Kerala Gulf diaspora
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (2.5 million (est.)) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 UAE
|
773,624 |
 Saudi Arabia
|
447,440 |
 Kuwait
|
634,728 |
 Oman
|
134,019 |
 Bahrain
|
101,556 |
 Qatar
|
445,000 |
| Languages | |
| Malayalam (മലയാളം) | |
| Religion | |
| Islam, Christianity, Hinduism | |
The Kerala Gulf diaspora refers to the people of Kerala living in the Middle eastern Arab states of the Persian Gulf. In 2008, they numbered more than 2.5 million.Nearly 80 percent of Indians living in Kuwait are from southern state of Kerala as per 2008 survey of Department of Non-resident Keralite Affairs, Government of Kerala.
The Gulf Boom refers to the mass migration of a large number of people from the Indian state of Kerala to the GCC states from 1972 to 1983. Largely consisting of the migration of Malayalis, the dominant indigenous ethnic group in Kerala, the movement of many migrant workers from Kerala to the GCC states continues to the present day, although in smaller numbers after the 2008 international financial crisis began to affect the GCC region. This initial wave of migration is usually referred to as the Kerala Gulf Boom. In 2010, the GCC states contained a total Keralite population of more than 3.5 million, who annually sent home a sum of around $6.81 billion (US), which is more than 15.13% of the total Remittance to India in 2008. In 2013 the remittance was more the 60,000 crore rupees.
Huge oil reserves were discovered in the Eastern Arabia region (Arab states of the Persian Gulf) in the 1930s, with large-scale commercial extraction beginning in the early 1950s. Soon, these countries became major world oil-exporting countries, amassing huge riches within a matter of years, a feat that perhaps has no historical parallel. However, these nations were handicapped by small populations and labour forces, with commensurately small skills levels. To meet the challenge they faced, they had to substantially increase immigration at all levels. India, which faced very high unemployment rates, quickly saw the opportunity for its citizens to gain a share of the new work opportunities, with manual workers from Kerala at the forefront. Historical ties and the religious identity of Indian Muslims—Keralite migrants are disproportionately Muslim—in particular, helped to forge a bond with Gulf Countries.
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Wikipedia