Population of the United Kingdom

As of May 2026, the population of the United Kingdom is 68.4 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 211 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 0.31%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 39 years in 2016 to 40.7 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 82.7 years and population density is 281.8 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of the United Kingdom peaked in 2011, reaching around 0.84% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.31% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 530.84 thousand in 2011 to nearly 210.86 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In the United Kingdom, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 79.4 years in 2006 to 82.7 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 3 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has several cities considered medium-sized by their number of inhabitants, but there are also some large ones. The most populous city is London, England, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 9 million inhabitants. It is followed by Birmingham, England with 1.2 million and Glasgow, Scotland with 626.4 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in the United Kingdom: