This fascinating interactive map shows where more than 231 million immigrants live around the world , and reveals that more than 7.8 million reside in the UK . The new data , released by the United Nations , shows how the number of international migrants has increased by nearly 80 million over the last 25 years . In 1995 , there were more than 154 million migrants who left their home country and moved to another for various reasons . In comparison , that number had risen to 231 million globally by 2013 , according to the international migrant stock trends data . The graphic , featured in The Telegraph , comes at a time when immigration is being heavily discussed by political parties , who each have varying policies on the issue in their manifestos , in the lead-up to May 's election . It reveals that Great Britain and Northern Ireland are among the nations which have a high number of immigrants , with more than 7.8 million recorded . Other European countries also have similar numbers , with Germany having nine million , France recording 7.5million and Spain reporting more than six million . Meanwhile , the U.S. has more than 45 million immigrants - the most of all nations - and Russia has more than 11 million . Saudi Arabia has nine million . Countries which had the fewest number of immigrants include Morocco with 50,000 , Mongolia with just 17,000 and Greenland with only 5,000 . Others with low figures include Tunisia , Papua New Guinea , Cuba and Guyana . The top worldwide destinations for international migrants were the U.S. , Russia , Germany , Saudi Arabia , the UAE , UK and France , according to the data . It also revealed the areas in the UK where immigrants live , with London , Leicester , the Birmingham area and Bradford among those with the highest percentage . The figures come after it emerged Prime Minister David Cameron had failed in his pledge to slash net migration to the tens of thousands before the general election . Official figures , released in February by the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) , show there was a net flow of 298,000 migrants to the UK in the year to September last year , equal to the population of a city roughly the size of Nottingham and up from 210,000 in the previous 12 months . The increase in net migration was driven by a 'statistically significant ' rise in immigrants arriving in the UK - up to 624,000 in the year to September 2014 from 530,000 in the previous 12 months . Around 327,000 people emigrated from the UK in the same period . Mr Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May had promised to slash net migration to below 100,000 by the end of the current parliamentary term . The figures also revealed there were significant increases in immigration of non-EU citizens - up 49,000 to 292,000 - and European Union citizens - up 43,000 to 251,000 . Experts flagged another statistically significant increase in Romanian and Bulgarian citizens arriving in the UK - up to 37,000 from 24,000 in the previous 12 months . Of these , 27,000 were coming for work , a rise of 10,000 on the year ending September 2013 , the ONS added . Around 271,000 people came to the UK for work , up 54,000 on a year earlier , while immigration for study rose from 175,000 to 192,000 . Madeleine Sumption , director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford , said at the time : 'UK job growth is likely to be a key factor behind the recent increases . 'If the UK 's economic performance compared to the rest of the EU had been poor , then we might well have seen net migration fall , but that has not happened . 'Rising work-related migration from outside the EU has also contributed . ' Downing Street said the rise in immigration was driven in part by Britain 's economic success relative to its neighbours in the eurozone .
Interactive graphic shows more than 231 million migrants around the world , with 7.8 million immigrants in UK alone . More than 45 million recorded in U.S. which is most popular destination for migrants before Russia with 11 million . Data by United Nations shows how number of international migrants has increased by nearly 80 million in 25 years .