United Kingdom — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for United Kingdom, 1961–2025.
Population growth for United Kingdom was 0.30% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 1.31% in 2023. The lowest was -0.04% in 1982 (about -8.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.46% per year.
United Kingdom ranks 154 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 71%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 0.30%, so United Kingdom sits level with it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 77% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 59%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 29 of 58 economies; Croatia (0.26%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 1574% in 1979. That is 55% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 195th of 216 in 1961 → 198th of 216 in 1970 → 204th of 216 in 1980 → 181st of 216 in 1990 → 172nd of 217 in 2000 → 131st of 217 in 2010 → 158th of 217 in 2020 → 154th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.3% | -0.8 pp |
| 2024 | 1.1% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 1.31% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 0.98% | +0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 0.36% | +0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 0.17% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 0.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 0.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 0.54% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 0.79% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 0.72% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 0.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 0.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 0.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 0.78% | -0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 0.78% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 0.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 0.79% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 0.78% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 0.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 0.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 0.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 0.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 0.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 0.38% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 0.36% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 0.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 0.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 0.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 0.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 0.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 0.25% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 0.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 0.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 0.31% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 0.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 0.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 0.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 0.21% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 0.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 0.23% | +0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 0.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 0.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | -0.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 0.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 0.12% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 0.09% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 0.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1977 | -0.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | -0.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | -0.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 0.06% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 0.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 0.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 0.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 0.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 0.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 0.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 0.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 0.55% | -0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 0.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 0.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 0.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 0.85% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 0.76% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Kingdom’s Population growth in 1962?
0.85% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Kingdom’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -61.0% in total — about 1.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 0.3%; 2024: 1.1%; 2023: 1.31%; 2022: 0.98%; 2021: 0.36%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.