Indicator history

According to Eurostat, on 1 January 2011, 7,198,946 (8.8 per cent) foreigners lived in Germany. Thereof 2,628,300 (3.2 per cent) were citizens of other EU Member States and 4,570,600 (5.6 per cent) were citizens of non-member countries.

Further, two statistical sources are to be distinguished in order to describe the foreign population stock in Germany: the Central Register of Aliens (    Ausländerzentralregister, AZR ), where only those non-nationals are registered whose stay in Germany exceeds three months and the continuous update of the population statistics (Bevölkerungsfortschreibung). 

In 2010, according to the continuous update of the population statistics (Bevölkerungsfortschreibung) 7,198,946 (8.8 per cent) (nach Bevölkerungsfortschreibung) were in possession of a foreign citizenship (31.12.2010).

In 2010, according to the Central Register of Aliens (AZR), 6,753,621 foreigners lived in Germany (31.12.2010). Amongst them, 2,443,330 (36.2 per cent) were foreigners with a citizenship from other EU-27. 1,280,074 (19.0 per cent) of foreigners were born in Germany. Amongst the foreign population the main countries of origin on 31.1.2010 (AZR) were Turkey[1,629,480 persons with a Turkish citizenship (24.1%)], Italy [517,546 persons with an Italian citizenship (7.7%)], Poland [419,435 persons with a Polish citizenship (6.2 per cent)] and Greece [276,685 (4.1 per cent) persons with a Greek citizenship].

By the end of 2011, a total of 6,9 million persons with a foreign citizenship lived in Germany, according to the data of the Central Register of Aliens (AZR). Compared to 2010, the foreign population registered in the AZR increased by 177,300 persons (+ 2.6 per cent). This is the highest increase for 15 years in Germany.

In 2010, according to the Microcensus 15,746,000 (19.3 per cent) people with a migration background lived in Germany. 8,598,000 (10.5 per cent) thereof were in possession of a German citizenship, 7,147,000 (8.7 per cent) had a foreign citizenship.

Source:

1. Federal Ministry of the Interior (Bundesministerium des Innern, BMI)/ Federal Office for Migrantion and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, BAMF), Migrationsbericht 2010, http://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/DE/Publikationen/Migrationsberichte/migrationsbericht-2010.pdf?__blob=publicationFile, Accessed on 03.01.2012.
2. Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt, Destatis), Ausländische Bevölkerung im Jahr 2011 deutlich angestiegen, 23.05.2012, http://www.destatis.de/DE/ZahlenFakten/GesellschaftStaat/Bevoelkerung/MigrationIntegration/AuslaendischeBevolkerung/Aktuell.html?nn=151694, Accessed on 23.05.2012.
3. Eurostat, Statistics in focus 2012, Population and social conditions, 31/2012, http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-SF-12-031/EN/KS-SF-12-031-EN.PDF, Accessed on 27.01.2013.