Population Pyramids of the World from 1950 to 2100

United Kingdom Population Pyramid 1978

United Kingdom
Afghanistan Africa Albania Algeria Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Asia Australia Australia/New Zealand Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Caribbean Central African Republic Central America Central Asia Chad Channel Islands Chile China China, Hong Kong SAR China, Macao SAR Colombia Comoros Congo Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Côte d'Ivoire Dem. People's Republic of Korea Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominican Republic Eastern Africa Eastern Asia Eastern Europe Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Europe Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran (Islamic Republic of) Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latin America and the Caribbean Latvia Least developed countries Lebanon Lesotho Less developed regions Less developed regions, excluding China Less developed regions, excluding least developed countries Liberia Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Melanesia Mexico Micronesia Micronesia (Fed. States of) Middle Africa Mongolia Montenegro More developed regions Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Northern Africa Northern America Northern Europe Norway Oceania Oman Other non-specified areas Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Polynesia Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Sudan South-Central Asia South-Eastern Asia Southern Africa Southern Asia Southern Europe Spain Sri Lanka State of Palestine Sub-Saharan Africa Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic TFYR Macedonia Tajikistan Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United Republic of Tanzania United States Virgin Islands United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Viet Nam Western Africa Western Asia Western Europe Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
1978
Population: 56,175,556

Year

-5 -1   1978  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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Summary

United Kingdom in 1978

As of 1978, the United Kingdom counted 56,175,556 inhabitants. Over the previous ten years the population grew by 1.7%, up from 55,240,646 in 1968.

Half of the population was younger than 34.2 years; 21.9% were children under 15 and 14.7% were 65 or older. The near-vertical sides of the pyramid indicate a stationary age structure, with births roughly balancing the passage of cohorts into older age.

Ranks #13 of 201 by population Ranks #11 of 201 by median age Ranks #195 of 201 by growth

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Key indicators for United Kingdom
Population
56,175,556
Median age
34.2
0-14 %
21.9%
65+ %
14.7%
Child dependency
34.5
Old-age dependency
23.1
Region
EUROPE
Pyramid shape
Stationary
Population 2050
75,504,681
Population 2100
74,305,411
What is driving the change
Births per woman
Total fertility rate, 1960–2023
123
1960Replacement level (2.1)2023 · 1.56

The fertility rate of the United Kingdom was 1.56 births per woman in 2023, under the 2.1 needed to replace each generation.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

Life expectancy at birth
Years, 1960–2023
Total Women Men
60708090
19602023 · 81.2

A child born there in 2023 could expect to live 81.2 years on average (83.2 years for girls, 79.4 for boys).

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
15304560
19502100
Migration to and from United Kingdom
Where immigrants come from (2024)

8,730,397 immigrants live in United Kingdom, 12.6% of the population.

India1,044,779
Poland902,193
Romania713,578
Pakistan703,309
Ireland360,446
Where emigrants live (2024)

4,751,880 people born in United Kingdom live in other countries.

Australia1,107,102
United States of America894,789
Canada427,526
Spain294,986
Ireland293,559
Explore
Immigration statistics Origin of migrant stocks map

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

How United Kingdom compares with its neighbours
Country Population Median age Relative size
United Kingdom 56,175,557 34.2
Sweden 8,275,788 35.7
Denmark 5,104,344 33.7
Finland 4,752,246 32.1
Norway 4,058,674 32.9
Frequently asked questions about United Kingdom's population
How many people lived in the United Kingdom in 1978?
The United Kingdom had a population of 56,175,556 in 1978.
Is the United Kingdom's population growing or shrinking?
Yes, growing: up 1.7% from 1968, with a projected population of 75,504,681 in 2050.
How old is the population of the United Kingdom?
The median age in the United Kingdom is 34.2 years — half the population is younger, half older.
What share of the United Kingdom's population is over 65 or under 15?
In the United Kingdom, 21.9% of people are under 15 and 14.7% are 65 or older.
What shape is the United Kingdom's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
The United Kingdom has a stationary pyramid: cohort sizes are roughly even through the younger ages, reflecting fertility close to replacement level.

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