The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said that the world's international migrants are estimated to be 214 million in 2010, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

In a report named "World Migration Report 2010", the IOM noticed a rapid increase of international migrants in recent years, which have jumped from 191 million in 2005 to the current number.

"If the migrant population continues to increase at the same pace as the last 20 years, the stock of international migrants worldwide by 2050 could be as high as 405 million," the report said.

An even stunning figure is registered for internal migrants, which according to the report had reached 740 million in 2010, bringing the total number of migrants to just under 1 billion worldwide.

The report attributed the increase of international migrants to demographics, economic needs and the effects of environmental change.

"Governments and non-state actors have little choice but to invest adequate financial and human resources to ensure states, societies and migrants reap the full potential of future migration," the report concluded.

Source : Bernama