The number of people displaced by conflict is at the highest level ever recorded, the United Nations refugee agency has said.
It estimated that 65.3 million people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at the end of 2015, an increase of 5 million in a year.
This represents one in every 113 people on the planet, the UN agency said.
Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief has said a worrying “climate of xenophobia” has taken hold in Europe as it struggles to cope with the migrant crisis.
The influx of people, the biggest since World War Two, has led to greater support for far-right groups and controversial anti-immigration policies.
In its annual report marking World Refugee Day, the UN said it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60 million mark.
Over half of the total comes from just three countries – Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, the BBC reports.
Despite the huge focus on Europe’s migrant crisis, the UN said 86 per cent of the world’s refugees were being sheltered in low and middle income countries.
It estimated that 65.3 million people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at the end of 2015, an increase of 5 million in a year.
This represents one in every 113 people on the planet, the UN agency said.
Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief has said a worrying “climate of xenophobia” has taken hold in Europe as it struggles to cope with the migrant crisis.
The influx of people, the biggest since World War Two, has led to greater support for far-right groups and controversial anti-immigration policies.
In its annual report marking World Refugee Day, the UN said it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60 million mark.
Over half of the total comes from just three countries – Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia, the BBC reports.
Despite the huge focus on Europe’s migrant crisis, the UN said 86 per cent of the world’s refugees were being sheltered in low and middle income countries.