The number of asylum applicants in the EU dropped by 13%. Indeed, the data for 2024 released by Eurostat today show a drop in applications to 912,000 in 2024 compared to 1,049,500 in 2023. These figures refer to non-EU nationals who have applied for international protection in the EU for the first time. Syrians are the largest group with 148,000 applications (16% of the total), followed by Venezuelans with 72,800 applications (8% of the total) and Afghans with 72,200 applications (8%). 82% of all applications are submitted in 5 EU countries: Germany remains the country with the highest number of applications lodged (229,700, 25% of the total), followed by Spain (164,100, 17%). Italy ranks third (151,000, 18%), followed by France (130,900, 14%) and Greece (69,000, 8%). However, when considering applications per thousand inhabitants, Cyprus tops the list (with 7.2 applicants per 1,000 people), followed by Greece (6.6), Ireland and Spain (each 3.4) and Luxembourg (3.2). In addition to the over 900,000 adults who applied for asylum, 36,300 unaccompanied minors also sought protection in the EU in 2024. Here again, Syrians were the largest group (11,600 people, 32%), followed by Afghans (5,700, 16%), Egyptians (3,000, 8%), Somalis (2,400, 7%) and Guineans (1,300, 4%). Their applications were lodged in Germany (13,300, 37% of the total), the Netherlands (4,300, 12%), Greece (4,000, 11%), Spain (3,300, 9%) and Bulgaria (2,600, 7%).