View source for Demographics of Wales

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{{Infobox place demographics|place=[[Wales]]|image=File:Wales Population pyramid estimate 2020.svg|image_size=350|caption=Population pyramid of Wales in 2020|size_of_population=3,107,500|fertility=1.48}}
'''Demographics of Wales''' include [[population]], [[place of birth]], age, [[ethnicity]], religion, and number of marriages in [[Wales]].

==Historical population==
[[File:Population of Wales over time.svg|thumb|234x234px|Population of Wales over time]]
{{Historical populations
|type =
|percentages=pagr
|footnote = Source:<ref>{{cite web|title=200 years of the Census in Wales|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/bicentenary/pdfs/wales.pdf|website=Gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319202324/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/bicentenary/pdfs/wales.pdf|access-date=21 October 2017|archive-date=2009-03-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Population estimates|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates|website=Office for National Statistics|access-date=21 October 2017}}</ref>
|1801 | 587128
|1811 | 673337
|1821 | 789271
|1831 | 904312
|1841 | 1045958
|1851 | 1163139
|1861 | 1286413
|1871 | 1412583
|1881 | 1604821
|1891 | 1788639
|1901 | 2012876
|1911 | 2420921
|1921 | 2656474
|1931 | 2593332
|1951 | 2596850
|1961 | 2644023
|1971 | 2731204
|1981 | 2790500
|1991 | 2811865
|2001 | 2910200
|2011 | 3063456
|2021 | 3107500
}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;"
!Year
!Population<ref>{{cite book|author=John Davies|title=A History of Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ogTq2KRuu9IC&pg=PT257|year=1993|pages=258–59, 319|publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=9780141926339}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090319202324/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/bicentenary/pdfs/wales.pdf ''200 Years of the Census in ... Wales'' (2001)]</ref>
|-
|1536||278,000
|-
|1620||360,000
|-
|1770||500,000
|-
|1801|| 587,000
|-
|1851||1,163,000
|-
|1911||2,421,000
|-
|1921||2,656,000
|-
|1939||2,487,000
|-
|1961||2,644,023
|-
|1991||2,811,865
|-
|2011||3,063,456
|-
|2021
|3,107,500
|}

The population of Wales doubled from 587,000 in 1801 to 1,163,000 in 1851 and had reached 2,421,000 by 1911. Most of the increase came in the coal mining districts, especially [[Glamorganshire]], which grew from 71,000 in 1801 to 232,000 in 1851, and to 1,122,000 in 1911.<ref>Brian R. Mitchell and Phyllis Deane,  ''Abstract of British Historical Statistics'' (Cambridge, 1962) pp 20, 22</ref> Part of this increase can be attributed to the [[demographic transition]] seen in most industrialising countries during the [[Industrial Revolution]], as death-rates dropped and birth-rates remained steady. However, there was also a large-scale migration of people into Wales during the Industrial Revolution.

==Current population==
The [[2021 United Kingdom census|2021 census]] showed Wales' population to be 3,107,500, the highest in its history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Census - Population and household estimates, Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/bulletins/populationandhouseholdestimateswales/census2021 |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref> In [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]], 27 per cent (837,000) of the total population of Wales were not born in Wales,<ref name="2011census">{{cite web|title=2011 Census – Population and Household Estimates for Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_272571.pdf|date=March 2011|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|page=6|access-date=13 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=O2011 Census: Key Statistics for Wales, March 2011|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/stb-2011-census-key-statistics-for-wales.html#tab---Usual-residents-born-outside-the-UK|date=March 2011|publisher=Ons.gov.uk|access-date=9 January 2016}}</ref> including 636,000 people (21 per cent of the total population of Wales) who were born in England.<ref>{{cite web|title=O2011 Census: Key Statistics for Wales, March 2011|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/stb-2011-census-key-statistics-for-wales.html#tab---Usual-residents-born-outside-the-UK|date=March 2011|publisher=Ons.gov.uk|access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref> The main population and industrial areas are in [[South Wales]], including the cities of Cardiff, Swansea and Newport and the nearby [[South Wales Valleys|valleys]], with another significant population in the north-east around [[Wrexham]] and [[Flintshire]].[[File:Population density map in Wales from the 2011 census.png|thumb|380x380px|Population density of Wales in 2011|left]]According to the 2001 census, 96 per cent of the population was [[White British]], and 2.1 per cent non-white (mainly of [[British Asian]] origin).<ref>{{cite web|title=A Statistical Focus on Ethnicity in Wales|url=http://www.esds.ac.uk/government/themes/ethnicity/sb53-2004.pdf|year=2004|publisher=National Assembly for Wales|page=1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111214010543/http://www.esds.ac.uk/government/themes/ethnicity/sb53-2004.pdf|archive-date=14 December 2011|access-date=10 February 2012}}</ref> Most non-white groups were concentrated in Cardiff, Newport and Swansea. Welsh Asian and African communities developed mainly through immigration after the Second World War.