United Kingdom Population Pyramid 1988
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
1988
Population:
57,026,546
Summary
United Kingdom in 1988
The population of the United Kingdom in 1988 was 57,026,546. A decade earlier, in 1978, the population was 56,175,556; it has grown by 1.5% since.
The median age was 35.7 years, and for every 100 people of working age (15–64) there were 29.0 children under 15 and 23.9 people aged 65 or over. The narrow base of the pyramid marks a constrictive age structure: fertility below replacement level and a rising share of older people.
Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.
Key indicators for United Kingdom
Population
57,026,546
Median age
35.7
0-14 %
18.9%
65+ %
15.7%
Child dependency
29.0
Old-age dependency
23.9
Region
Pyramid shape
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.
| India | 1,044,779 |
| Poland | 902,193 |
| Romania | 713,578 |
| Pakistan | 703,309 |
| Ireland | 360,446 |
Where emigrants live (2024)
4,751,880 people born in United Kingdom live in other countries.
| Australia | 1,107,102 |
| United States of America | 894,789 |
| Canada | 427,526 |
| Spain | 294,986 |
| Ireland | 293,559 |
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 | 57,026,547 | 35.7 | |
| Sweden | 8,436,347 | 38.2 | |
| Denmark | 5,129,640 | 36.7 | |
| Finland | 4,946,629 | 35.8 | |
| Norway | 4,209,470 | 35.1 |
Frequently asked questions about United Kingdom's population
What was the population of the United Kingdom in 1988?
In 1988, the United Kingdom's population was 57,026,546.
Is the United Kingdom's population growing or shrinking?
The United Kingdom's population grew 1.5% over the previous ten years, and is projected to reach 75,504,681 by 2050.
How old is the population of the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom's median age is 35.7 years.
What share of the United Kingdom's population is over 65 or under 15?
In the United Kingdom, 18.9% of people are under 15 and 15.7% are 65 or older.
What type of population pyramid does the United Kingdom have?
The United Kingdom has a constrictive pyramid: cohorts of children are smaller than those of their parents, reflecting low fertility and an ageing population.
