Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0049/00495.txt

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$Unique_ID{bob00495}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{United Kingdom
Population}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Subject{per
cent
british
britain
population
years
act
women
births
citizens
see
tables
}
$Date{1990}
$Log{See Table 2.*0049501.tab
}
Title:       United Kingdom
Book:        Britain and its People: An Outline
Author:      Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Date:        1990

Population

     With 57.1 million people in 1988, Britain ranks about fifteenth in
the world in terms of population. This compares with 38.2 million in 1901,
about 9 million at the end of the seventeenth century and some 2 million
at the end of the eleventh century. Early figures are based on contemporary
estimates, but from the beginning of the nineteenth century relatively
plentiful and reliable information is available. Most of it comes from two
main sources: the regular flow since 1837 of statistical information based on
compulsory registration of births, marriages and deaths, and the censuses
taken regularly every ten years since 1801 (because of war there was no
census in 1941). The next census will be in 1991. After 1975 the
population fell slightly for about three years, for the first time (other
than in war) since records began, reflecting a temporary decline in the
birth rate. Since then the upward trend has been resumed, except for a slight
decline in 1982. Projections suggest that population growth will continue
at a low rate. Britain's total population is expected, on mid-1985
projections, to be 57.5 million in 1991, 59 million in 2001 and 59.4 million
in 2011.

Birth Rates

     In 1988 there were 787,600 live births in Britain, 12,000 more than
in 1987. Births outnumbered deaths (649,200) by 138,400. The total period
fertility rate (an indication of the average family size) remains below
2.1, the level leading to the long-term replacement of the population,
although it is projected to increase from 1.8 in 1988 to 2.0 by the
beginning of the twenty-first century.

     Several factors may have contributed to the relatively low birth
rate in recent years (13.8 live births per 1,000 population in 1988). The
trend towards later marriage and the trend towards postponing births have
led to an increase in the average age at which women have their children
(27.2 years on 1988 compared with 26.6 in 1978). Another feature is the
current preference for smaller families than in the past, which has led
to a significant decline in the proportion of families with four or more
children. In 1987, 23 per cent of households in Great Britain consisted
of a married couple with one or two children only, compared with 5 per cent
of households which consisted of a married couple with three or more children.

     Contraception has become more widespread and effective, making it easier
to plan families, and voluntary sterilisation of men and women has also
become more common. Of all pregnancies in 1988, 39.6 per cent were conceived
outside marriage and of these over one-third were terminated by legal
abortion.

Mortality

     At birth the expectation of life for a man is about 72 years and for
a woman 78 years, compared with 49 years for men and 52 years for women in
1901. The improving health of the population has mainly had the effect of
increasing young people's chances of reaching the older age groups. Life
expectancy in the older age groups has increased relatively little.

     The general death rate has remained about the same for the past 40 years,
at about 12 per 1,000 population. However, there has been a considerable
decline in mortality at most ages, particularly among children and young
adults. The infant mortality rate (deaths of infants under one year old
per 1,000 live births) was 9.0 in 1988; neonatal mortality (deaths of infants
under four weeks old per 1,000 live births) was 4.9 in 1988; and maternal
mortality is about 0.06 per 1,000 live births.

     The causes of the decline in mortality include better nutrition, rising
standards of living, the advance of medical science, the growth of medical
facilities, improved health measures, better working conditions, education in
personal hygiene, and the smaller size of families. Deaths resulting from
infectious diseases (notably tuberculosis) have virtually disappeared,
although as in other countries the spread of the disease AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome) is causing concern: by the end of August 1989, 2,561
cases of AIDS had been reported, of which 1,352 had resulted in the patient's
death. Deaths caused by circulatory diseases (including heart attacks and
strokes) now account for nearly half of all deaths; mortality from heart
disease in Britain remains high compared with that of other developed
countries, and in 1987 the Government launched a major national heart disease
prevention campaign. The next largest cause of death is cancer (responsible
for nearly one-quarter of deaths). Cigarette smoking is the greatest
preventable cause of illness and death in Britain, accounting for some
100,000 premature deaths a year, but there has been a significant decline in
the incidence of smoking, with 35 per cent of adult males and 31 per cent
of adult females smoking cigarettes in 1986, as against 52 and 41 per cent
respectively in 1972.

