6.1.2

Population Characteristics

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Gender and Ethnicity in the UK

There are variations in the distribution of genders and ethnic groups throughout the UK.

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Gender

  • The number of males and females is very similar in most of the UK, but there are some small variations.
  • Some areas have more males than females because some industries are dominated by male employees e.g. the offshore oil industry based in Aberdeen.
  • Inner city areas are often dominated by young male immigrants as they are more likely to move internationally.
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Gender - rural

  • Rural areas tend to have more single men than single women because women are thought to be more willing to leave and move to an urban area to look for work.
  • Coastal retirement locations (e.g. Bournemouth and Scarborough) have more older women as their life expectancy is longer.
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Ethnicity - rural

  • Ethnicity is much more variable than gender.
  • Some rural areas have low levels of ethnic diversity because new immigrants usually go to cities.
  • Some rural areas have low levels of racial diversity (i.e. most people are white) but have high levels of ethnic diversity.
    • E.g. Rural Lincolnshire has many eastern Europeans (e.g. Poles and Latvians) who work in farming and food-related activities. They are the same race but different ethnicity.
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Ethnicity - urban

  • Some urban areas have very high levels of ethnic and cultural diversity e.g. London and Birmingham.
  • Clustering of ethnic groups (segregation) is a common feature of some inner-city areas, often in cheap and low-quality housing areas.

Reasons for Cultural Diversity

There are conscious and subconscious reasons for segregation in cities, driven by new immigrants and prejudice.

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New immigrants

  • New immigrants tend to live close to existing people from the same ethnic group because they share a common language and experiences.
  • It is often felt there is ‘safety in numbers’ and stronger community ties if people live close together.
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Other people affecting segregation

  • Estate agents or council housing officers may (consciously or unconsciously) help concentrate groups in particular areas.
  • Ethnically specific services (shops, places of worship, faith schools) encourage others to live nearby for convenience.
  • Historically prejudice in the jobs market has prevented some ethnic groups gaining high enough incomes to live in some areas.

Jump to other topics

1Tectonic Processes & Hazards

2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change

3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change

4Globalisation

5Option 4A: Regenerating Places

6Option 4B: Diverse Places

7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)

8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)

9Superpowers (A2 only)

10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)

11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)

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