UK's population 'will grow to 77 million by 2050'

The UK's population will increase to 77 million in just 40 years' time from 62.2 million today, a rise of almost 24 per cent, the US-based Population Reference Bureau projected.

The surge would make it bigger than both France and Germany, where populations are predicted to rise to 70 million and 71.5 million, respectively.

The population of Western Europe as a whole will remain fairly constant – 190 million in 2050 compared with 189 million today – while figures for the whole of Europe suggest the population will drop from 739 million to 720 million.

But the world's population is set to shoot up, rising to 9.49 billion from 6.89 billion, the report showed. India will overtake China to become the largest country in the world as its population swells to 1.75 billion from 1.19 billion.