British Population ‘to Be Biggest in Europe’

The UK is set to become the most populous nation in Europe by 2050.

Research from the Population Reference Bureau, released this week, predicts that the nation’s population will grow to 65.4 million by 2050, an increase of ten per cent on 2004 levels.

The growth would mean that the UK would leapfrog France as the most populous European nation. France is currently home to 60 million people, compared with 59.7 million in the UK.

France’s population will grow by only seven per cent in the period up to 2050 – to 64 million.

The population survey also reveals that 9 89 per cent of Britons live in urban areas, compared with 74 per cent in France.

Male life expectancy is currently 76 years in both the UK and France. But female life expectancy is higher in France 83 years compared with just 80 in the UK.

* Details of the research are available at www.prb.org

Copyright Haymarket Business Publications Ltd. Aug 27, 2004