Unaccompanied minors per 1000 children 2015

In 2015 more than 45000 unaccompanied minors sought asylum in the Nordic countries. The map shows the reception of unaccompanied minors per 1000 children (0-17 years) on municipal and regional level. This measure is useful in highlighting municipalities and regions where the number of unaccompanied minors is largest in relation to the size of the population as a whole share of the total number of children (0-17 years). This ratio is particularly high in a number of sparsely populated municipalities, such as Hyllestad and Ibestad in Norway, Ærø in Denmark; and Åsele and Sorsele in Sweden. In all of these municipalities unaccompanied minors make up around 10 percent of the total number of children (0-17 years). On average, there are 8 unaccompanied minors per 1000 children (0-17 years) in the Nordic Region. For Denmark the average is 1.8, for Finland 2.8, for Norway 4.7 and Sweden 16.6.

The distribution of unaccompanied minors differs between the Nordic countries. In Sweden an agreement to receive unaccompanied minors signed by all the municipalities has resulted in them being distributed over the whole country. In Norway, Denmark and Finland unaccompanied minors are directed to accommodation centres resulting in higher concentrations in certain municipalities based on the location of these centres. Reference dates for data: Sweden (everyone directed to a municipality during 2015); Norway and Finland (situation on March 31, 2016); and Denmark (situation on March 15, 2016).

Map id: 02224dEn

The map in Swedish: Ensamkommande barn och ungdomar per 1000 barn och ungdomar 2015

Read more about this research

Designer/Cartographer
Gustaf Norlén

Data source
DK: Udlændingestyrelsen;
FI: Maahanmuuttovirasto;
IS: Útlendingastofnun;
NO: Utlendingsdirektoratet;
SE: Migrationsverket

Published 31 October 2016