Brussels, 18/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The total number of asylum requests, with most claimants “coming from countries with long-standing displacement situations”, rose by 17% to an eight-year high in the first six months of this year, according to a report by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).
Some 198,300 asylum applications were lodged in the period from January 1 to 30 June, compared with 169,300 in the same period in 2010, the report states. “As application rates normally peak during the second half of the year, UNHCR projects that 2011 may see 420,000 applications by year's end - the highest total in eight years”, it goes on.
So far this year there have been major forced displacement crises in West, North and East Africa. The report notes increases in asylum claims from Tunisians, Ivoirians and Libyans (4,600, 3,300 and 2,000 requests respectively).
By continent, Europe registered the highest number of asylum requests with 73% of all asylum applications in industrialised countries, the report reveals.
By country, however, the United States had more claims (36,400) than any other industrialised nation, followed by France with (26,100), Germany (20,100), Sweden (12,600) and the United Kingdom (12,200).
Taking the 44 countries surveyed in the report as a whole, the main countries of origin of asylum-seekers remained largely unchanged from previous surveys: Afghanistan (15,300 claims), followed by China (11,700). (SP/transl.rt)