Marriage and Divorce

     In 1988 there were 394,000 marriages in Britain, of which 36 per cent
were remarriages (of one or both parties), compared with about 20 per cent
in 1971 and 14 per cent in 1961. Some 33 per cent of all marriages in 1988
were remarriages where both parties had been divorced. Of the population
aged 16 or over in England and Wales in 1987, 59 per cent were married,
26 per cent single, 9 per cent widowed and 6 per cent divorced. The trend
of the 1960s towards earlier marriage was reversed at the beginning of the
1970s, since when there has been a slow increase in the average age for
first marriages, which in England and Wales is now 26 for men and 24 for
women.

     In 1988 about 13 decrees of divorce were made absolute for every
1,000 married couples in England and Wales, compared with two per 1,000
in 1961. The rates are lower in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 1988
about 153,000 divorces were granted in England and Wales; the proportion
granted to wives was about 71 per cent. The average age of people at the
time of divorce in England and Wales is now about 38 for men and 35 for
women.

     Another feature, common to many other Western European countries,
has been a considerable increase in cohabitation. Over one-quarter
of women in Great Britain marrying during the period 1980 to 1984, where the
marriage was the first for both parties, had lived with their husbands
before marriage (compared with 7 per cent for those married in the early
1970s) and about 19 per cent of non-married women aged 18 to 49 were
cohabiting during 1987. Cohabitation occurs more frequently for separated
or divorced women than for single women. There is some evidence of a
growing number of stable non-married relationships in that two-thirds
of births outside marriage (which now account for 23 per cent of live
births in Britain compared with 6 per cent in 1961) are registered by
both parents.

Age and Sex Structure

     Although the total population has remained relatively stable in the last
decade, there have been noticeable changes in the age and sex structure,
including a decline in the proportion of young people under 16 and an
increase in the proportion of elderly people, especially those aged 85 and
over. The estimated age distribution of the British population in mid-1988 was
roughly as follows: under 16 years, nearly 20 per cent; 16-64, 64 per cent;
and 65 and over, 16 per cent. Some 18 per cent of the population were over the
normal retirement ages (65 for men and 60 for women), compared with 15 per
cent in 1961.

     In mid-1988 there were an estimated 29.3 million females and 27.8
million males in Britain, representing a ratio of over 105 females to every
100 males. There are about 5 per cent more male than female births every year.
Because of the higher mortality of men at all ages, however, there is a
turning point, at about 48 years of age, at which the number of women exceeds
the number of men. This imbalance increases with age so that there are many
more women among the elderly.

Distribution of Population

     The population density is about 234 inhabitants per sq km, which is well
above the European Community average of 143 per sq km England is the most
densely populated with 364 people per sq km (with Greater London having a
density of 4,263 people per sq km), and Scotland the least densely populated
with 65 people per sq km, while Wales and Northern Ireland have 138 and 112
people per sq km respectively.

     Table 2 gives figures for some of Britain's largest urban areas. About
half of the population lives in a belt across England, with south Lancashire
and West Yorkshire at one end, the London area at the other, and the
industrialised Midlands at its centre. Other areas with large populations are:
the central lowlands of Scotland; north-east England from north of the river
Tyne down to the river Tees; south-east Wales; the Bristol area; and the
English Channel coast from Poole, in Dorset, eastwards. Less densely populated
areas are the eastern fringes of England between the Wash and the Thames
estuary, and the far south west. Most of the mountainous parts, including
much of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the central Pennines, are
very sparsely populated.

     Since the nineteenth century there has been a general trend, especially
in London, for people to move away from the congested urban centres into the
suburbs. There has also been a geographical redistribution of the population
from Scotland and the northern regions of England to East Anglia, the
South West and the East Midlands. Another feature has been an increase in the
rate of retirement migration, the main recipient areas (where in some towns
the elderly can form over one-third of the population) being the south coast
of England and East Anglia.
_________________________________________________________________________

[See Table 2.: Size and Population of the Main Urban Areas, Mid-1988]

Migration

     From 1983 to 1987 the earlier trend of net population loss from
Britain due to migration had reversed, but in 1988 there was again a net loss
of 21,000. Between 1984 and 1988 some 998,000 people left Britain to live
abroad and about 1.1 million came from overseas to live in Britain, so that
net immigration increased the population by about 114,000. Of the 237,000
departing residents in 1988, 26 per cent left for Australia, Canada or New
Zealand, 15 per cent for other Commonwealth countries, 25 per cent for other
European Community countries, 13 per cent for the United States and 6 per
cent for the Middle East. Of the 216,000 new residents, 17 per cent came
from Australia, Canada or New Zealand, 19 per cent from other Commonwealth
countries, 24 per cent from other European Community countries, 11 per cent
from the United States and 8 per cent from the Middle East. The number of
migrants from the European Community countries more than doubled between
1974-78 and 1984-88, while those going to these countries increased by only
50 per cent. There was also a 50 per cent increase both in the number of
residents from the United States moving to Britain as well as those moving
from Britain to the United States, over the same period. In 1988 about 41
per cent of those coming into Britain, and about 60 per cent of those
going abroad, were British citizens.

