How many Arab people live in Sweden?
According to Eurostat, on 1 January 2025 Sweden had 196,152 residents born in Syria and 143,160 born in Iraq, plus 29,774 born in Lebanon, 12,914 in Morocco and 10,979 in Egypt.
392,979born in these 5 countries
196,152born in Syria
143,160born in Iraq
29,774born in Lebanon
12,914born in Morocco
Eurostat, population by country of birth, 1 January 2025 (also 10,979 born in Egypt). Children born in Sweden are not counted, so the communities are bigger.
Where they live in Sweden
Around Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg, and in Södertälje.
STO
Stockholm county43,935 people born in Iraq and 31,502 born in Syria; 14,996 born in Iraq in the city of Stockholm.
SKÅ
Skåne and Malmö32,164 born in Syria, 24,136 in Iraq and 8,485 in Lebanon; in Malmö 11,467 born in Iraq and 9,530 in Syria.
VG
Västra Götaland and Gothenburg31,148 born in Syria and 23,008 in Iraq; in Gothenburg 12,688 born in Iraq and 10,386 in Syria.
SÖD
Södertälje8,379 people born in Syria and 8,037 born in Iraq.
Statistics Sweden (SCB), end of 2025: people born in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.
A piece of home, close by
Msq
The Stockholm MosqueAt Kapellgränd 10 on Södermalm, in a power station built in 1903 to a design by Ferdinand Boberg. It opened as a mosque in 2000.
Edu
Arabic at school (modersmål)Children have a right to mother-tongue lessons in Arabic if a parent's mother tongue is Arabic and it is spoken at home; the school must arrange them when at least five pupils want them and a teacher is available. In 2025/26 just over 46,400 pupils took Arabic, more than any other language.
Emb
Embassies and consulatesYour country's embassy and consulates: passports and papers.
Shop
Arab shopsHalal butchers, bakeries and Arab restaurants in the big cities.
TV
TV feeNo separate TV fee; it is part of income tax.
Film
Malmö Arab Film FestivalFounded in 2011, MAFF shows a programme of Arab films in Malmö every year.
Mkt
Möllevången in MalmöLife in this Malmö neighbourhood centres on Möllevångstorget, a large market square; Visit Sweden suggests Syrian dishes such as kafta and fatteh there.
TV
Arabic TVThe channels from home, live in Sweden.Read the TV guide →
