Number of Unaccompanied Children Coming to Germany Skyrocketed in 2015

The number of migrant children and youths coming alone to Germany rose sharply last year, the country’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Over 1.1 million migrants and refugees entered Germany in 2015 after Europe was hit by a wave of mostly Middle Eastern and North African refugees fleeing war and poverty in their home countries.

"In 2015 roughly 42,300 children and young people crossed the border to Germany <…> That was an increase of 30,700 minors, or 263%, on the previous year," the agency said in a statement.

Over 90 percent of them were male, while only 3,600 were female, Destatis said. Over 77,600 children and young people were taken into care by German welfare offices last year, which was 62 percent more than in 2014.