Friday 28 August 2009

Population growth at 47-year high

Crowds of people

The UK population grew by 408,000 in 2008 - the biggest increase for almost 50 years, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The total number of people passed 61m for the first time, with changes in birth and death rates now a bigger cause of growth than immigration.

The numbers of people arriving minus those leaving actually fell by 44%.

BBC NEWS | UK | Population growth at 47-year high