An Insight into the European Refugee Crisis

The migrant crisis is believed to have started in 2014, escalating in 2015 when a surge of Syrian, Afghan, and Iraqi nationals sought asylum in the European Union . This fact was affirmed in a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Many refugees that reached Italy and Greece were fleeing from countries embroiled in armed conflicts, such as the Syrian Civil War and the Iraqi Conflict.

The demographic distribution of the migrants arriving in Europe by sea in 2015 showed that 58% were adult males, 17% were adult females, and the remaining 25% were children.

By 2019, the European Union declared the Refugee Crisis to be over, but the resettlement of the refugees is still an ongoing process.

Causes of the European Refugee Crisis

The leading causes behind the European Refugee crisis are:

1. Conflicts and wars – Syrian War, Afghanistan war, Iraq war, Libyan war.
2. Human Rights Violations.
3. Economic hardships.

The Syrian war has been a significant contributor to the refugee crisis, along with other conflicts in Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Yemen. Many of these refugees have reached the European Union by crossing the Mediterranean Sea or through South East Europe.

Which European Country Hosts the Most Refugees?

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Union countries with the largest number of refugees at the end of 2014 were:

1. France
2. Germany
3. Sweden
4. United Kingdom

Top 5 Refugee Hosting Countries

As per the UNHCR, Turkey has hosted the highest number of refugees for five consecutive years. The top 5 refugee hosting countries are:

1. Turkey
2. Pakistan
3. Uganda
4. Sudan
5. Germany

Top 5 Major Source Countries of Refugees

According to the UNHCR, 67% of the world’s refugee population originates from the following countries:

1. Syria
2. Afghanistan
3. South Sudan
4. Myanmar
5. Somalia

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