POPULATION OF GREAT BRITAIN FACTS and FIGERS

Great Britain is heavily populated compared with many other countries. Britain is a relatively densely populated country: it is more than twice as densely populated as France (106 people per sq.km), nine times as densely populated as the USA (27 people per sq.km) and 100 times as densely populated as Australia (2 people per sq.km). Britain ranks 18th in the world in terms of population size.

The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of the UK: England more or less constantly makes up 84% of the total population, Wales around 5%, Scotland roughly 8.5 %, and Northern Ireland (since 1921) less than 3%.

POPULATION England 50,093,800 50,431,700 50,762,900 51.1 million Administrative Division Population (mid 2004) (mid 2005) (mid 2006) (mid 2007) England 50,093,800 50,431,700 50,762,900 51.1 million Northern Ireland 1,710,300 1,724,400 1,741,600 1.8 million Scotland 5,078,400 5,094,800 5,116,900 5.1 million Wales 2,952,500 2,958,600 2,965,900 3.0 million United Kingdom 59,834.900 60,209.500 60,587,600 60,975,000

Nearly 84 per cent of the total population of the United Kingdom lives in England. The most densely populated areas of England are the major cities and metropolitan areas of London and the South East, South and West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, the West Midlands, and the conurbations on the rivers Tyne, Wear and Tees. London has the highest population density with 4,00 people per square kilometre, and the South West the lowest (210 people per square kilometre).

England is by far the most densely populated part of the UK. In 2003, it had a population density of 383 people per sq km compared with Wales (142), Northern Ireland (125) and Scotland (65). London had a far higher population density than any of the English regions, with 4,700 people living in each square kilometre on average. England's population density is more than treble the European average of 117 people per sq km. England is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Resident Population For the first time ever, the UK has more people aged over 60 than under 16. Today there are five times more people aged over 85 than there were in 1951. United Kingdom All ages 58.8 million Under 16 11.9 million Men 16 - 64, Women 16 - 59 36.1 million Men 65+, Women 60+ 10.8 million Males 28.6 million Females 30.2 million

Population Timeline 1600 Population of Britain just over 4 million 1700 Population of Britain 5 million 1801 Population of Britain 8 million 1851 Population of Britain 20 million 1901 Population of Britain 40 million 1951 Population of Britain 50 million 1998 Population of Britain just over 57 million

Population by Ethnic Group, April 2001: Total Population Minority ethnic population Thousands per cent per cent White 54,154 92.1 Mixed 677 1.2 14.6 Asian or Asian British: Indian 1,053 1.8 22.7 Pakistani 747 1.3 16.1 Bangladeshi 283 0.5 6.1 Other Asian 248 0.4 5.3 Black or Black British Black Caribbean 566 1.0 12.2 Black African 485 0.8 10.5 Black Other 98 0.2 2.1 Chinese 247 0.4 5.3 Other 231 0.4 5.0 All minority ethnic population 4,635 7.9 100 All population 58,789 100

Timeline: Immigration to Britain 1100s Merchants from Netherlands and settle 1500s Queen Mary marries Philip of Spain 1600s Asians brought to England as Slaves Dutch and French Protestants settle 1700s Refugees from the French revolution (1789) arrive First records of Chinese sailors in London

Timeline: Immigration to Britain 1800s Jewish arrivals fleeing persecution in Poland, Ukraine and Belarus. Irish settlers escaping poverty during the famine in Ireland. Trade brings Indian and Chinese people to main ports Jews flee to UK from Russia and Poland

Timeline: Immigration to Britain 1914 - More than 250,000 Belgian refugees fled to the UK, escaping the fighting of the First World War. 1930s - Refugees from Nazi oppression arrive in the UK 1940 - 1960 - Polish people homeless because of the War, invited to come to UK 1948 - The boat Windrush brings 492 Jamaicans to the UK – thousands more follow Immigration from Caribbean encouraged to help rebuild post-war Britain

Timeline: Immigration to Britain 1950s and 60s - Settlers from other new Commonwealth nations arrive – India, Pakistan and Bangladesh 1970s - East African, Asians and Vietnamese arrive 1972 - Asians expelled from Uganda; 27000 admitted to UK 1980s - African community expands Refugees arrive from Eastern Europe – Romania and former Yugoslavia

Timeline: Immigration to Britain 1991 - Break up of the government of Somalia lead to 7,500 applications being made to the UK many of which are accepted. 1992 - 1997 - 2,500 Bosnians enter the UK as refugees following the break up of former Yugoslavia 1999 - Renewed heavy fighting in Sri Lanka leads to 5,130 applications for asylum being made to the UK