A boat carrying 58 migrants has reached the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, as flows continue despite the Italian government's strong efforts to discourage immigration.

The Italian ANSA news agency said the 57 men and one woman who arrived early Friday were from Morocco, Algeria, Syria, Libya, Gambia and Bangladesh. They had departed from Libya.

Just over 1,100 migrants have reached Italy this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency, compared with more than 12,600 reaching Greece.

Overall, Afghans and Moroccans top the list of migrants reaching southern Europe according to UNHCR.

Although Italian territory, Lampedusa is closer to north Africa than to the rest of Italy.