the Iraq War, Spain has been host to 45 Iraqi refugees. An additional 42 Iraqis requested asylum in 2006. There are roughly about 13,700 asylum seekers in Spain, and a further 642 Iraqis hold residency permits. Iraqi immigration to Spain accounted for 1,706 permanent residents in the year 2006. Sweden Iraqis in Sweden numbered over 135,000, are one of the largest ethnic groups living in Sweden as of 2005, second to Swedes and Finns. The mass influx of Iraqi refugees has increased dramatically during the last years, with up to 40,000 Iraqis expected to seek asylum in 2007. Some sources claim there to be around 80,000 Iraqis living in Sweden with Swedish citizenship, along with hundreds of new applications for asylum from Iraqis every month. Switzerland The current population of Iraqis in Switzerland is estimated to be around 5,000. However, the Swiss government is currently closing doors to future Iraqi refugees, and offering to send external aid instead. Christoph Blocher, the Swiss Justice and Police Minister, stated that "We already have 5,000 Iraqis in Switzerland and our country is in second place in Europe in accepting them". United Kingdom The United Kingdom has the largest Iraqi community in the Western World with estimates ranging from 250,000 to 450,000. Asia and Middle East Kuwait The current Iraqi population in Kuwait is difficult to determine, as there are no official figures. In 2018, it was estimated that 16,000 to 20,000 Iraqi citizens reside in Kuwait. Estimates in 2006 ranged from 10,000 to 13,000. According to the UNHCR, only 427 Iraqis have been registered as asylum seekers and 18 Iraqis have been recognized as refugees in Kuwait. Due to the historic Iraqi–Kuwaiti wars, Kuwait had previously announced that it will not provide shelter for Iraqi refugees and will prevent them from entering the country by guarding the border with Saudi Arabian troops. However, Kuwait did announce that they will hold any refugees in a 15 kilometer-wide demilitarized strip on the Iraqi side of the border, where it would provide humanitarian assistance. Kuwait has maintained strict regulations when considering refugees; however, the country hosted 15,000 Iraqis throughout the 1990s, most of which have resided in Kuwait. In 2007, the country sheltered 13,000 Iraqi refugees according to the UNHCR. Turkey The UNHCR reported that more than 81,000 refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan have arrived to Turkey in 2014. Most of the Iraqi refugees had to