The facts and figures behind Sri Lanka, the sixth top country by applicant for asylum in the UK in 2002.

During 2002, 3,200 people applied for asylum from Sri Lanka - almost half the number that arrived in 2001.

Of the 2,750 asylum seekers removed from the UK in the final quarter of 2002, 110 were returned to Sri Lanka.

Of the 4,245 cases assessed, 325 were given refugee status, 275 exceptional leave to remain and more than 3,200 rejected.

Some 8 % of cases - 335 people - were automatically rejected before a hearing on "non-compliance" grounds - errors in their paperwork or a failure to hand it in on time.

Applications from Sri Lanka reached a high watermark of 6,395 in 2000 but have dramatically dropped as the security situation in the country has improved.

SRI LANKA FACTS Population: 19 million Capital: Colombo (commercial) Major languages: Sinhala, Tamil, English BBC Monitoring: Full profile

In late 2002 the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels struck an agreement bringing an end to decades of bloodshed.

By the first anniversary of the ceasefire in March 2003, there had been no terrorism-related deaths for a year, compared to an average of 3,000 a year for the previous 20.

The northern city of Jaffna, shut off during most of the conflict, is now open and in the process of rebuilding its economy.

But while nobody believes a return to war is imminent in Sri Lanka, but the peace process has hit a recent impasse.

Sri Lanka still hopes to win international financial backing for reconstruction, but it all depends on progress in the peace talks.