<ref>Davies (2008) p. 391</ref> In the early 21st century, parts of Wales saw an increased number of immigrants settle from recent [[Enlargement of the European Union|EU accession countries]] such as Poland,<ref>{{cite web|title=Poles immigrate to Welsh town by thousands|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tm_headline=poles-immigrate-to-welsh-town-by-thousands&method=full&objectid=18855717&siteid=50082-name_page.html|last=Turner|first=Robin|date=8 January 2004|website=Western Mail|publisher=WalesOnline|access-date=25 November 2010}}</ref> though a 2007 study showed a relatively low number of employed immigrant workers from the former Eastern Bloc countries in Wales compared to other regions of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ford|first=Richard|date=12 October 2007|title=Break out the golabki as Polish workers spread across map of Britain|work=The Times|publisher=TimesOnline|location=London|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/science/article/break-out-the-golabki-as-polish-workers-spread-across-map-of-britain-7cf73xf9f57|access-date=25 November 2010}}</ref>
The 2001 UK census was criticised in Wales for not offering ''Welsh'' as an option to describe respondents' national identity.<ref name="Census row (2001)">{{cite news|title=Census results 'defy tickbox row'|work=BBC Online|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2288147.stm|access-date=23 February 2014}}</ref> Partly to address this concern, the 2011 census asked the question "How would you describe your national identity?". Respondents were instructed to "tick all that apply" from a list of options that included Welsh. The outcome was that 57.5 per cent of Wales' population indicated their sole national identity to be Welsh; a further 7.1 per cent indicated it to be both Welsh and British. No Welsh national identity was indicated by 34.1 per cent. The proportion giving their sole national identity as British was 16.9 per cent, and another 9.4 per cent included British with another national identity. No British national identity was indicated by 73.7 per cent. 11.2 per cent indicated their sole national identity as English and another 2.6 per cent included English with another national identity.<ref name="2011 identity">{{cite web|title=2011 Census: KS202EW National identity, unitary authorities in Wales (Excel sheet 126Kb)|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks202ew.xls|date=11 December 2012|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|page=3|access-date=28 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Nationalia – Two out of three inhabitants of Wales consider Welsh to be their national identity|url=http://www.nationalia.info/en/news/1284|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref><ref name="census first results">{{Citation|title=2011 Census: First Results for Ethnicity, National Identity, and Religion for Wales|url=http://wales.gov.uk/docs/statistics/2012/121217sb1262012en.pdf|year=2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121224084959/http://wales.gov.uk/docs/statistics/2012/121217sb1262012en.pdf|publisher=Welsh Government|access-date=6 March 2014|archive-date=24 December 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2011 census showed Wales to be less ethnically diverse than any region of 'England and Wales':<ref>{{Cite web|title=ONS, "Ethnicity and National Identity in England and Wales 2011", 2012, p.8|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_290558.pdf}}</ref> 93.2 per cent classed themselves as White British (including Welsh, English, Scottish or Northern Irish), 2.4 per cent as Other White (including Irish), 2.2 per cent as Asian (including Asian British), 1 per cent as Mixed, and 0.6 per cent as Black (African, Caribbean, or Black British). The lowest proportion of White British (80.3 per cent) was in Cardiff.<ref name="census first results" /><ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Census: KS201EW Ethnic group, local authorities in England and Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-286262|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|access-date=28 February 2014}}</ref>

In 2001, a quarter of the Welsh population were born outside Wales, mainly in England; about 3 per cent were born outside the UK. The proportion born in Wales varies across the country, with the highest percentages in the [[South Wales valleys]] and the lowest in [[Mid Wales]] and parts of the north-east. In both [[Blaenau Gwent]] and [[Merthyr Tydfil]], 92 per cent were Welsh-born, compared with only 51 per cent and 56 per cent in the [[Wales–England border|border]] counties of [[Flintshire]] and [[Powys]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Use of the census of population to discern trends in the Welsh language: an aggregate analysis|url=http://sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/publications/2004/higgs_et_al_welsh.pdf|date=8 January 2004|website=[[Office for National Statistics]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308040629/http://sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/publications/2004/higgs_et_al_welsh.pdf|archive-date=8 March 2012|access-date=10 February 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Just over 1.75&nbsp;million Americans report themselves to have [[Welsh American|Welsh]] ancestry, as did 440,965 Canadians in Canada's 2006 census.