$22 billion in worldwide humanitarian spending in 2013

BRISTOL , England, June 24 (UPI) -- Worldwide spending on humanitarian relief reached $22 billion in 2013, spurred by natural disasters and internal military conflicts in several countries.

Support by governments -- $16.4 billion of the total -- was 24 percent higher than in 2012, and private donations increased by 35 percent, according to the preliminary estimates of the British research firm Development Initiatives.

Grouped by country, the United States contributed $4.7 billion as the largest donor, followed by the United Kingdom with $1.8 billion and Turkey -- largely because of its care of over 700,000 Syrian refugees -- with $1.6 billion.

The Syrian conflict was the cause of $3.1 billion in humanitarian aid.

Financial figures for the calculations came from 75 non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, and Red Cross and Red Crescent agencies. The full report will be released in September.