A record 2.14 million people moved to Germany last year, a 46 per cent increase from 2014 after an influx of refugees, the Federal Statistics Office said.

The figure represents the populations of Houston in the US, Brisbane in Australia or Paris, France.

It said around 45 per cent of the 2.14 million immigrants who arrived in Germany last year were citizens of other European Union countries, 13 per cent were from non-EU European countries, and 30 per cent were from Asia, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Five per cent were from Africa.

A record 2.14 million people moved to Germany last year, a 46 per cent increase from 2014 after an influx of refugees. Pictured are refugees being stopped by police as they enter Germany from Austria at Freilassing train station

The Interior Ministry said earlier this year that 1.1million migrants entered Germany last year with the aim of seeking asylum but the number of migrants who applied for asylum last year was much lower at 476,649. Those who wish to seek asylum have faced delays in making their applications.

It was not immediately clear whether the numbers from the statistics office were based on that data.

A record 998,000 people left Germany last year, a nine per cent increase compared with 2014.

That led to net migration of 1.14 million, also an all-time high figure, the Statistics Office said.

In June The Dalai Lama said Europe risks losing its identity by taking in too many migrants and warned: 'Germany cannot become an Arab country.'

Tibet's spiritual leader said refugees should only stay temporarily and return home to rebuild their countries when the conflicts have ended.

The Dalai Lama, who has himself lived in exile for over half a century, said: 'When we look into the face of every single refugee, especially the children and women, we can feel their suffering.

Syrian refugees in Aachen protest against the perceived indifference of the world to their plight

'A human being who is a bit more fortunate has the duty to help them. On the other hand, there are too many now.'

In an interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, he said: 'Europe, for example Germany, cannot become an Arab country. Germany is Germany.

'There are so many that in practice it becomes difficult.'

He said 'from a moral point of view too, I think the refugees should only be admitted temporarily'.