<ref>{{cite web|title=Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/c2kprof00-us.pdf|date=July 2002|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ethnic origins, 2006 counts, for Canada, provinces and territories – 20% sample data|url=http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/highlights/ethnic/pages/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&Code=01&Data=Count&Table=2&StartRec=1&Sort=3&Display=All&CSDFilter=5000|date=8 January 2004|publisher=[[Statistics Canada]]|access-date=19 June 2010|archive-date=6 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190106221808/https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-562/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&Code=01&Table=2&Data=Count&StartRec=1&Sort=3&Display=All&CSDFilter=5000|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[total fertility rate]] (TFR) in Wales was 1.90 in 2011,<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Fertility Rate and General Fertility Rate by year|url=https://statswales.wales.gov.uk/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/Births-Deaths-and-Conceptions/Births/TotalFertilityRateAndGeneralFertilityRate-by-Year|publisher=Statswales.wales.gov.uk|access-date=17 July 2013|archive-date=28 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228112127/https://statswales.wales.gov.uk/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/Births-Deaths-and-Conceptions/Births/TotalFertilityRateAndGeneralFertilityRate-by-Year|url-status=dead}}</ref> which is below the [[replacement rate]] of 2.1. The majority of births are to unmarried women (58 per cent of births in 2011 were outside marriage).<ref>{{cite web|title=Live births by year, marriage, parity and registration type|url=https://statswales.wales.gov.uk/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/Births-Deaths-and-Conceptions/Births/LiveBirths-by-Year-Marriage-Parity-RegistrationType|publisher=Statswales.wales.gov.uk|access-date=17 July 2013|archive-date=28 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228112131/https://statswales.wales.gov.uk/Catalogue/Health-and-Social-Care/Births-Deaths-and-Conceptions/Births/LiveBirths-by-Year-Marriage-Parity-RegistrationType|url-status=dead}}</ref> About one in 10 births (10.7 per cent) in 2011 were to foreign-born mothers, compared to 5.2 per cent in 2001.<ref>{{cite news|date=31 August 2012|title=One in 10 Welsh babies have foreign-born mothers|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19427776}}</ref>{{Largest cities|nonav=y|country=Wales|stat_ref=[[Office for National Statistics]] 2011 Census<ref>{{United Kingdom district population citation}}</ref>|list_by_pop=List of towns and cities in Wales by population|div_name=Council area|div_link=|city_1=Cardiff|div_1=Cardiff Council{{!}}City & County of Cardiff|pop_1=335,145|img_1=Cardiff Castle and Millennium Stadium.jpg|city_2=Swansea|div_2=City and County of Swansea Council{{!}}City & County of Swansea|pop_2=239,000|img_2=Meridian Tower Swansea Skyline.jpg|city_3=Newport, Wales{{!}}Newport|div_3=Newport City Council{{!}}Newport City|pop_3=128,060|img_3=Newportciviccentre.jpg|city_4=Wrexham|div_4=Wrexham County Borough|pop_4=61,603|img_4=Wrexham - geograph.org.uk - 163421.jpg|city_5=Barry, Wales{{!}}Barry|div_5=Vale of Glamorgan|pop_5=54,673|city_6=Neath|div_6=Neath Port Talbot|pop_6=50,658|city_7=Cwmbran|div_7=Torfaen|pop_7=46,915|city_8=Bridgend|div_8=Bridgend County Borough|pop_8=46,757|city_9=Llanelli|div_9=Carmarthenshire|pop_9=43,878|city_10=Merthyr Tydfil|div_10=Merthyr Tydfil|pop_10=43,820|city_11=Caerphilly|div_11=Caerphilly County Borough|pop_11=41,402|city_12=Port Talbot|div_12=Neath Port Talbot|pop_12=37,276|city_13=Pontypridd|div_13=Rhondda Cynon Taf|pop_13=30,457|city_14=Aberdare|div_14=Rhondda Cynon Taf|pop_14=29,748|city_15=Colwyn Bay|div_15=Conwy County Borough|pop_15=29,405|city_16=Pontypool|div_16=Torfaen|pop_16=28,334|city_17=Penarth|div_17=Vale of Glamorgan|pop_17=27,226|city_18=Rhyl|div_18=Denbighshire|pop_18=25,149|city_19=Blackwood, Wales{{!}}Blackwood|div_19=Caerphilly County Borough|pop_19=24,042|city_20=Maesteg|div_20=Bridgend County Borough|pop_20=18,888}}
[[File:Wales population growth from 2011 to 2021.svg|thumb|Population growth between 2011 and 2021{{legend|#d7191c|Less than -3%}}{{legend|#ff6666|-0 - 3%}}{{legend|#00cc00|+0 - 5%}}{{legend|#009900|+5 - 10%}}{{legend|#006600|More than +10%}}]]

==Vital statistics==
<ref>{{cite web|title=Vital Statistics: Population and Health Reference Tables|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/vitalstatisticspopulationandhealthreferencetables|website=Office for National Statistics|access-date=20 July 2017}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|title=Maternity and birth statistics: 2023|date=31 July 2024 |url=https://www.gov.wales/maternity-and-birth-statistics-2023-html}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!
