Iraqis top of EU list for asylum in 2008

Continuing violence has displaced huge numbers of Iraqis

The EU granted asylum to 16,600 Iraqis last year - by far the largest group, forming 22% of the total, the EU's statistical office Eurostat says.

Out of 281,120 asylum applications in total across the EU 76,320, or 27%, were successful.

France granted asylum to the largest number (11,500), followed by Germany (10,700) and the UK (10,200).

After Iraqis, the largest groups to get EU asylum were from Somalia (12%), Russia (10%) and Afghanistan (7%).

Greece took in the smallest number - less than 1% of the total.

Most of the Iraqis settled in Germany and Sweden, while Italy took in the largest number of Somalis.