Population growth rate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Population growth rate was 0.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.7%
Change on year
down 9.6%
World rank
130th
of 236 countries
All-time high
0.8%
in 2010
All-time low
-0.1%
in 1976
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population growth rate in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 0.7% for population growth rate in 2023.
The figure is down 9.6% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in United Kingdom peaked at 0.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 1976.
United Kingdom ranks 130th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.8% | — |
| 1951 | 0.1% | -81.3% |
| 1952 | 0.5% | +216.9% |
| 1953 | 0.5% | +2.7% |
| 1954 | 0.4% | -3.2% |
| 1955 | 0.4% | -8.7% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | +13.7% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | +13.6% |
| 1958 | 0.6% | +4.9% |
| 1959 | 0.6% | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 0.6% | +11.2% |
| 1961 | 0.7% | +9.6% |
| 1962 | 0.8% | +12.7% |
| 1963 | 0.6% | -16.3% |
| 1964 | 0.7% | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 0.6% | -8.7% |
| 1966 | 0.5% | -11.0% |
| 1967 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 0.4% | -19.6% |
| 1969 | 0.3% | -19.7% |
| 1970 | 0.4% | +15.3% |
| 1971 | 0.4% | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 0.3% | -36.2% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -51.7% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1975 | -0.0% | — |
| 1976 | -0.1% | +225.0% |
| 1977 | -0.0% | -26.9% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -197.4% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | +216.2% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | -6.8% |
| 1981 | -0.0% | -126.6% |
| 1982 | -0.0% | -55.2% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -1276.9% |
| 1984 | 0.3% | +76.5% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | -15.8% |
| 1987 | 0.2% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | +8.0% |
| 1989 | 0.3% | +12.9% |
| 1990 | 0.4% | +24.6% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -18.6% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -5.5% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -22.7% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +29.4% |
| 1995 | 0.2% | -11.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +37.1% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | +8.0% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +10.1% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +37.3% |
| 2005 | 0.7% | +9.3% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | +8.4% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -15.1% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | +14.9% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | -16.7% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 0.5% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -59.1% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | +251.0% |
| 2022 | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 0.7% | -9.6% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 0.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 1.4× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 0.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 9.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +1276.9% | -0.0% | 0.2% |
| 2021 | +251.0% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| 1976 | -225.0% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 1952 | +216.9% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| 1979 | +216.2% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1978 | +197.4% | -0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | -0.0% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 128 Guam 0.8% compare
- 129 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.7% compare
- 131 Liechtenstein 0.7% compare
- 132 Bhutan 0.7% compare
- 133 Myanmar 0.7% compare
More population data for United Kingdom
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1389 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1791 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0706 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 71,685 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.2666 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.169 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 307.14 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.21 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in United Kingdom?
- Population growth rate in United Kingdom was 0.7% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2010.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 1976.
- How does United Kingdom rank for population growth rate?
- United Kingdom ranks 130th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.