Finland had 444,031 people with foreign background living permanently in its territory at the end of 2020, according to Statistics Finland's fresh statistics on population structure. This is 8% of the total population.
Of these, 367,417 are first generation people of foreign origin, that is, born abroad. Another 76,614 people of foreign origin are already second generation, that is, they were born in Finland.
The clearly largest group of people of foreign origin are those whose country of origin was Russia or the former Soviet Union. At the end of 2020, there were 90,801, which represents almost a fifth of the total number of people of foreign origin.
The next largest groups were Estonians (50,590); Iraqis (25,439) and Somalis (22,534).
Source: Statistics Finland.
Second generation African
At the end of 2020, the share of residents with European background among people or foreign origin in the first generation was over one half (53%). The share of those with Asian background was 30% and that of persons with African ancestors 11%.
Among persons with foreign background born in Finland, the share of persons with European background was 46%, with Asian background 28% and with African background 22%. The share of people with African background among persons with foreign background is double in the second generation.
Most live in Åland or Uusimaa
The number of people with foreign origin was highest in the region of Åland, where their share of the population was 16.7% and second highest in Uusimaa, 14.9%. Of those with foreign origin in Åland, 41% had Swedish background.
The share of population with foreign origin was lowest in South Ostrobothnia, only 2.5%.
One-half of all persons with foreign background lived in Greater Helsinki. Examined by municipality, the share of people of immigrant origin was highest in Vantaa, 22%, Espoo, 19.1% and in Närpiö, 18.5%.
Immigrants younger than Finns
The average age of persons with foreign background in the first generation was 38.7 years in 2020, while the average age of the entire population was 43.4 years.
The average age of persons with Finnish background was 44.2 years. The average age of persons with foreign background in the second generation was 11.3 years.
The share of under school-age children (aged 0 to 6) with foreign background was 11.7% at the end of 2020.
Already one in four of under school-age children is of foreign background in Greater Helsinki.
