The scenes are unforgettable. Men, women and children tightly packed onto flimsy boats and rubber dinghies, wearing neon orange life jackets that might not save them. Families huddled together as they fight the waves of the Mediterranean, then the roads of Europe, the cold and the creeping exhaustion. Thousands of people carrying their worldly possessions, walking highways or crowded onto buses, searching for better, safer lives. In 2015, wars, deadly insurgencies and crushing poverty drove the largest migration of people that the continent had seen since World War II, precipitating an ongoing crisis.
240k
2014
2015
180k
120k
60k
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
240k
2015
180k
120k
60k
2014
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Lesbos
507k
Greek
Islands
Turkey
Chios
121k
Greece
Samos
73k
Agathonisi
31k
Leros
32k
Kos
59k
Lesbos
507k
Greek
Islands
Turkey
Chios
121k
Samos
73k
Agathonisi
31k
Leros
32k
Kos
59k
Italy
Apulia
11k
Sardinia
5k
Campania
3k
Calabria
29k
Sicily
105k
Libya
Apulia
11k
Italy
Sardinia
5k
Campania
3k
Calabria
29k
Sicily
105k
Libya
857,000* arrivals to Greece
Syria
56%
Afghanistan
24%
Iraq
10%
Other
10%
Syria
56%
Afghanistan
24%
Iraq
10%
Other
10%
154,000 arrivals to Italy
Eritrea
25%
Nigeria
14%
Somalia
8%
Other
52%
Eritrea
25%
Somalia
8%
Other
52%
Nigeria
14%
Italy
Greece
Turkey
Turkey-Greece route:
806 deaths
Libya-Italy route:
2,869 deaths
Libya
Italy
Greece
Turkey-Greece route:
806 deaths
Libya-Italy route:
2,869 deaths
Libya
Germany
47%
Hungary
9%
Sweden
8%
Other
36%
Germany
47%
Hungary
9%
Sweden
8%
Other
36%
98%
71%
57%
Iraqis
Syrians
Afghans
98%
71%
57%
Iraqis
Syrians
Afghans
Germany
Austria
Hungary
Slovenia
Croatia
Serbia
Macedonia
Greece
Germany
Austria
Hungary
Slovenia
Croatia
Serbia
Macedonia
Greece
240k
2015
180k
2016
120k
Turkey-EU deal
60k
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
240k
2015
Turkey-EU
deal (2016)
180k
120k
2016
60k
Jan
Apr
Jul
Oct
Greece
84%
Italy
15%
Other
<1%
Greece
84%
Italy
15%
Other
<1%
Greece
49%
Italy
49%
Other
2%
Greece
49%
Italy
49%
Other
2%
Italy
Greece
Turkey
Turkey-Greece route:
429 deaths
Libya-Italy route:
4,403 deaths
Libya
Italy
Greece
Turkey-Greece route:
429 deaths
Libya-Italy route:
4,403 deaths
Libya