England is Europe's most crowded country
London, Sept.16 : England has become the most crowded nation in Europe, with 395
people per square kilometer.
England has overtaken the population density of Holland, which traditionally has been
the most densely populated nation on the continent.
The figures were obtained in a parliamentary answer from the Office of National
Statistics, reports The Telegraph.
In 2008, the average number of people per square kilometer in Britain was 253, rising
to 395 in England.
Latest figures from Holland show that its population density was 395 a square kilometre
in 2002 and 393 in 2005. It is estimated that English population density will rise to 464
people for every square kilometre by 2031.
The population density in England is already almost double the level in Germany and
quadruple that in France.
The only country in the European Union with greater crowding is the tiny island of
Malta, which only has 400,000 people, most of whom live around the port of Valletta.
Last night MPs campaigning for "balanced migration" said the figures were a milestone
in the immigration debate.
"This is a milestone in the immigration debate as immigration accounts for 70 per cent
of our population growth. The Government's points-based system places no limit on the
number of people who are allowed to settle in the UK. If ever there was a case for
balanced migration, it is now," said Frank Field, former Labour Minister, and Nicholas
Soames, a Conservative MP.
The campaigners estimate that current immigration into Britain is around 300,000 a
year, although not all will stay permanently, they calculate that a balanced migration
policy would result in a British population of around 65 - 80 million by 2050.
--ANI
