How heavy is the asylum-seeker burden?

IN A televised debate on August 11th Australian politicians, eyeing an election due next month, talked tough on the subject of asylum. Days earlier the Swiss town of Bremgarten tried to ban asylum-seekers from using public services. Many in the rich world complain that they feel “swamped” by asylum applications. Are they right? Comparing the number of asylum requests with a country’s population and its GDP gives an idea of how heavy a burden the country is shouldering. America receives more asylum requests than any other country, but it is a modest amount given its large population and GDP. Australia is scarcely more generous. The Swiss have more reason to feel they are doing their bit. But Sweden takes many more of the world's tempest-tost, relative to its population and wealth. Tiny Malta is in a class of its own. Note that these figures, provided by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, refer to asylum applications, not acceptances.