European Union's Frontex detects 280,000 illegal border crossings in 2014 as fighting in Syria drives the worst refugee crisis since WWII
The European Union's border agency Frontex published its annual risk analysis earlier this week. The 72-page report is available here.
According to the report, Frontex detected 280,000 illegal border crossings in 2014 - the largest number since data collection began eight years ago.
The report states: "The unprecedented number of migrants crossing illegally the external borders has roots in the fighting in Syria that has resulted in the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War. Indeed, most of the detections at the borders concerned migrants from Syria, who later applied for asylum within the EU."
According to the report, 79,169 of those making illegal border crossings in 2014 were Syrians. Eritrea provided the second highest number with 34,586. Figures for both nationalities were over 200% higher than for 2013.
After a trend of decline, the number of illegal border crossings by Afghans increased sharply in 2014 to reach 22,132, up from less than 10,000 in 2013.
Along with the conflict in Syria, the report noted that the other stand out geopolitical issue in 2014 was the continued volatility in North African countries, notably Libya, from where migrants often depart in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea.
Frontex says more than 60% (170,000) of all illegal border crossings were detected in the Central Mediterranean. The Eastern Mediterranean route covering borders of Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus had more than 50,000 detections. The Western Balkan route was the third most important irregular migration route with more than 43,000 detections.
In total, 220,194 detections were at sea borders, compared to 63,338 made at land borders.
The report says that the profile of detected irregular migrants remained relatively unchanged compared to 2013, being mostly adult males. However, the proportion of women (11%) and children (15%) reflects the fact that many migrants move to the EU with the intention of claiming asylum, thereby escaping violence in their own country.