15:51, 25 February 2004

Number of Russian asylum seekers in Europe rose by 73% in 2003

The total number of asylum seekers arriving in 36 industrialized countries last year fell by 20 percent, to 463,000, the UN refugee agency announced on February 24. It was the lowest total since 1997, and the third lowest since 1988.

Russians - mostly Chechens - were easily the top asylum-seeking nationality in 2003, with a total of 33,400 (data from 29 rather than the full 36 industrialized countries). Overall, the number of Russians increased by 68 percent. Across Europe as a whole, the number of Russian asylum seekers rose by 73 percent (although in the EU the rise was limited to 34 percent). Russian asylum seekers were concentrated in Austria (6,700), Poland (5,600) the Czech Republic (4,900), Germany (3,400) and Slovakia (2,700).

Among the top eight nationalities seeking asylum in 2003, Russians were the only one to increase. And of the top 39 nationalities, only four were higher than the previous year.

Editors note: See also the article "Russia took the first place by number of people applying for asylum in industrialized countries".

Source: Website of UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency)