Asylum countries of origin: Zimbabwe

The facts and figures behind Zimbabwe, the second top country by applicant for asylum in the UK in 2002.

Asylum applications from Zimbabwe, which in 2001 had doubled to more than 2,000, shot up by a far larger margin in 2002.

The 7,695 applying for asylum in the UK meant Zimbabwe leap frogged nine other countries to leave Iraqis as the only group making more applications.

Over recent years the number of people applying for asylum from Zimbabwe has gone from just a few 10s of people and moved into the thousands.

In 2002, more than 2,350 applicants from Zimbabwe were allowed to stay in the UK by the authorities compared to 150 in 2000.

Country background:

In recent years Zimbabwe has descended from relative stability into a turbulent state as an economic crisis and often violent land reform process has robbed the country of its prosperity.

ZIMBABWE FACTS

Population: 11 million

Capital: Harare

Major religions: Christianity, indigenous beliefs

BBC Monitoring: Full profile

The human rights group Amnesty International says that since 2000 the human rights situation in Zimbabwe has undergone a rapid decline.

In 2002 President Robert Mugabe was declared winner of the presidential elections, considered seriously flawed by the opposition and foreign observers.

Outside attempts to resolve the country's problems, most notably the attempted intervention by the leaders of Malawi, South Africa and Nigeria by holding talks with President Mugabe and his main opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, have failed.

Political dissent is often brutally repressed in Zimbabwe and press freedoms have been dramatically curtailed. Members of the Movement for Democratic Change have often been on the receiving end of violence, sometimes with the collusion of the police.

Land occupations by supporters of President Mugabe have seen many white farmers lose their land, as the government pursues a policy of forcible land reform.