Europe's refugee crisis – a visual guide

Tens of thousands of people are still arriving and travelling across Europe as EU politicians struggle to agree on realistic measures for dealing with the continent’s worst humanitarian crisis since the second world war.

Diverted to Slovenia

17 October

Refugees desperate to reach northern Europe before winter were diverted again on Saturday after Hungary sealed its border with Croatia. With Slovenia now the main conduit into Austria, Ljubljana said it would only allow in as many as Vienna admitted in turn. Croatia also tried to limit numbers, which stranded thousands in poor conditions at the border with Serbia before it was suddenly reopened. Slovenia then called in its army to help manage the arrival of up to 25,000 migrants.

Pass-the-parcel approach continues

24 September

Relations between Croatia, Hungary and Serbia are deteriorating as migrants travel through the region. After Serbia halted Croatian cargo traffic, Zagreb banned Serbian citizens and cars and accused Belgrade of colluding with Hungary. Many of those crossing into Croatia from Serbia are then sent to the border with Hungary where a record 10,046 people arrived on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Austria admitted it is sending some migrants back to other, unspecified EU countries.

EU introduces quotas

23 September

Refugee quotas were forced through on Tuesday despite opposition from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. Initially 66,000 people already in Greece and Italy will be relocated using a formula based on population, GDP, previous asylum applications and unemployment, with a further 54,000 following later. A separate June proposal to relocate 40,000 refugees also in Greece and Italy remains on the table but both deals look inadequate given the numbers of people travelling.

Assistance and resistance

22 September

Croatia announced on Tuesday almost 35,000 people have entered the country since Hungary sealed its border with Serbia last week. The closure of the Tovarnik crossing on Monday marks the first time Croatia has tried to keep refugees out. Over the weekend, Hungary was forced to transport people on to Austria after Croatia moved refugees to its border. Slovenia also allowed limited numbers to cross after trying to block their passage.

Croatia feels the strain

18 September

Refugees continue to arrive in Germany - 1,600 to Munich on Thursday alone - but the biggest increase was to Croatia. After more than 14,000 people arrived it closed all but one of its road border crossings with Serbia but refugees continued to enter through cornfields. The prime minister, Zoran Milanovic, said Croatia was overwhelmed and would direct refugees to Slovenia and Hungary rather than register them, but those countries were already taking steps to keep people out.

Hungary closes ranks

15 September

The move through Serbia to Croatia came after midnight on Tuesday, when Hungary completed the last part of its razor-wire fence and brought in new laws to criminalise crossing the border and return all asylum applicants to Serbia. Pressure built at the border through Tuesday, and on Wednesday Hungarian police used teargas and water cannon on refugees on the Serbian side, leading the Belgrade government to accuse it of "brutal" behaviour.

March to the border

4 September

Hungary's border fence and anti-refugee laws were a response to it being used as a transit point by refugees. Numbers built at Budapest's Keteli train station as Hungary stuck to EU rules it said prevented it allowing passage to Germany, which had said it would give asylum to Syrians already in the EU. As the standoff continued, thousands took off on foot to the main motorway west and walked to Austria, where buses and trains were waiting to take them to Germany.

How has Europe responded?

Progress has been slow towards an agreement over how to accommodate tens of thousands of refugees. Germany has led calls for the EU to accept mandatory quotas but central and eastern European members are resisting. Meanwhile, Germany, Austria and Slovakia have suspended the EU's Schengen zone by introducing border checks, while Hungary has built a razor-wire fence on its frontier with Serbia. Croatia and Slovenia have also regularly opened and closed their borders.

How are refugees travelling through Europe?

Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Hungary are all on the west Balkan route to western Europe, which begins on the shores of Turkey, crosses the Aegean to the Greek islands and then moves north through the Greek mainland and Macedonia – with a destination of either Austria or Germany. According to the EU border agency it has surpassed the central Mediterranean route from Libya to Italy as the main entry point for refugees into Europe.