The Global Distribution of the Overseas Chinese Around 1990

Abstract

Chinese emigrants began to move to other Asian countries particularly in Southeast Asia thousands of years ago. Large numbers of Chinese migrated to virtually every country of the world during the 19th and early 20th centuries. There were almost 37 million overseas Chinese in 136 countries around 1990 a growth of about 10 million since early 1980 or an average annual rate of 2.7%. At that rate the number of overseas Chinese would double to about 74 million in 26 years. Of these about 32.3 million or 88% reside in 32 Asian countries. Two-thirds live in 4 countries: there are 7.3 million Chinese in Indonesia 6 million in Thailand 5.7 million in Hong Kong and 5.5 million in Malaysia. In addition to these 4 Asian countries the 10 countries with the largest overseas Chinese populations include 4 additional Asian countries and 2 North American countries. The remaining 10% a little more than 3.5 million Chinese reside in 126 other countries. In 4 countries they represent more than 10% of the total population: in Malaysia 30%; in Brunei 18%; in Nauru 18%; and in Thailand 10%. Today Australia Canada New Zealand and the United States are the main host countries to Chinese international migration. Immigration however is now strictly limited in many countries.