Children under age 5 in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Children under age 5 was 3.59 million in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
3.59 million
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
39th
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.78 million
in 1967
All-time low
3.38 million
in 1979
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Children under age 5 in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for children under age 5 in United Kingdom is 3.59 million, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children under age 5 in United Kingdom peaked at 4.78 million in 1967 and was at its lowest, 3.38 million, in 1979.
United Kingdom ranks 39th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Children under age 5 in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.33 million | — |
| 1951 | 4.26 million | -1.6% |
| 1952 | 4.09 million | -4.0% |
| 1953 | 3.95 million | -3.3% |
| 1954 | 3.89 million | -1.7% |
| 1955 | 3.85 million | -0.8% |
| 1956 | 3.86 million | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 3.91 million | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 3.98 million | +1.7% |
| 1959 | 4.06 million | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 4.17 million | +2.7% |
| 1961 | 4.29 million | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 4.41 million | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 4.53 million | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 4.63 million | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 4.72 million | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 4.77 million | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 4.78 million | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 4.76 million | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 4.70 million | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 4.61 million | -1.8% |
| 1971 | 4.52 million | -1.9% |
| 1972 | 4.42 million | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 4.28 million | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 4.11 million | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 3.92 million | -4.6% |
| 1976 | 3.72 million | -5.2% |
| 1977 | 3.53 million | -5.0% |
| 1978 | 3.41 million | -3.3% |
| 1979 | 3.38 million | -1.0% |
| 1980 | 3.41 million | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 3.46 million | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 3.52 million | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 3.57 million | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 3.60 million | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 3.62 million | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 3.65 million | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 3.69 million | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 3.72 million | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 3.74 million | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 3.75 million | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 3.76 million | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 3.79 million | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 3.85 million | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 3.87 million | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 3.83 million | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 3.77 million | -1.6% |
| 1997 | 3.71 million | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 3.66 million | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 3.62 million | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.57 million | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 3.52 million | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.47 million | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 3.45 million | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 3.46 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 3.50 million | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 3.57 million | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 3.66 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.76 million | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 3.85 million | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 3.92 million | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 3.99 million | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.04 million | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 4.06 million | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 4.07 million | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 4.07 million | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 4.04 million | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 4.00 million | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 3.95 million | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 3.88 million | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 3.82 million | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 3.75 million | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 3.66 million | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 3.59 million | -1.9% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 3.59 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 127,928, 28.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 3.59 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 308,498, 11.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.02 million | 3.85 million | 4.33 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.58 million | 4.17 million | 4.78 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.99 million | 3.38 million | 4.61 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.60 million | 3.41 million | 3.74 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.76 million | 3.62 million | 3.87 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.58 million | 3.45 million | 3.85 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.00 million | 3.88 million | 4.07 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.71 million | 3.59 million | 3.82 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is children under age 5 in United Kingdom?
- Children under age 5 in United Kingdom was 3.59 million in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children under age 5 recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 4.78 million in 1967.
- What is the lowest children under age 5 recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.38 million in 1979.
- How does United Kingdom rank for children under age 5?
- United Kingdom ranks 39th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is children under age 5 rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Children under age 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).