联合国:世界难民人数达新高

The United Nations refugee agency says a record number of people worldwide have been displaced by war, violence and persecution and the number of people forced to flee their homes is rapidly growing.

In a new report issued Thursday, the UNHCR says that at the end of 2014, there were nearly 60 million forcibly displaced people, about 8 million more than the year before and about 20 million more than a decade ago. The increase since 2013 was the highest ever in a single year.

A major exodus of people from their homes started in 2011 with the eruption of civil war in Syria; but, in the past five years, armed conflicts and persecution also have sent people fleeing from their homes in Africa, Asia and Europe. Last year 42,500 people a day left their homes due to some type of violence.

Syria is currently the world's biggest producer of displaced people and refugees, followed by Afghanistan and Somalia. Syria's neighbor, Turkey, has become the world's top refugee-hosting nation.

Greece and Italy are swamped with refugees who want to settle in Europe.