LONDON, July 30 (Xinhua) -- The population of England and Wales rose by 1.2 percent, or 706,900 people, in the year to June 2024, the second-largest increase in over 75 years, mainly fueled by international migration, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Wednesday.
The population during the period reached an estimated 61.8 million, according to ONS data.
Nigel Henretty from the ONS said that the population of England and Wales has increased each year since mid-1982. "The rate of population increase has been higher in recent years, and the rise seen in the year to mid-2024 represents the second largest annual increase in numerical terms in over 75 years."
"Net international migration continues to be the main driver of this growth, continuing the long-term trend seen since the turn of the century," he said.
The data showed that the population increased in 96 percent of local authorities in the year to mid-2024. The City of London experienced the highest growth rate at 11.1 percent.
The ONS figures also revealed a decline in both births and deaths in England and Wales during the year to mid-2024, compared with the previous year.
Arkadiusz Wisniowski, head of the Social Statistics Department at the University of Manchester, told Xinhua that the natural change, which is the difference between births and deaths, is positive, and "I don't expect it to increase substantially in next years and population change will be driven mostly by international migration."
ONS said more than 1.1 million people immigrated to England and Wales from outside Britain during the period, while 452,200 people emigrated to countries outside Britain. ■