Demographics of the United Kingdom

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See also: Demographics of Scotland

At the April 2001 census, the United Kingdom's population was 58,789,194-- the third-largest in the European Union (behind Germany and metropolitan France) and the 21st-largest in the world. Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban--with about 7.2 million in the capital of London. The United Kingdom's high literacy rate (99%) is attributable to universal public education introduced for the primary level in 1870 and secondary level in 1900 (except in Scotland where it was introduced in 1696). Education is mandatory from ages 5 through 16. About one-fifth of British students go on to post-secondary education (18+). The Church of England and the Church of Scotland function as the official national churches in their respective countries, but most religions found in the world are represented in the United Kingdom.

A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages are also spoken in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, the predominant language is English, which is a West Germanic language descended from Old English, and featuring a large amount of borrowings from Norman French.

Contents 1 Population 1.1 Age structure 1.2 Fertility 2 Ethnicity 2.1 Nationality 2.2 Ethnic groups 3 Religion 4 Languages 5 Education 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Population

See also: Population of England.

The population of the United Kingdom in the 2001 census was 58,789,194. This has risen to 59,834,300 according to July 2004 estimates. This has since risen to 60,209,500 according to mid-2005 estimates by the Office of National Statistics [1].

Part	Population (mid-2005)	% (mid-2005)
England	50,431,700	83.8
Scotland	5,094,800	8.5
Wales	2,958,600	4.9
Northern Ireland	1,724,400	2.9
United Kingdom	60,209,500	100

(1st July 2005 population estimates by UK National Statistics)[2]

[edit] Age structure

The most numerous age groups (at the 2001 census) were the 5-year group born in the years 1946-51 (the post-World War II baby boom); the baby boom born a generation later in 1961-66 (the largest group of all); and a more modest boom a generation after that, born in 1986-91. [3] The 1946-51 group reaches retirement age from 2006 onwards (women from 2006 and men from 2011), and the sudden increase in the number of people claiming the state pension has led politicians and political commentators to fear a "pensions crisis".

The age groups are not evenly distributed around the country, with some areas having many young adults and children [4] and some areas having large numbers of older people. [5]

Age group	Population		%
	Male	Female
0–14	5,560,489	5,293,871	18.0
15–64	20,193,876	19,736,516	66.3
65+	4,027,721	5,458,235	15.7

[edit] Fertility

• Total fertility rate: 1.77 children born per woman (2004)
• Mean age of women having their first birth: 27.1 years

Source: Office for National Statistics

[edit] Ethnicity

Main article: Ethnic groups of the United Kingdom

[edit] Nationality

noun

• Briton(s), British (collective plural), Brit (colloquially)

adjective

• British

[edit] Ethnic groups

• White 92.1% (54.85 million people)
• Asian or Asian British 4% (2.38 million people)
• Black or Black British 2% (1.19 million people)
• Mixed 1.2% (0.71 million people)
• Chinese 0.4% (0.24 million people)
• Other 0.3% (0.18 million people)

From the 2001 UK Census

[edit] Religion

Main article: Religion in the United Kingdom

The traditional religion in the United Kingdom is Christianity. In England the established church is the Church of England (Anglican) whilst in Scotland it is the Church of Scotland (a Presbyterian Church). In Wales there is no established church, with the Church in Wales being disestablished in 1920. Likewise, in Northern Ireland the Church of Ireland was disestablished in 1871. In Northern Ireland there is a sectarian divide between Roman Catholic and Protestant communities.

The table below shows the most recent census data regarding religious belief;

Religion	Number	%
Christian	42,079,000	71.6
Muslim	1,591,000	2.7
Hindu	559,000	1.0
Sikh	336,000	0.6
Jewish	267,000	0.5
Buddhist	152,000	0.3
Other religion	179,000	0.3
Not stated	4,289,000	7.3
No religion	9,104,000	15.5
Total religious	45,163,000	76.8

Although the Census 2001 also recorded 390,000 Jedi Knights, making Jedi the fourth-largest "religion" in the UK, this does not confer them any official recognition.

See also: Status of religious freedom in the United Kingdom, Islam in the United Kingdom, Hinduism in the United Kingdom, Judaism in the United Kingdom

[edit] Languages

Main article: Languages in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has no official language. The dominant language, spoken as a first language by 95% of the population is English. Welsh is spoken by around 610,000 people. Scottish Gaelic is spoken by about 60,000 speakers, mostly in Scotland, Scots is spoken by around 1.5 million people in Scotland and 30,000 in Northern Ireland, where it is called Ulster Scots.

[edit] Education

Main article: Education in the United Kingdom

Broadly speaking, there are two educational systems in the United Kingdom: one covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland and another in Scotland. English, Welsh and Northern Irish students tend to sit a small number of more advanced examinations and Scottish students tend to sit a larger number of less advanced examinations. It should be noted that local English practice can vary from this general picture although across Scotland the system is well nigh universal.

Children are generally given a free education between the age of 5 and 16 across the United Kingdom, though in different areas they may start earlier or finish later. In some areas students also have the opportunity to enter selective education (Grammar Schools) though this is not universal and has its critics.

The UK also has two of the oldest universities in the world at Oxford and Cambridge.

Although education in the United Kingdom is universal for all, achievement in British Education still tends to be better for higher social classes.

Literacy definition

• age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling

Literacy - total population

• 99% (2000 est.)

[edit] See also

• Geography of the United Kingdom
• Population of England - historical estimates
• Citizen Information Project proposals for a national population register
• Office for National Statistics
• UK Census
• UK topics

[edit] References

• This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.
• Census 2001. Religion in Britain. Retrieved on September 6, 2005.
• Census 2001. 390,000 Jedis There Are. Retrieved on September 6, 2005.
• Census 2001 website

[edit] External links

• Population Trends
• Social Trends
• Population and migration Office for National Statistics