United Kingdom is a country in Europe, known for historic castles and diverse landscapes. It has a population of nearly 70 million, making it the 22nd largest country in the world.. Its capital is London. United Kingdom has a diverse economy with strong financial sector.
* As of 1/8/2026
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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.
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:
White (87.2%)
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British (3%)
Asian/Asian British (6.9%)
Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (2%)
Other (0.9%)
The main religion in United Kingdom is Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist).
Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist)
None
Unspecified
Muslim
Other
Hindu
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.
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.
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.