How the US and the UK accept far fewer Afghan refugees than other countries

The UK took in 9,351 Afghan refugees in 2020, while Germany accommodated 148,000.

A small group of Afghans near the makeshift camps at Shahr-e-Naw Park in Kabul, Afghanistan on 14 August. (Photo By MARCUS YAM / LOS ANGELES TIMES)

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has prompted the start of a mass exodus of people fleeing the country’s new government. Western countries have announced plans to accept some of these people, with the UK committing to welcome 20,000 people over the next five years, with women and religious minorities receiving priority access to the resettlement programme.

Canada and the US have announced similar plans, while countries such as Austria and Switzerland have responded by saying they will resist a large influx of refugees from Afghanistan.