why are there so many africans in scandinavia?

Question

I'm from New Zealand ,, I traveled to Oslo and Copenhagen this year and I was very surprised by how many Africans there were in Copenhagen. most of them seemed like Africans and walking around felt like I was in Accra or Lagos. I don't mean to say I have a problem with Africans. I love African peoples. I Just thought that when I went to Norway or Denmark I would get more interesting Scandinavian culture but all I got was the feeling like I was in a slum in Nairobi. I was rather shocking.

Answer 1

Most have arrived in Norway as asylum seekers or refugees. There are currently about 80,000 people with an African background in Norway, and of these about 30,000 are from Somalia, 6,100 are from Eritrea and 3,800 are from Ethiopia. These numbers does not include children born in Norway, so you can probably add another 10-20%.



Many of these people have settled in Oslo, and seek to live among people of similar background.



Another factor is the VERY low participation in the workforce of this segment of the population. Thus it's more likely to see them on the streets during the day.

Answer 2

It's because in the last 10-15 years, the governments of the Nordic/Scandinavian countries have been very liberal in opening up their countries to refugee and asylum seekers, and many of those people come from places in turmoil in Africa and the Middle East (i.e. Somalia). While many are legitimate refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution, there are other people have taken advantage of the liberal immigration stance and have either lied or used dishonest methods to gain refuge status so that they can bring their whole family over. This was not the case 20+ years ago, when all those countries were very homogeneous, Swedes in Sweden, Danes in Denmark, etc. But not anymore since the introduction of liberal policies, the floodgates have opened and there are now lots of these "foreigners". This has led to all sorts of social tensions, as some folks have assimilated and adjusted to northern European customs and lifestyle better than others. There are mixed opinions about this from the locals. However, many opponents argue that it is destroying their "traditional" social fabric and way of life. You must understand, historically Sweden and Norway were never "melting pots" like the U.S. Canada, or even Britain was. They did not previously experience huge waves of newcomers or have overseas colonies like Britain, which exposed them to new peoples and ideas from distant lands. And this current situation has happened in a relatively short period of time. That's why it's so difficult for some people to handle.

Answer 3

To find jobs and a better life.



I personally don't think there are that many at least not to the point that it would be comparable to being in Accra or Lagos.

Answer 4

You could just as easily ask why there are so many Scandinavians and other Europeans in Africa.