(ANSA) - Brussels, December 10 - The number of applications for political asylum in Italy in the third quarter of 2015 rose by 91% over the previous quarter, European statistics agency Eurostat said Thursday.

Italy received 28,400 applications for political asylum in the third quarter, or 7% of the total, Eurostat added.

Germany and Hungary registered the largest number of applications at 108,000 (26%) each, followed by Sweden with 42,500 (10%). Overall in the European Union the number of applications doubled in the period July-September with respect to the previous quarter. In the third quarter Nigerians accounted for 27% of asylum applications to Italy, followed by Pakistanis (11%) and Bangladeshis (10%). On the European level Syrians accounted for 33% of applications followed by Afghanis (14%) and then Iraqis (11%). At the end of September there were over 808,000 asylum applications awaiting examination across the European Union, Eurostat said. This compared to 435,000 at the end of September 2014. Of the applications pending, 366,000 (45%) were in Germany, 107,500 (13%) in Hungary, 85,700 (11%) in Sweden and 50,500 (6%) in Italy, the statistics agency added.

