Germany has witnessed a sharp drop in the number of asylum seekers coming in the country.
In 2015, Germany welcomed nearly 890,000 asylum seekers.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maziere attributed the drop in arrivals to the effective measures put in place to manage and control immigration.
In the spring of last year, the Balkan route used by migrants to reach Europe was closed and the EU-Turkey migration deal reducing crossings across the Aegean went into effect, significantly reducing the number of new arrivals in Germany, DW reported.
However, last year 745,500 people made first asylum applications. The number included many who arrived in Germany the previous year but did not formally apply for protection until 2016. In 2015, 477,000 asylum applications were received, DW reported.
Out of the 745,500 applications submitted last year, the government made around 700,000 decisions, more than five times more than in 2014.
At least 62% (434,000) of all asylum applications in 2016 were decided favourably.
Most asylum seekers in Germany are from Syria followed by Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Eritrea.