Refugees gather in Northern France en route to Britain

Despite a general decrease in the number of asylum seekers across the European Union as a whole, the UK had a 20% rise in applications.

The provisional statistics were published by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday.

The agency said the figures showed a need for "greater co-operation" between European countries.

What you've really seen is more of a redistribution among different EU countries, which I think makes the case rather strongly for the harmonisation of EU asylum laws Rupert Colville UNHCR

In 2002, there were more than 111,000 asylum applications to Britain - more than double the number in France.

As a proportion of population, Home office figures show the UK received 1.8 applications for every 1,000 residents. This was less than half the highest application rates seen in Sweden, Norway and Austria.

The UN figures confirmed those issued by the government in February, which showed applications peaking in October and then falling since.

Half the year's applicants were accepted and more could stay on appeal.

The UN refugee agency said most of those entering Britain were from Iraq, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan - nations which had had strong historical links with the UK.

Ninety-five per cent of all Zimbabweans who arrived in Europe last year made their claims for asylum in Britain.

'Tight rules'

Across the EU as a whole, the total number of asylum seekers fell by 2%, partly due to the drop in Afghan refugees.

Finland had a 100% rise, while Holland saw demands fall by nearly half.

UNHCR spokesman Rupert Colville said the wide variations in statistics showed that European governments desperately needed to agree a single asylum policy.

EU-wide asylum seekers Iraq 51,000 Serbia and Montenegro 33,100 Turkey 29,600 China 26,300 Afghanistan 25,700 total 587,400 applications filed by nationals of 40 countries *country of origin, 2002

He said: "In the EU in general the numbers have remained very stable over the past four years.

"What you've really seen is more of a redistribution among different EU countries, which I think makes the case rather strongly for the harmonisation of EU asylum laws and practice and certainly better sharing arrangements within Europe."

Meanwhile Australia, which has been internationally criticised for its strict immigration laws, saw the numbers of asylum seekers reaching its shores dropping by more than half.

The Refugee Agency said the fall was clearly due to the "deterrent effect of tight legislation."