23% in Germany are immigrants, children of immigrants

BERLIN (AP) — Some 18.9 million people, or 23% of Germany’s population, have either immigrated to the country since 1950 or are the children of immigrants. Germany’s Federal Statistics Office said Thursday that a further 3.7 million or 4.5% of the population, have one parent who immigrated and one ethnic German parent. It’s the first time the statistics office has analyzed the country’s population based on migration figures and not just on citizenship, which is a more vague concept since many immigrants, and especially the children of immigrants, have taken on German citizenship in recent years. When it comes to the 17.3% who are first-generation immigrants, Germany ranks above the European Union average of 10.6%, the German news agency dpa reported.