at the published input precision. The page does not invent additional precision to separate them.
Missing values and conflicts
A case study without both required UN values would be excluded. Conflicting source values are not averaged.
What the metric does not measure
It does not measure racial identity, the number or balance of ethnic groups, ancestry, linguistic diversity, second-generation migration background, integration, segregation or social cohesion.
Percentage-point change is different from percentage growth. If a population share moves from 10% to 15%, the difference is +5 percentage points.
Full 12-country case-study panel
The table is sorted by change by default for readability. Row order is not presented as a global rank. Use the controls to search, filter or change the display order without changing the underlying values.
International migrant share in 2015 and 2024, with calculated percentage-point change
| Country | 2015 | 2024 | Change | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malta | 11.8% | 37.0% | +25.2 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 11.8% and 37.0%; formula: 37.0 − 11.8; assumption: paired UN estimates are sufficiently comparable for within-country change. |
| Austria | 17.8% | 25.5% | +7.7 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 17.8% and 25.5%; formula: 25.5 − 17.8; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| Luxembourg | 43.7% | 51.2% | +7.5 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 43.7% and 51.2%; formula: 51.2 − 43.7; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| Sweden | 16.7% | 21.4% | +4.7 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 16.7% and 21.4%; formula: 21.4 − 16.7; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| Germany | 15.4% | 19.8% | +4.4 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 15.4% and 19.8%; formula: 19.8 − 15.4; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| New Zealand | 24.5% | 28.2% | +3.7 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 24.5% and 28.2%; formula: 28.2 − 24.5; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| United Kingdom | 13.9% | 17.1% | +3.2 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 13.9% and 17.1%; formula: 17.1 − 13.9; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| Singapore | 45.9% | 48.7% | +2.8 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 45.9% and 48.7%; formula: 48.7 − 45.9; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| Australia | 28.1% | 30.4% | +2.3 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 28.1% and 30.4%; formula: 30.4 − 28.1; tied with Switzerland at published precision. |
| Switzerland | 28.8% | 31.1% | +2.3 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 28.8% and 31.1%; formula: 31.1 − 28.8; tied with Australia at published precision. |
| Canada | 22.4% | 22.2% | −0.2 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 22.4% and 22.2%; formula: 22.2 − 22.4; same within-country comparability assumption. |
| United Arab Emirates | 79.1% | 74.0% | −5.1 pp | calculated_value; official UN inputs 79.1% and 74.0%; formula: 74.0 − 79.1; UN source note uses a foreign-citizen basis; not equivalent to a pure foreign-born series. |
Rows are displayed from largest increase to largest decline by default. This ordering is a presentation choice within the illustrative panel, not a claim that these are the world's twelve leading countries on any diversity measure.
Insights from the 2015–2024 case studies
Key Insight
Malta is the dominant change outlier within the panel: its migrant share increased by 25.2 percentage points, more than three times Austria's increase.
Notable Pattern
Ten of the twelve case studies show positive change. The direction is therefore predominantly upward in this panel, although the size of change varies substantially.
Panel Concentration
Seven of the twelve case studies are European. This reflects the illustrative panel design and should not be interpreted as evidence that Europe leads globally in migrant-share growth.
Opposite Direction
The United Arab Emirates decreases by 5.1 percentage points in the paired UN values. Its 2024 level nevertheless remains very high at 74.0% under the applicable UN source basis.
What the results mean for multicultural-society analysis
Change is different from level
A country can record a small increase while already having a large migrant share, or a large increase from a lower starting point. The comparison measures change, not current migration intensity.
Migration is different from ethnicity
International migration can change the origins and cultural composition of a population, but migrant status does not identify a person's race or ethnicity. Native-born populations can also be highly ethnically diverse.
National measures remain necessary
Questions about racial or ethnic composition should use each country's official statistical framework and disclose differences in classifications rather than assuming that categories are equivalent.
No social outcome is implied
A rising migrant share does not by itself demonstrate integration, segregation, equality, political representation, social cohesion or economic performance.
FAQ
Is there a reliable global ranking of countries by racial and ethnic diversity?
No single official global statistical system applies identical racial or ethnic categories to every country. National classifications differ in definitions, response rules and policy purpose.
What does the quantitative part of this page compare?
It compares a 12-country illustrative case-study panel using the percentage-point change in international migrant stock as a share of total population between 2015 and 2024.
Are the displayed changes official UN values?
The 2015 and 2024 inputs are official UN estimates. The changes are calculated_value results produced from those published inputs and are not forecasts or modeled projections.
Why were these twelve countries selected?
They are illustrative case studies spanning several regions, different starting migrant-share levels and different national statistical contexts. The panel is not claimed to be representative of all countries or to contain the world's twelve most diverse societies.
Why use percentage points?
The inputs are population shares. If a share rises from 20% to 25%, the difference is 5 percentage points.
Is international migrant stock always the same as foreign-born population?
No. UN DESA generally prioritizes country of birth, but citizenship may be used where birthplace data are unavailable. Country-specific source notes therefore matter.
Does a higher migrant share mean greater racial diversity?
No. Migrant share measures a migration-related component of population composition. Racial and ethnic diversity require separate identity classifications and information about the distribution of groups.
Sources
United Nations DESA — International Migrant Stock
Primary official statistical framework and controlling source family for the paired 2015 and 2024 migrant-stock inputs.
https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/content/international-migrant-stock
UN DESA — International Migrant Stock 2024: Key Facts and Figures
Official methodological documentation for the 2024 edition, including treatment of country of birth and country of citizenship.
UNData country profiles — panel inputs
Official country-profile presentations used to verify the paired values for every case study.
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/mt.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/AT.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/lu.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/se.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/de.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/nz.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/gb.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/sg.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/au.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/ch.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/ca.html
- https://data.un.org/en/iso/AE.html
U.S. Census Bureau — Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Official U.S. source documenting the national racial and ethnic diversity framework and Diversity Index.
https://www.census.gov/topics/population/racial-ethnic-diversity.html
Office for National Statistics — Ethnic Group, England and Wales
Official Census 2021 documentation for the ethnic-group framework used in England and Wales.
Statistics Canada — Population Group Reference Guide, Census 2021
Official catalogue record for Canada's Census 2021 population-group reference guide and related statistical terminology.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-500-X2021006
Australian Bureau of Statistics — Cultural Diversity, Census 2021
Official source documenting Australia's use of country of birth, ancestry, language and religion in cultural-diversity statistics.
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-diversity-census/2021
Destatis — Migration Background
Official German definition illustrating how migration-background concepts differ from racial or ethnic classification systems.
United Nations Statistics Division — M49
Official geographic classification used for regional labels including Northern America, Western Asia and Australia and New Zealand.
