Regional and local conflicts in Africa and the Middle East have spurred an increase in the number of refugees seeking asylum in Europe. This has added pressure on Greece, which has come under criticism from human rights organizations, and most recently a ruling of the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice, for its treatment of asylum-seekers as its system for dealing with applications is already overburdened.

65,930 Total number of asylum applications filed in EU-27, Jan-Mar 2011
7,450 Asylum applications filed in Belgium, Jan-Mar 2011
12,035 Asylum applications filed in Germany, Jan-Mar 2011
2,530 Asylum applications filed in Greece, Jan-Mar 2011
935 Asylum applications filed in Spain, Jan-Mar 2011
14,335 Asylum applications filed in France, Jan-Mar 2011
6,360 Asylum applications filed in U.K., Jan-Mar 2011
3,985 Asylum applications filed in Italy, Jan-Mar 2011

53.7 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in EU-27, Jan-Mar 2011
48.2 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in Belgium, Jan-Mar 2011
47.3 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in Germany, Jan-Mar 2011
72.2 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in Greece, Jan-Mar 2011
67.2 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in Spain, Jan-Mar 2011
54.9 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying in France, Jan-Mar 2011
54.0 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying U.K., Jan-Mar 2011
81.8 % asylum-seekers 18-34 years applying Italy, Jan-Mar 2011

Five main citizenships of asylum applicants, Jan-Mar 2011

EU-27                                                                        Greece

Afghanistan 9%                                                         Pakistan 25%

Russia 6%                                                                 Georgia 12%

Iraq 6%                                                                    Afghanistan 7%

Serbia 6%                                                                Senegal 6%

Kosovo 5%                                                               China 6%