POPULATION DIVERSITY

Are the people in Britain ethnically diverse?

People from all cultures and ethnicities can be found in every
corner of Britain and each person in his or her own way has contributed
to make Britain the place it is today.

N ot al l B ri t i sh peopl e ar e Chr i st ia n a n d/or W hi t e

Many of the people you will see will be British people but they all look
different because the people of Britain are a mixed race.

N e w Cul t ur e s

People moving to Britain have brought their own cultures and try to keep two
cultures alive.
An excellent example of this is the Notting Hill Carnival which is celebrates
the Caribbean Culture and is now a very big part of the British life today.

250 different languages are spoken in London every day.

Size of the foreign-born population

At the time of the most recent UK census, conducted in April 2001,

8.3 per cent of the country's population were foreign-born.
In 2005, the foreign-born population was estimated at 9.1 per cent,
compared to a European Union average of 8.6 per cent.

Countries of origin
So what exactly is multiculturalism? "Who are the British?
" I see no incompatibility between multiculturalism and Britishness.

Britishness must be part of multiculturalism.

For a long time the UK has been a multicultural state composed of

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

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 In other words, dual identities have been common, even before large
scale immigration.
The UK has been also a multicultural society... made up of a diverse
range of cultures and identities, and one that emphasises the need for
a continuous process of mutual engagement and learning about each
other with respect, understanding and tolerance."
Such cultural identity enriches and gives meaning to the lives of
individuals and communities.
There is a positive contribution to the economy, the arts and many
other aspects of national life.
Most minority ethnic communities have made substantial contributions
to the making of Britain and have made huge efforts to learn British
history and language, and engage in civic society despite encountering
social exclusion and racism in practically every area of public policy
and practice.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

There have been migrants to what is now known as Britain for more
than two thousand years.

They helped to create the foundations of the country we know today.

People that move to Britain are often known as immigrants, refugees,

sojourners (people that stay temporarily) and, more recently, asylum
seekers and illegal migrants.

Some settle permanently, some stay for just a short while and then
move on.

Others return to their roots.

Immigration has continued largely because of Britain's appeal as a

place of security and opportunity.

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 Over the centuries, people that have moved here have had a
significant impact on most aspects of British society.

This story of immigrants is not without hardship.

There have often been difficult journeys to get here, leaving family
and friends behind.

Some of those who have settled come as refugees, driven from their
homes by natural disasters, persecution or war.

From time to time they may have encountered prejudice and

discrimination but have gone on to settle and establish communities.

Over the centuries immigrants have influenced every aspect of life in

Britain from clothes, food and language, to religion and politics.

W ha t i s t he popul a ti on of B ri t ai n ?

According to the 2011 census, the total population of the United

Kingdom is around 63,182,000
The population is very unequally distributed over the four parts of
the UK:

Rank in order of population:

Northern Ireland 1,811m (2.9%).

Part Population (2011) Percentage (2011)

England 53,012,456 83.9
Scotland 5,295,000 8.4
Wales 3,063,456 4.8
Northern Ireland 1,810,863 2.9
United Kingdom 63,182,000 100

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 England more or less constantly makes up three-fourths of the total
population, Wales around 5%, Scotland roughly 10%, and Northern
Ireland (since 1921) less than 3%.
From the table above you can see that England has the highest
population density and Northern Ireland the lowest.
Nearly 84 per cent of the total population of the United Kingdom
lives in England. The most densely populated areas of England are the
major cities and metropolitan areas of London with the highest
population density with 4,699 people per square kilometre, and the
South West the lowest (210 people per square kilometre).
Britain is heavily populated compared with many other countries.

Population diversity

Why do people find the UK such an attractive destination?

social reasons: it's a multi-cultural society, highly tolerant of all
lifestyles and has low rates of crime.
employment factors: low unemployment rate (under 5%), high job
turnover rate creating opportunities, typical work week of 35 hours,
generous leave, statutory maternity and paternity benefits, 12 public
holidays and good salaries.
economic criteria: 4th largest economy, not prone to wild swings in
performance, a strong currency, low inflation (3%), the world's most
even distribution of wealth and surprisingly low taxes.
cultural wants: cultural and historical activities and sites galore;
international travel is cheap and easy.
education needs: sophisticated world-leading education facilities; world
famous universities; free state schools attended by over 90% of school-
age children with the balance attending private schools.
healthcare concerns: world-class free healthcare system available to all.
welfare: a large welfare system to help you out if one of life's disasters
befalls you.

CITIZENSHIP AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE

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 In United Kingdom the citizenship may be acquired either through
ancestry
naturalisation
The acquisition of citizenship through ancestry means parents of the
person must be the citizen of the United Kingdom

NATURLISATION

The acquisition of citizenship through naturalization may take place

either
after five years in the UK
after three years in the UK as a spouse of an UK Citizen

ELIGIBILITY TO GET PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN UK

The length of time that one must spend in the UK before being
eligible for Permanent residence in the UK varies:
Once permanent residence (properly known as indefinite
leave to remain) has been granted, there are no longer any
immigration related restrictions on the work or business to do in
the UK, and no time limits on the stay in the UK.

1. RELIGION IN THE UK

Britain in the 21st century is a multicultural and multi-faith society

People in the UK are free to choose and follow their own religious beliefs.
Everyone has the right to religious freedom
The United Kingdom was created as an Anglican Christian country and Anglican
churches remain the largest faith group in each country of the UK.
Protestants make up the majority of the population, although there are also many
Catholics.

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 Christians constitute about 71% of the population, but Britain is a multi-faith
society and all other religions, including; Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam
and Sikhism are freely practised.

The Reformation
Before the reign of King Henry VIII, Britain was a Roman Catholic country
guided in religious matters by the Vatican in Rome.
Henry was desperate for a male heir, and up until then his first wife had only
borne daughters.
In 1533 when the Vatican refused to grant him permission to divorce his first wife
he founded the Anglican Church
part of a worldwide community of Anglican Churches
In 1534, as the conflicts between Church and State culminated, Henry VIII
issued the Act of Supremacy.
the Church of England became the established church
Henry VIII was declared as the Supreme Head of the Church of England
Catholicism had a short resurgence during the reign of Queen Mary (1553), but
the Anglican Church was reinstated by Queen Elizabeth in 1558 and has been the
official religion ever since.
She altered the title to Supreme Governor
Form of worship set out in the Book of Common Prayer (1549)
Today, every sovereign must swear to uphold and protect the Anglican faith and is
expected to marry a Protestant.
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - Today the Queen is not only the Head of
State, but also an important symbol of national unity.

Her full title, by virtue of the Royal Titles Act of 1953, is: "Elizabeth the
Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of
the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

the Monarch the Supreme Governor must be a member of the church

the monarch appoints archbishops, bishops, deacons of cathedrals on advice of
the PM
the Clergy of the Church of England, the established church, sit in the House of
Lords

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 The Church of England has 2 provinces: Canterbury and York
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the worldwide
Anglican Communion - a first among equals (primus inter pares) amongst
fellow bishops.
the Archbishop of York - is the second most senior clerical position in the
Church of England

Four distinct Anglican Churches in the UK:

1. The Church of England
2. The Church of Wales
3. The Episcopal Church in Scotland the Church of Scotland the national
church
4. The Church of Ireland (also operates in the Irish Republic)

- Each is governed separately by its own institutions

The Church of Ireland and the Church in Wales separated from the Church of
England in 1869 and 1920 respectively and are autonomous churches in the
Anglican Communion;