More migrants and refugees are now arriving in Italy than in years. The number of arrivals is now as high as before the coronavirus pandemic, and in some cases even higher than at the height of the crisis in 2015/16.
In July 2023 alone, 23,638 people arrived in Italy, as reported by the Ministry of the Interior in Rome on its website. For comparison purposes: in July 2015 there were 22,846 arrivals, in 2016 23,552. Almost all people use the central Mediterranean route.
200,000 arrivals by the end of the year
Even comparing the first seven months, there is little difference between years. Until July inclusive, 88,940 people arrived in Italy this year, in 2015 there were 93,540 in the same period and then 93,774 in 2016. Experts expect that in 2023 the limit of 200,000 arrivals will be exceeded by the end of the year.
In view of the high number of arrivals, warehouses in Italy are overloaded. In the center of the island of Lampedusa, in southern Italy, there were 4,267 people this Saturday, ten times the official capacity of about 400 people.