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Migration routes via Italy to Europe - Statistics & Facts
Published by Simona Varrella, Feb 16, 2021
Italy is one of the main entry points in Europe for immigrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Together with Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus, Italy is among the first member states reached by immigrants. For instance, the Italian island of Lampedusa is a major European entry port for immigrants' arrival from North Africa. This Sicilian island is geographically closer to the North African continent than to Italy. However, in the last two years, Italy played a controversial role in rescuing migrants at sea. As a consequence of anti-migration policies, a previous government declared that Italian ports were closed to ships carrying rescued migrants. This led to long standoffs of NGOs' ships before receiving permission to disembark at a safe harbor. In the last months of 2019, the average duration of rescue ships' standoffs was 5.9 days, reaching in some cases much longer waiting times. Those political decisions, mainly presented by the secretary of Lega Matteo Salvini, are currently not applied anymore. The party secretary of Lega has been creating campaigns on anti-migration, cultivating feelings of hate in the country.
Between 2015 and 2016, the European Union implemented a emergency relocation program, which foresees the transfer of individuals in need of international protection among the member states, Switzerland, and Norway. A large number of migrants who arrived in Italy in 2018 were relocated to Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Nevertheless, crossing borders irregularly within Europe has experienced an increase in the last years. Migrants are forced to choose life-threatening routes and methods to cross European borders. Such methods include train surfing, river crossing, or hiking through mountains without appropriate equipment. Between 2016 and 2018, several deaths of immigrants were recorded at the Italian-French border in the attempt to migrate within Europe.
The sea route undertaken by immigrants that leads to Italy is the Central Mediterranean route.This route includes the crossing from North Africa to Italy as well as to Malta. The main departing country is Libya, while Tunisia, Egypt, and East Algeria represent minor departing shores. In 2020, 724 migrants died while crossing the Central Mediterranean route. 2016 was the year in which the number of deaths on this route peaked, when 4.6 thousand migrants died in the attempt to reach European shores. Among the different routes in the Mediterranean Sea, the Central route registered the highest number of fatalities overall. Another sea route is the Eastern Mediterranean route, which covers migration flows from Turkey to Greece and Cyprus. More information is available about the Eastern route compared to the Western and Central routes because in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea bodies are more often brought to land than in the Western and Central Sea. Eventualy, a third major route is that from Morocco and the Western coast of Algeria to Spain, known as the Western Mediterranean route.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Number of refugees in Italy
Number of immigrants relocated from Italy to Germany 2018
Number of third-country nationals enforced to leave Italy in 2020
The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Migration routes via Italy to Europe" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.
Year in which the number of recorded deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea peaked
Deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea 2014-2021
Largest number of immigrants who arrived by sea in Italy in 2016
Migrant arrivals in Italy 2014-2021
Most frequent nationalities of children who arrived alone by sea
Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan
Share of unaccompanied children arrived by sea in Italy 2018, by nationality
Migration route registering the largest number of deaths and missing cases of people who migrated worldwide
Mediterranean Route
Deaths of migrants on the Central Mediterranean Route 2014-2021
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Year in which the number of newly registered refugees in Germany peaked
Number of newly registered refugees in Germany 2014-2018
Main countries of origin of asylum applicants in Germany
Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan
Country of origin of asylum applicants in Germany 2021
Number of asylum applications in Sweden
Number of asylum applications in Sweden 2010-2020
Interesting statistics
In the following 4 chapters, you will quickly find the 25 most important statistics relating to "Migration routes via Italy to Europe".
Statistics on the topic
Arrivals in Europe
Arrivals in Italy
Sea crossings
Recorded deaths in the Mediterranean Sea
Number of immigrants arrived by sea and by land in Europe 2021, by country of arrival
Immigrants arrived by sea and by land in Europe 2018-2021, by country of arrival
Number of illegal border crossings in the European Union 2020, by route
European Union migration flow by main routes 2014-2020
Number of illegal crossings of the Central Mediterranean route to the EU 2009-2020
Number of illegal border-crossing to the EU 2020, by country of origin
Number of migrant return decisions by the European Union (EU) 2011-2020
Number of refusals of entry to the European Union (EU) 2009-2020
Number of illegal stays in the European Union (EU) 2009-2020
Show all statistics (9)
Number of smugglers arrested in Italy 2017-2021
Most frequent immigrant nationalities declared upon arrival in Italy 2021
Third-country nationals found to be illegally present in Italy 2012-2020
Third-country nationals enforced to leave Italy 2014-2020
Attempted crossings in the Mediterranean 2019-2021
Rescues and interceptions of migrants in Libyan SRR 2021, by type of actor
Number of migrant interceptions in the Mediterranean Sea 2021, by authority
Migrants being returned to Libya while trying to reach Europe 2019-2021
Migrant interceptions at sea by North African authorities 2019-2021
Number of recorded deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea 2019-2021, by origin
Deaths of migrants on the Western Mediterranean Route 2014-2021
Deaths of migrants on the Eastern Mediterranean Route 2014-2021
Main causes of migrants' deaths in the Mediterranean Sea 2021
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Simona Varrella
Research Expert covering society and economy
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