OVERVIEW
In 2016, between January and November, 351,619 people crossed the Mediterranean Sea, risking their lives to reach Europe. These new arrivals are in addition to more than one million refugees and migrants who made the journey across the Mediterranean Sea on unseaworthy boats in 2015.
In 2016, the number of those arriving decreased substantially after March. Of those reaching European shores so far this year, 58% came from the ten countries currently producing the most refugees globally.
MAIN TRENDS
In November 2016, 16,352 refugees and migrants arrived by crossing the Mediterranean. Among those, 1,991 people arrived in Greece, 13,581 people in Italy and 780 people arrived in Spain. Total arrivals in Greece, Italy and Spain in November decreased by 48% compared to the previous month, (31,429), primarily due to the worsening weather conditions brought on by the onset of winter. Overall, arrivals also decreased by 89% compared to the same month in 2015 (154,975), largely due to the greater number of arrivals last year through the Eastern Mediterranean route.
Between January and November 2016, 351,619 people arrived by sea, including 171,785 in Greece, 173,008 in Italy and 6,826 in Spain. This constitutes a 61% decrease compared to the same period in 2015 (896,285).
In November 2016, arrivals most commonly originated Nigeria, Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire.
So far in 2016, the majority of arrivals are from the Syrian Arab Republic (23%), Afghanistan (12%), Nigeria (10%), Iraq (8%), Eritrea (6%), Guinea (4%), Côte d'Ivoire (4%), Gambia (4%) and Pakistan (3%).