2018年9月7日 星期五

UK population to pass 70m in 2029, ONS projections say




英國2029年預估人口增長超越7千萬

According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) projections from October 2017, the UK's population was estimated to be 65.6 million in 2016, and it was expected to surpass 70 million by mid-2029. This projection marked a 3.6 million, or 5.5%, increase over the decade from 2016 to 2026. This prediction was two years later than the ONS's 2014 estimate, which had anticipated the UK population to reach 70 million by mid-2027.

Life expectancy growth was adjusted to 83.4 years for men and 86.2 years for women, down from 84.3 and 87.1, respectively.

The ONS anticipated that 54% of the population growth would result from net international migration, while the remaining 46% would be due to more births than deaths.

Projected population growth for different parts of the UK over the decade from mid-2016 was estimated at 5.9% for England, 4.2% for Northern Ireland, 3.2% for Scotland, and 3.1% for Wales. These projections did not take into account any potential impacts from Brexit.

Brexit had introduced uncertainties into population growth projections, as they depended on factors such as post-Brexit agreements, net migration levels, and fertility rates. The ONS expected a slower rate of increased life expectancy and a decline in net migration, affecting population growth. However, the exact impact of Brexit remained uncertain and could influence decisions related to infrastructure development and planning.

As of October 2017, the ONS projected the UK's population to surpass 70 million by mid-2029, with adjustments in assumptions regarding migration, fertility rates, and life expectancy contributing to the updated estimates.

The UK's population is set to exceed 70 million before the end of the next decade.

The UK population was estimated to stand at 65.6 million in 2016.

The reason for the change is that since the 2014 study the assumption of net migration of 185,000 a year has been cut to 165,000 a year, while the expected number of children per woman has been cut from 1.89 to 1.84 - with growth in life expectancy trimmed for men from 84.3 to 83.4 and for women from 87.1 to 86.2.

Over that period 54% of growth is projected to result directly from net international migration. The other 46% is because there will be more births than deaths.

The figures, which do not take into account any Brexit impact, puts projected UK population growth between 2015 and 2040 at 16%, compared with 10% growth for France and 4% for Germany, while Italy's population is projected to see a slight decline.