Migration to Europe reaches one million in 2015, report reveals

Europe has accepted more than one million migrants and refugees this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

On Monday 1,005,504 migrants had entered Europe, including more than 455,000 people from Syria and more than 186,000 from Afghanistan, the IOM said. Over 800,000 crossed into Greece from Turkey, the Geneva-based organisation added.

Almost 3,700 others died attempting to cross into the continent to escape their war torn countries.

The IOM said it was Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II.

Most of the migrants from outside Europe have used the so-called Balkan corridor. The route begins in Greece, goes through Macedonia and Serbia, and to then either Croatia and Slovenia or Hungary to Austria and Germany.

Germany welcomed about one million migrants this year, with the majority of the people from Balkan countries.

The report came as the UN’s refugee agency called on Hungary to end policies that it said portrayed refugees as "criminals, invaders and terrorists based on their religious beliefs and places of origin". Hungary has built a large fence along its southern border to keep migrants out.

IOM director general, William Lacy Swing, said: "We're very disturbed at the widespread anti-migrant sentiment that can lead to xenophobia and risks to migrants.

"The concern I have about a lot of statements that are being made on the public record right now is that it puts migrant lives at risk."

"All of our countries have always been open to new influx of people and it's always benefited us."

The organisation said it has supplied more than 3.6 million people in Syria with services including clean water, shelter and sanitation since the civil war began in the country in March 2011. More than four million Syrians have tried to seek refuge in other countries since then.