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United Kingdom population

United Kingdom: 69.5 million people in 2025 (69,487,000), 22nd of 217 countries and areas — and 74.9 million projected for 2050.

Population of United Kingdom, 1960 to 2050: 52.4 million in 1960, still rising, 74.9 million in 2050 (projection)
Population of United Kingdom, 1960 to 2050: 52.4 million in 1960, still rising, 74.9 million in 2050 (projection)
Population of United Kingdom, 1960 to 2050: 52.4 million in 1960, still rising, 74.9 million in 2050 (projection)

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Where it stands

In 2025 the United Kingdom has 69,487,000 people, which is 0.85% of the 8.19 billion counted across the 217 countries and areas on this site. That puts it 22nd by population, behind Tanzania and ahead of France.

Since 1960

In 1960 the figure was 52,400,000. Since then the population has grown 1.33×, an average of 0.44% a year upward. It has not yet doubled since then.

The projection keeps rising to the end of the data: 74,926,000 in 2050, 7.8% above 2025. The highest figure on this page is that last one, so no peak has been reached yet.

The ranking in 2050

In 2050 the projected rank is 26th, down 4 places from 22nd. Rankings move when other countries grow faster or slower, not only when the United Kingdom changes.

People and land

The United Kingdom covers 241,930 km² of land, so 2025 density is 287 people per km² — 44th most crowded of 216 places with an area figure. At that density a square 10 km on a side holds about 28,722 people.

The fertility rate was 1.55 births per woman in 2024, below the roughly 2.1 needed to keep a population steady without migration; life expectancy at birth was 81.4 years (2024); 17% of people were under 15 and 19.7% were 65 or older (2025); 83% of the population lived in cities. These shape the curve above: a young population keeps growing after fertility falls, an old one starts shrinking sooner.

Its nearest neighbours in the ranking are Tanzania just above, with 70.5 million (1.02× as many), and France just below, with 68.7 million (1.01× as many as France has).

How the numbers are taken. Total population from the World Bank's population estimates and projections (built from United Nations and national statistics). Values to 2025 are estimates; 2026–2050 are projections that continue current fertility, mortality and migration trends. Sources and limits.

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