The United Kingdom, statistics at a glance:

Population:

Largest cities:

London                            -                8,500,000

Birmingham                   -                2,280,000

Manchester                   -                2,240,000

Leeds                              -                1,500,000

Glasgow                         -                1,116,000

Population density:  

246 people per square kilometre (637 per square mile)

Surface area:

244,820 Square Kilometres (94,526 Square Miles) Water % 1.34

GDP (Gross domestic product) - 2007

 
Total                             -           $2.375 trillion (05th largest)
Per capita                   -           $38,624 (13th)

Industry sectors

• Service sector                                                   -              73%

Manufacturing, mining and quarrying          -             18.6%

Creative                                                               -              7%
Agriculture                                                          -              0.9%
Other                                                                    -              0.5%

Gini index (Statistical measure of wealth dispersion)

36.8 (medium)

HDI index (Human development index, measures life expectancy, literacy, living standards and education)

0.940 (18th best in the world)

Fertility Rate

1.84 average numbers of children per woman (low – average replacement rate 2.1)

Ethnic profile of population

White British             -           50,366,497      -           85.7%
White Irish                 -               691,232        -           1.2%
White other               -            3,096,169        -           5.3%
Mixed race                -                677,117       -           1.2%
Indian                          -            1,053,411       -           1.9%
Pakistani                   -                747,285       -           1.3%
Bengali                       -               283,063        -           0.5%
Asian other               -               247,644        -           0.4%
Black Caribbean      -               565,876        -           1.0%
Black African            -                485,277       -           0.8%
Black (other)             -                 97,585        -           0.2%
Chinese                      -               247,403        -           0.4%
Other                           -               230,615       -           0.4%

 
By John Hillman

USEFUL WORDS

Describing Statistics & Numbers
When the different numbers were added up, the aggregate was £60,000 (total)
The Chancellor said the July rise in inflation was only a blip (temporary change)
The spectrum is a continuum of colour from red to violet (something that changes gradually or in very slow stages)
There seems to be a correlation between mathematical and musical ability (connection between facts or things which cause or affect each other)
For some reason the July figures have deviated from the norm (moved away from the standard or accepted pattern)
There’s a discrepancy between our figures and yours (difference between two things that should be the same)
Share prices have been erratic this last month (not regular and often changing suddenly)
The company figures were found to be flawed and the accountant was fired (inaccurate)
Sales fluctuate from day to day (go up and down)
There’s been a five-fold increase in exam enrolments (multiplied by the stated number)
The teacher said that the quality of her students’ work was in inverse proportion to its quantity – the shorter the essay the better (in opposite proportion to)
Our data is inconsistent with yours (not in agreement with)
Interest rates seesawed all year (went up and down)

Assessing Quantity
”Let me give you a ballpark figure” = a guess believed to be accurate
“If I tot everything up” = add everything up (informal)
“We begin to run into six figures” = get a figure over 100,000
”There are a lot of variables” = different factors that may change
”Our projected figures may not be all that accurate” = planned figures
”I’ve erred on the side of caution” = been cautious/careful
“I’ve rounded things down” – make, say, 2.5 into 2 rather than 3 (opposite = round up)
”I’ll give you a conservative estimate” – cautious

GRAMMAR SPOT

Phrases of Addition, Result & Contrast

Use also, as well as and too to add information to the sentence:
Sales figures have risen quickly as well as overall profits.
Share prices have increased too.
(Note that too is the only phrase that can go at the end of a sentence)

Use because of this, as a result and therefore to talk about results:
Because of this, the accountant was fired.

Use nevertheless, however, on the other hand and although to make a contrast:
Although interest rates increased, we were still able to afford to buy the house.
(Note that although never goes at the end of a sentence)