According to reports, UK is happened to be the most popular destination in whole Europe when it comes to refuge seekers. Among asylum seekers, Britain appears as the hot spot where they are twice likely to get refuge than in France. As per official figures of the European Union, United Kingdom welcomed a total of 12,510 refugees in the year 2009.

The figure of last year is a rise of 22 percent over the previous year that is 2008. A total of 26.9 percent out of the total refugees who were welcomed in 2009 were able to enter the UK at their very first try. Refugees from Zimbabwe constituted the largest community with over one third of the total asylum seekers who entered the UK, followed by refugees from Afghanistan.

Other European countries close to Britain in terms of welcoming refuges are Germany and France. Germany took 12,055 asylum seekers, while France allowed 10,415 refugees to enter in. Sweden followed them with letting 9,085 refugees enter in the year 2009.

Many people in the UK are not in favor of growing number of asylum seekers in the nation. Critics and campaigners have questioned the nation’s asylum and immigration system to no end. Many have suggested deportation of refugees from the UK. To which the chief of the UK Border Agency, Matthew Coats said that UK has been retaining its tradition of  welcoming and providing refuge to those who are genuine and are in dire need of asylum. He also confirmed that the nation is experiencing the lowest number of refugees in 2 years.