France: number of refugees 2007-2023

For more than ten years, the total number of refugees in France has gradually increased. Since the 20th century, France has been considered an important host country for immigrants. During the past century, the country welcomed political refugees, as well as immigrants from other European nations and from the former French territories in Africa.

The distribution of refugees in France and in Europe

More recently, the refugee crisis has partly shaped immigration in France. In 2023, there were 142,496 asylum applications in the country, compared to nearly 42,600 in 2008. Since 2015, the European Union (EU) has implemented the Relocation Scheme, which transfers persons in need of international protection from one Member State to another. With most immigrants using the Mediterranean Route to reach Europe, France relocated 5,035 refugees from Greece and Italy in 2018, while Germany keeps being the European country to host most refugees in Europe.

Refugees worldwide

Migration is a common challenge for the members of the EU. But it is also a worldwide phenomenon. Because of its geographical proximity to Syria, Turkey was the largest refugee-hosting country in 2022. The number of refugees worldwide, whether internally displaced persons or not, has increased since 2013. Even though the intensity of the war is slowing down, Syria is still the leading country of origin for refugees in 2020. That year, the situation of countries such as South Sudan or Afghanistan has also forced millions of people to flee and seek refuge elsewhere.