Germany registered 1.1 million refugees in 2015, the majority of whom were from Syria.
The total was a five-fold increase over 2014.
The number of Syrians reaching Germany was 428,468, comprising 40% of the total. The next largest group were people from Afghanistan (154,046), followed by those from Iraq (121,662).
The figures are from the interior ministry which said that there may be some double counting in the numbers as some arrivals may have moved from one area to another and been counted in both.
Not all of them will be granted political asylum in Germany as the country has said it would reject economic migrants who have arrived from places not plagued with war.
Applicants fleeing war have the greatest chance of being granted asylum.
Chancellor Merkel has been clear that most citizens of Balkan states such as Serbia, Albania and Kosovo would be repatriated.
Adding to her voice was that of the Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere who said the country will work “towards sharply reducing the number of new asylum seekers to Germany."
De Maiziere said that despite arrivals decreasing in December due to inclement weather, the number of Moroccan and Algerian arrivals increased in the month, a worrying trend.
The number of Moroccan asylum seekers reached 2,896 in December, making them the fifth largest group of applicants, noted de Maiziere, adding that "Algerians are just behind".
