Life in the UK中英文双语对照版Chapter 3. UK Today a profile.docx

Life in the UK: A Journey to CitizenshipChapter 3. UK Today: a profilePopulationIn 2005 the population of the United Kingdom was under under 60 million people.UK Population 2005England84% of the population50.1 millionScotland8% of the population5.1 millionWales5% of the population2.9 millionNorthern Ireland3% of the population1.7 millionTotal UK59.8 millionThe population has grown by 7.7% since 1971, and growth has been faster in more recent years. Although the general population in the UK has increased in the last 20 years, in some areas such as the North-East and North-West of England there has been a decline.Both the birth rate and the death rate are falling and as a result the UK now has an ageing population. For instance, there are more people over 60 than children under 16. There is also a record number of people aged 85 and over.The censusA census is a count of the whole population. It also collects statistics on topics such as age, place of birth, occupation, ethnicity, housing, health, and marital status.A census has been taken every ten years since 1801, except during the second World War. The next census will take place in 2011.During a census, a form is delivered to every household in the country. This form asks for detailed information about each member of the household and must be completed by law. The information remains confidential and anonymous; it can only be released to the public after 100 years, when many people researching their family history find it very useful. General census information is used to identify population trends and to help planning.Ethnic diversityThe UK population is ethnically diverse and is changing rapidly, especially in large cities such as London, so it is not always easy to get an exact picture of the ethnic origin of all the population from census statistics. Each of the four countries of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) has different customs, attitudes and histories.People of Indian, Pakistani, C