UK will have biggest EU population by 2060
UK will have biggest EU population by 2060
Wednesday, 27, Aug 2008 12:01
The UK will be the most populous EU member state by 2060, according to new figures from the EU Statistics Office.
The figures project a British population of 77 million by that stage, putting it ahead of France (72 million), Germany (71 million) and Spain (52 million).
The Conservatives said the development showed why the government needed to implement a coherent population strategy.
"This strategy must bring together policy on issues from the family to border control; housing to skills; and planning to immigration control," said shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve.
"We not only need to ensure that our population grows at a more sustainable rate but that we also prepare properly for that sustainable rate of growth."
Changes to the UK's population are not just about numbers. The overall look of the UK is set to change as well, with a rapidly aging population meaning 25 per cent of the country will be 65 years old or above by 2060.