Immigration in Britain

Britain's immigrants used to come from its former colonies. Now they come from all over the world—especially Africa.

For much of the 20th century, immigrants into Britain followed, in reverse, the paths trodden by imperial administrators. Ex-colonies in Ireland, the West Indies and the Indian subcontinent supplied the largest groups of settlers. But history and proximity matter less these days. Since 1999, countries outside the Commonwealth and the European Union have been larger net exporters of people to Britain than the other two sources combined.

The 1991 census recorded fewer than half as many black Africans as Afro-Caribbeans in Britain. In 2001, the numbers were 485,000 and 566,000. Since then, the balance has tipped. Four out of the past five quarterly Labour Force Surveys estimate the black African population as equal to or greater than the Afro-Caribbean population, and the most recent survey puts them well ahead at 618,000. The oldest ethnic minority group to arrive in Britain in any numbers has been overtaken by the newest.

Immigration and asylum are part of the reason: last year, African settlers outnumbered West Indians by almost ten to one. But the way the groups behave in Britain also explains the speed of change. Many newly arrived black Africans have large families, while West Indian households are as small as those of whites. That helps to explain why, in 2001, 55% of black Africans in Britain were under the age of 30, compared to just 37% of Afro-Caribbeans.

More here.