Afghan asylum seekers in Nauru island

The UNHCR says more than three-hundred-and-eighty-thousand people sought asylum in Europe, the US and other industrialised nations last year; twelve per cent more than in 2007.

Asylum applications soared not only from Afghans, Somalis, and Sri Lankans, but also from Nigerians and Zimbabweans. The highest number of applications came once again from Iraqis. The US remained the top destination for asylum-seekers.

sharp rise

The provisional UNHCR figures indicate that some 383,000 new asylum applications were submitted last year in 51 industrialized countries, a 12 percent rise compared to 2007.

The top country of origin of asylum applicants in 2008 was Iraq (40,500, down 10 percent from 45,100 in 2007), followed by Somalia (21,800), the Russian Federation (20,500), Afghanistan (18,500) and China (17,400) UNHCR

This is the second consecutive annual increase in the number of asylum seekers since 2006, when the lowest number of asylum applications in 20 years was registered (307,000).

The top country of origin of asylum applicants in 2008 was Iraq, followed by Somalia the Russian Federation, Afghanistan and China.

24% rise in applications from Sri Lanka

Of the 10 main nationalities claiming asylum last year, some remained stable while others registered significant increases.

Sri Lanka, - not one of the top ten - recorded a rise in applicants by 24% than last year.

Afghanistan (up 85 percent), was the top country of origin folowed byZimbabwe, Somalia and Nigeria and all of these countries experienced unrest or conflicts in 2008