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Migrant Transfers (Remittances) to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Yugoslavia, and the Successor Republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia)

Yugoslav emigrants and guest workers have long maintained the tradition of sending a portion of their savings back to their homeland. This practice dates back to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and continues to this day, with remittance flows reaching unprecedented levels in the present.
When funds are transferred through official channels—such as banks or postal services—these transactions can be tracked using official statistical records. By analyzing various official data sources, we have compiled comprehensive insights into the scale and trends of these remittances.

Data and Resources

Bibliographic Information
Title: 
Migrant Transfers (Remittances) to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Socialist Yugoslavia, and the Successor Republics (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia)
Publisher: 
Institutional or individual Publisher: 
Institution
Institutional Publisher name: 
Leibniz-Institut für Ost- und Südosteuropaforschung
Publication Date: 
20.03.2025
Division: 
TraFFF
Dataset Information
Type: 
Main language: 
Languages used: 
Version: 
1.0.0
Spatial / Geographical Coverage Area: 
POLYGON ((13.4839 46.8784, 22.9688 46.8784, 22.9688 40.8811, 13.4839 40.8811, 13.4839 46.8784))
Spatial / Geographical Coverage: 
Spatial / Geographical Coverage Controlled (ISO 3166): 
Temporal Coverage: 
January 1, 1925 to December 31, 2023
Subject Area: 
Share medadata w/ OstData: 
Yes
Subject Classification
Methodological Information
Data Collection Method: 
Provenance Information
Provenance: 

Sources and literature used for data for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1925-1938):
V. Horvat: "Migracije Hrvata", Liječnički vjesnik , 62, no. 11, November 1940, p. 570.
Croatian State Archive (HDA), f. 967 (SORIS), kut. 36, fasc. 311, "Iseljeničke doznake u našoj platežnoj bilanci", 1934.
Brunnbauer, Ulf (2016): Globalizing Southeastern Europe. Emigrants, America and the State. Lanham, MD.: Lexington.

Note: Remittances are presented in the Yugoslav dinars of the respective time period.
Sources and literature used for data for the Yugoslavia (1954-1988):
1954-1961: Arhiv Jugoslavije, f. 142, fasc. F-492, p. 15; quoted in Brunnbauer 2016: 289.
1962-1971: Bilten Narodne Banke Jugoslavije; Mikulić 1988: 26.
1972-1976: Statistički bilten Službe knjigovodstva, nr. 12, 1976, p. 78; Mikulić 1988: 26.
1977-1980: Migracije, May 1983, no. 5, p. 167; Mikulić 1988: 26.
1981-1986: Bilten Narodne Banke Jugoslavije; Mikulić 1988: 26.
1987-1989: Bilten Narodne Banke Jugoslavije

Literature:
Brunnbauer, Ulf (2016): Globalizing Southeastern Europe. Emigrants, America and the State. Lanham, MD.: Lexington.
Čičin-Šain, A. (1983): "Promjena uloge deviznih doznaka i devizne štednje gradjana u jugoslavenskoj platnoj bilanci u razdoblju 1966–1980", Migracije, 12(5), 165–173.
Mikulić, Branislav (1988): "Uticaj migrantskih doznaka na platni bilans i inflaciju u Jugoslaviji", Jugoslovensko bankarstvo, 2, February, 25–32.
Vodopivec, Milan (1983): "Značenje doznaka radnika u inostranstvu za platni bilans Jugoslavije", Migracije, 12(10), 177–186.

Note: Remittances are presented in current millions of U.S. dollars.

Sources used for data for the Bosnia and Herzegovina (1998-2023):
World Bank Data

Note: Remittances are presented in current billions of U.S. dollars

Sources used for data for the Croatia (1993-2023):
World Bank Data

Note: Remittances are presented in current billions of U.S. dollars

Sources used for data for the Kosovo (2000-2023):
World Bank Data, Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo

Note: Data from World Bank Data is from 2004 - 2023, and remittances are presented in current millions of U.S. dollars; data from Central Bank of Republic of Kosovo is from 2000-2023, remittances are presented in current millions of Euro.

Sources used for data for the North Macedonia (1996-2023):
World Bank Data

Note: Remittances are presented in current millions of U.S. dollars

Sources used for data for the Montenegro (2007-2023):
World Bank Data

Note: Remittances are presented in current millions of U.S. dollars

Sources used for data for the Serbia (2000-2023):
World Bank Data, Migration and Remittances Factbook 2008, 195. (2000-2006)
World Bank Data (2007-2023)

Note: Until 2007 - Serbia and Montenegro; Remittances are presented in current billions of U.S. dollars

Sources used for data for the Slovenia (1992-2023):
World Bank Data

Note: Remittances are presented in current millions of U.S. dollars

Data Source Type: 
Project Context
Dataset Info
FieldValue
Modified
2025-06-24
Release Date
2025-03-20
Contact Name
Ulf Brunnbauer
Contact Email
Public