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The Present Population of the United Kingdom
The people who now inhabit the British Isles are descended mainly from the people who lived here some 9 centuries ago. The English nation was formed as a result of the amalgamation of the native population of the British Isles – the pre-Celts and the Celts with the invaders: the Germanic tribes )Angles, Saxons and Jutes), the Danes and the Normans. The latter were a branch of the Scandinavian Vikings. In 2000 the population of the UK was 59.8 million.
According to the 2001 census, about 9 per cent of the people in Britain are non-white. London has the highest proportion of minority ethnic communities.Just a little over 50 per cent of the city`s people describe themselves as white British. A further 14 per cent are either white Irish or white other, which includes Europeans, Americans, New Zealanders, etc.
HOUSEHOLDS. The results of the 2001 census show that household numbers are falling. More than a quarter of homes in the UK are owned outright by their occupiers, while almost another four in 10 are owned with the help of a mortgage or loan. The most popular type of home in the UK is semi-detached (more than 27 per cent of all homes), closely followed by detached, then terraced. Just over a fifth of all homes are flats or bedsits. In Scotland, a third of all homes are in purpose built blocks of flats or tenements.
FAMILY AND MARRIAGE. More than four in 10 people over the age of 16 in the UK are married, while another three in 10 describe themselves as single or never married. Another 8 per cent of people are divorced, while just over 8 per cent are widowed and 7 per cent have re-married. 30 per cent of families have children. By far the highest proportion of single people – 50.1 per cent – can be found in inner London. About 60 per cent of the population live as a couple – just over 50 per cent of these are married or re-married, while almost another 10 per cent are cohabiting. Northern Ireland has the smallest number of divorcees (a result of a strong influence of the Catholic Church), while Wales has the highest. Almost one in three families have children, just over a fifth of households are lone-parents( usually a single mother).
RELIGION. Every religion in the world is represented in the United Kingdom, from Hindu and Muslim to Buddhist and Zoroastrian. While the UK is basically secular, it is also overwhelmingly Christian. There are two established churches in Britain: in England – the Anglican Church of England, and in Scotland – the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. In England proper the highest number of Christians is found in north-east England. The highest concentration of other religions is found in London. The capital has the highest proportion of the nation`s Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Buddhists. Muslims have now emerged as the second largest religion in the UK.
HEALTH AND WELFARE. Just over two thirds of the population said their general health was good, with just over one in five revealing their health was “fairly good” and almost one in 10 describing their health as “not good”. Nearly one in five people in the UK has a long-term illness, health problem or disability which limits their daily activities or the work they can do. Wales has the largest number of people with limiting long-term illnesses and the highest proportion of unpaid carers. England is the healthiest, with only 9 per cent of people describing their health as “not good”, and 17.9 per cent reporting a limiting long-term illness. Life expectancy in the UK is still very high with 84 years for women and 78 years for men.
EMPLOYMENT. Four in 10 people aged between 16 and 74 in the UK are in full time employment. Just over another one in 10 work part-time, while 8 per cent are self-employed. Of those who do work, the largest proportion are managers and senior officials – almost 15 per cent. Just over 13 per cent of workers are in administrative and secretarial occupations, while a similar number fall into the “associate professional and technical” category, which includes jobs such as engineering technicians, nurses and artists. People with “elementary occupations”, for example mail sorters, hotel porters and traffic wardens, make up almost 12 per cent of the workforce.
TRANSPORT AND TRANSPORTATION. Without any doubt, British people love their cars. Despite years of rising controversy over traffic jams and concern for the environment, they overwhelmingly use their cars to get to and from work. Some 30 per cent of families in the UK own 2 cars. In England, almost half of homes own one car. A quarter own two vehicles. Approximately 1 per cent of homes own four or more cars.The patterns are almost identical in Wales and Northern Ireland, including the number of households which don`t use a car – just over a quarter. In Scotland, there is a higher proportion of households without cars and almost exactly the same number of households with one car. The exeption to all of this is London. A majority of London homes do not own a car. This is by no means suggests it is because they are poorer. London has dramatically higher levels of use of public transport as more people choose to avoid driving in the capital`s near-constant traffic jams and where access to the centre is strictly limited and parking is almost impossible!
EDUCATION. The legal basis of the educational system in the UK until 1988 was the educational act of 1944. It prescribed the duty of government, LEAs and parents in a system which is still compulsory for those aged 5 to 16. Nursery education is provided in nursery schools, day nurseries and pre-school playgrounds for children from 2 to 5.
Most children start school at the age of 5 in a primary school and go on it till 11-12. A primary school may be divided into two departments – infants (5-7) and juniors (7-12). In infant schools children are engaged in playing activities while in junior schools children have set periods of arithmetic, reading and composition. They are graded.
There is usually a move from primary to secondary school at the age of 11. Until 1960s there existed the tripartite system of secondary schools. But for years it was under assault. In early 70s by the Labour government the 11+ exams were abolished and most secondary schools were organized on comprehensive lines. Comprehensive schools admit children without reference to ability or aptitude. They provide courses that focus on practical skills considering them essential for the world we live in.
But comprehensive schools didn’t satisfy the society and that lead to school reform in the 80s. - GCE O-levels and CSEs were replaced with GCSE taken at 16. - AS level exam, the National Curriculum, a programme of Records of Achievements was introduced. For sure advantages of the system are evident but there is no perfect thing in the world.
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