Swedish emigration higher than 1800s

As reported by Stockholm News, emigration rates from Sweden were higher in 2011 than during the record-breaking years of the 1800s. Lena Bernhardtz, from Statistics Sweden’s unit for population statistics, said that the country had passed 1887, which was the year that recorded the highest emigration figure.

Sweden's population rose in 2011 with 67,285 people. This occurred despite emigration happening at record levels, reveal population data from Statistics. 2011 saw 51,179 people leaving the country, out of which over 22,000 people were Swedish-born. This is a greater figure than during the great exodus to America.

In the 1800s and very early 1900s, almost 1.5 million Swedes left the country, most of them relocating to the USA. The largest exodus occurred during the 1880s with the crisis in Swedish agriculture and the economic boom in the U.S.

A significant difference in today’s emigration is that Swedes in the 1800s remained in their host country, while a lot of emigrants today now re-immigrate. Lena Bernhardtz asserts that in today’s globalized economy, many people decide to take chances to study or work overseas for some years. Swedes fled poverty in the 1800s, she says, adding that nowadays people have entirely new opportunities to shuffle around.