700 million emigrant on the look out to move!

(Globe Staff)

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Nov. 03, 2009 9:02PM EST Last updated on Friday, Nov. 06, 2009 2:56AM EST

Some 700 million people worldwide, or 16 per cent of the adult population, think the grass is greener on the other side and want to move to another country, according to a new poll. Here are some of the other findings of Gallup's survey of people in 135 countries between 2007 and 2009, released yesterday after phone or face-to-face interviews with 260,000 people aged 15 years and older:

U-S-A! U-S-A!

Nearly one-quarter of these respondents name the United States as their top destination, which translates to more than 165 million adults worldwide.

We're No. 2

An additional 45 million say they would like to move to Canada, and another 45 million would choose Britain or France, while 35 million say Spain, and 25 million Germany. Saudi Arabia is the top chose for 30 million people, and 25 million want to go to Australia.

Get me out of here

People in sub-Saharan Africa are the most likely to want to move, with 38 per cent of adults in the region wanting out.

Homebodies

Asians are the most satisfied with their current homelands, with only 10 per cent expressing a desire to leave.

Boom and bust

If all the adults who wanted to move did so, some countries would be emptied out, and others would be swamped.

* Percentage by which Singapore's population would grow if it accepted everyone who wanted to come: + 260
* Percentage by which Saudi Arabia's would grow: + 180
* Percentage by which Canada would grow: + 170
* Percentage by which the Democratic Republic of the Congo would shrink if everyone who wanted to leave did so: – 60

Source: Gallup