More than 135,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Europe in the first half of 2015, according to a new report by the UNHCR, an increase of more than 80 per cent over the same period in 2014.

The report said the current maritime refugee crisis in Europe was of "historic proportions", adding that many more people had tried to make the crossing from Africa but did not make it.

In May, more than 800 people died when a crowded migrant boat capsized off Libya, an event which was described as "possibly ... the biggest tragedy to have ever taken place in the Mediterranean".

Between January and March, 479 refugees and migrants drowned or went missing, the report said, as opposed to 15 in the same three months of 2014.

In April, the deadliest month, an "unprecedented" 1,308 migrants and refugees died or went missing, compared to 42 in the previous year.

Refugee and migrant arrivals and deaths are much higher in Europe than in South-East Asia, which has seen an influx of Rohingya and Bangladeshi maritime migrants and refugees this year.

As a comparison, the UNHCR estimates that 25,000 Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals left Myanmar and Bangladesh on smugglers' boats between January and March this year, with another 5,000 estimated to have departed up until July.

Countries in southern Europe have borne much of the burden of the crisis, the report said.

"Desperate people resort to desperate measures and unfortunately ... the numbers are expected to continue to soar," UNHCR spokesperson Brian Hansford said.

Greece, which has suffered from economic hardship in recent times, has been the largest arrival point for refugees and migrants this year, the report said.

Refugees and migrants have been pouring into the western Balkans from Greece and since the beginning of June, over 1,000 people have been entering every day "as opposed to 200 just a few weeks ago," the report said.

Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi rebuked fellow EU leaders last week for failing to agree on a plan to take in 40,000 asylum seekers from Italy and Greece.

"As arrivals increase, the reception capacity and conditions remain seriously inadequate," Mr Hansford said.

"This is a regional problem that needs a regional response and regional solidarity."

Syria, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011, accounted for nearly 44,000 people, making them the largest group coming to Europe's shores.

The report said instability in Libya was another reason for the increase.

Eritrea and Afghanistan were the second and third largest countries of origin, the report said.

The report added, however, that increased EU funding for rescue operations has meant a decrease in the number of deaths at sea since May.

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ABC/AFP