United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom

Capital:
London
Continent:
Europe
Region(s):
Northern Europe
Largest Cities:
London, Birmingham, Liverpool
Abbreviation:
GBR

United Kingdom is a country in Europe, known for historic castles and diverse landscapes. It has a population of 69.6 million, making it the 22nd largest country in the world. Its official language is Portuguese, and the capital is London. United Kingdom has a diverse economy with strong financial sector.

69.6M
Total Population
22
Population Rank
287.49
Density (km²)
413.1K 0.65%
Annual Population Growth

Population of United Kingdom

United Kingdom's population structure shows a slightly lower male to female ratio of 0.97 to 1, with a median male age of 39.67 years old and a median female age of 42.25 years old. The highest concentration of adults under 75 years old is in the 32 and 33 year-old age groups, while the lowest concentration is in the 73 and 74 year-old age groups.

United Kingdom Population

Data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

United Kingdom Population Clock

United Kingdom Population*
69,395,181
Births per Day
1,862
Deaths per Day
1,845
Immigrations per Day
1,068
Net Change per Day
1,084
2025 Population Change*
40,108

* As of 2/6/2025

1 birth

Every 46.4 seconds

1 death

Every 46.8 seconds

1 immigrant

Every 1.3 minutes

1 person

Every 1.3 minutes

Population by City

City
2025 Pop.
London7,556,900
Birmingham984,333
Liverpool864,122
Nottingham729,977
Sheffield685,368
Bristol617,280
Glasgow591,620
Leicester508,916
Edinburgh464,990
Leeds455,123

United Kingdom Overview

Each year in June, the Office for National Statistics releases an updated estimate based on migration and fertility statistics. The last full UK census was carried out in 2011, showing a population of 63,181,775, up from 2001’s census figure of 58,789,194. The United Kingdom is currently growing at a rate of .61% per year.

The United Kingdom includes four nations, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Each nation has their own major cities that contribute to the population and demographics of the United Kingdom. London is the capital of the country, with 8,136,000 living within its boundaries. Glasgow in Scotland has a population of 598,830.

United Kingdom Demographics

Based on data from the last Census taken in 2011, the majority of the UK’s population is situated in England, which accounts for just under 84% of the total population. Scotland trails behind with 8.4% of the population, followed by Wales at 4.8%, and Northern Island at 2.9%.

The United Kingdom has a diverse set of overseas born populations, with the largest 5 contributing countries being:

  1. Poland (831,000)
  2. India (795,000)
  3. Pakistan (503,000)
  4. Ireland (382,000)
  5. Germany (286,000)

The UK has a high literacy rate of over 99% among residents aged 15 and older. This is attributed to the universal public education provided to UK residents, both in primary and secondary schools.

The most used languages in the United Kingdom are the English, Polish, and Welsh languages.

The total fertility rate of the United Kingdom is 1.92 children per woman, according to data from 2012. The number of children born to foreign-born mothers has increased to encompass over one-quarter of the total population, and statistics from 2014 show that the fertility of foreign-born women living in the UK is higher than native women of child-bearing age.

United Kingdom Religion, Economy and Politics

49% of the UK population is irreligious (or has no particular affiliation with any religion), 17% is affiliated with an Anglican Christian, 17% with a non-Anglican Christian faith, 8% Roman Catholic, 5% Islamic, and 4% other beliefs. An interesting side-note of religion and the UK is that only Protestants may gain the crown of king or queen, and those eligible for the crown have only recently been allowed to marry those of the Catholic faith without losing their eligibility.

United Kingdom Population History

The first census in England was taken in 1801 and revealed the population to be around 10.5 million. The first cumulative census for the 4 nations of the UK was taken in 1841 and found the greater United Kingdom to have close to 20.5 million citizens. The Irish population dropped somewhat drastically only years afterward because of the Great Irish Famine which killed more than a million people and caused many to emigrate from the area. This decrease is population was counterbalanced by growth in England during this time, so the overall numbers didn’t change much up until 1900. Throughout the 20th century, all of the nations in the United Kingdom experienced steady growth leading to their substantial numbers of today.