Nationality

     Nationality legislation is embodied in the British Nationality Act
1981, which came into force on 1 January 1983. Under this Act, citizenship
of the United Kingdom and Colonies was replaced by three citizenships:
British citizenship for people closely connected with Britain, the Channel
Islands, and the Isle of Man; British Dependent Territories citizenship for
people connected with the dependencies; and British Overseas citizenship for
those citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who did not acquire either
of the other citizenships. Almost all citizens of the United Kingdom and
Colonies who had the right of abode in Britain when the Act came into
force acquired British citizenship.

     British citizenship is acquired automatically at birth by a child born
in Britain if his or her father or mother is a British citizen or is settled
in Britain. A child adopted in Britain by a British citizen is a British
citizen. A child born abroad to a British citizen born, adopted, naturalized
or registered in Britain is a British citizen by descent. The Act safeguards
the citizenship of a child born abroad to a British citizen in Crown service,
certain related services, or in service under a European Community
institution.

     British citizenship may also be acquired by registration by certain
children born in Britain who do not automatically acquire such citizenship at
birth or born abroad to a parent who is a citizen by descent; by British
Dependent Territories citizens, British Overseas citizens, British subjects
under the Act (three very limited categories) and British protected persons
after five years` residence in Britain (except for people from Gibraltar, who
may be registered without residence); and by naturalisation for Commonwealth
citizens, citizens of the Irish Republic, and foreign nationals. The British
Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983 conferred British citizenship (with
effect from 1 January 1983) on those Falkland Islanders who did not acquire it
under the 1981 Act. For naturalisation, which is at the Home Secretary's
discretion, five years` residence, good character and sufficient knowledge of
English, Welsh or Scottish Gaelic are required, except for the spouse of a
British citizen, who needs only three years` residence and no language
qualification.

     Special arrangements covering the status of British Dependent Territories
citizens connected with Hong Kong when the territory returns to the People`s
Republic of China in 1997 are made by the Hong Kong (British Nationality)
Order 1986. Under this, such citizens are entitled, before 1997, to acquire a
status known as British National (Overseas) and to hold a passport in that
status.

     In 1988, 65,000 people acquired citizenship by naturalisation or
registration in the United Kingdom.

Immigration

     Immigration into British is controlled by the Immigration Act 1971 (as
amended by the British Nationality Act 1981 and the Immigration Act 1988) and
the Immigration Rules made in accordance with the Act. British citizens under
the British Nationality Act 1981 and those Commonwealth citizens who had the
right of abode before 1 January 1983 (when the 1981 Act came into force) have
the right of abode and are not subject to immigration control. Those who do
not have this right require permission to enter and remain in Britain, which
is given in accordance with the Rules. These Rules, which are subject to the
scrutiny of Parliament and which may be changed from time to time, set out the
requirements to be met by those seeking entry, whether in a temporary
capacity, for example as students or visitors, or with the intention of taking
employment or setting up in business or for settlement as the dependants of a
person already settled in Britain. All nationals from certain countries
require prior entry clearance before they can enter Britain. Other nationals
subject to immigration control require entry clearance when coming to settle
in Britain and in certain other circumstances. Visas and other entry
clearances are normally obtained from the nearest British diplomatic post in
a person`s home country.

     In accordance with Britain`s obligations under the Treaty of Rome,
European Community nationals do not require entry clearances, nor are they
subject to restrictions on their freedom to take or seek work. Britain
similarly respects its obligations under the United Nations Convention and
Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. These include granting refugees
the right of access to courts and the right to work, to education, to public
relief and to freedom of religion.

     In 1988 some 49,300 people were accepted for settlement, some 3,300 more
than in 1987. A quarter of these were from the South Asian sub-continent.
Wives and children accounted for nearly half the total acceptances.