PARIS: Football's world governing body FIFA on Tuesday said that the number of international transfers showed a slight increase last year, with Brazil the most active player in the global market.

In all, 11,552 transfers were completed in the 12 months to December 31 last year, an increase of one percent on 2011.

But although transfer traffic, increased, the actual total transfer turnover of $2.53 billion (#1.84 billion, $2.16 billion) fell 10 percent on the previous year's total of $2.82 billion.

FIFA's “Global Transfer Market 2012” report indicated that England was once again the most dominant country in Europe, with 501 incoming and 477 outgoing transfers.

Europe outperformed South America as a whole but 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil were the busiest country on a global scale, with 696 arrivals and 618 departures.

Other key points contained in the 250-page report revealed:

-- The most active transfer stream between countries was from Portugal to Brazil, involving 145 transfers.

-- The average age of players transferred internationally was 24 years and 10 months.

-- The average fixed annual salary of players moving into Italy was $720,000, the highest average salary of the world's six most active countries in the transfer market.

--The role of agents increased by nine percent, with 15 percent of transfers now involving an intermediary. England paid out $59 million in commission to third parties.

--FIFA's report covered six regions -- Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America plus the Caribbean, Oceania and South America -- 200 countries and 5,600 professional clubs around the world.