! width="80pt"|Average population 
! width="80pt"|Live births
! width="80pt"|Deaths
! width="80pt"|Natural change
! width="80pt"|Crude birth rate (per 1000)
! width="80pt"|Crude death rate (per 1000)
! width="80pt"|Natural change (per 1000)
! width="80pt"|Fertility rates
|-
| 1940
| align="right" |
| align="right" | 39,319
| align="right" | 35,585
| align="right" | 3,734
| align="right" | 13.9
| align="right" | 12.6
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 1.84
|-
| 1941
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 39,886
| align="right" | 35,837
| align="right" | 4,049
| align="right" | 13.7
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 1.4
| align="right" | 1.82
|-
| 1942
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 43,130
| align="right" | 31,360
| align="right" | 11,770
| align="right" | 15.4
| align="right" | 11.2
| align="right" | 4.2
| align="right" | 2.03
|-
| 1943
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 43,270
| align="right" | 31,496
| align="right" | 11,774
| align="right" | 16.0
| align="right" | 11.6
| align="right" | 4.4
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.11
|-
| 1944
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 46,730
| align="right" | 30,987
| align="right" | 15,743
| align="right" | 17.5
| align="right" | 11.6
| align="right" | 5.9
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.33
|-
| 1945
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 41,515
| align="right" | 31,892
| align="right" | 9,623
| align="right" | 15.7
| align="right" | 12.1
| align="right" | 3.6
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.12
|-
| 1946
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 47,566
| align="right" | 31,547
| align="right" | 16,019
| align="right" | 19.0
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 6.7
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.55
|-
| 1947
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 51,163
| align="right" | 33,291
| align="right" | 17,872
| align="right" | 20.4
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 7.1
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.75
|-
| 1948
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 47,175
| align="right" | 30,095
| align="right" | 17,080
| align="right" | 17.7
| align="right" | 11.3
| align="right" | 6.4
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.46
|-
| 1949
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 44,337
| align="right" | 32,109
| align="right" | 12,228
| align="right" | 16.6
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 4.6
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.35
|-
| 1950
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 42,776
| align="right" | 33,295
| align="right" | 9,481
| align="right" | 15.4
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 2.5
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.26
|-
| 1951
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 41,270
| align="right" | 36,005
| align="right" | 5,265
| align="right" | 15.2
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 1.9
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.21
|-
| 1952
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 41,388
| align="right" | 31,005
| align="right" | 10,383
| align="right" | 15.1
| align="right" | 11.3
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.23
|-
| 1953
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 41,528
| align="right" | 31,392
| align="right" | 10,136
| align="right" | 15.3
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 2.9
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.31
|-
| 1954
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 40,256
| align="right" | 32,822
| align="right" | 7,704
| align="right" | 15.0
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 2.7
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.28
|-
| 1955
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 38,876
| align="right" | 33,938
| align="right" | 4,938
| align="right" | 14.8
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 2.1
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.25
|-
| 1956
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 40,915
| align="right" | 32,438
| align="right" | 8,477
| align="right" | 15.5
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 3.5
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.41
|-
| 1957
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 41,645
| align="right" | 32,696
| align="right" | 8,949
| align="right" | 15.9
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 3.6
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.43
|-
| 1958
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 42,460
| align="right" | 32,642
| align="right" | 9,818
| align="right" | 16.2
| align="right" | 12.2
| align="right" | 4.0
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.50
|-
| 1959
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 42,262
| align="right" | 32,134
| align="right" | 10,128
| align="right" | 16.3
| align="right" | 12.1
| align="right" | 4.2
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.56
|-
| 1960
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 44,147
| align="right" | 32,715
| align="right" | 11,432
| align="right" | 17.0
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 4.7
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.68
|-
| 1961
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 44,923
| align="right" | 33,705
| align="right" | 11,218
| align="right" | 17.4
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 4.5
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.75
|-
| 1962
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 45,382
| align="right" | 33,781
| align="right" | 11,601
| align="right" | 17.8
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 4.8
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.83
|-
| 1963
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 47,038
| align="right" | 34,763
| align="right" | 12,275
| align="right" | 18.0
| align="right" | 13.2
| align="right" | 4.8
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.95
|-
| 1964
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 47,502
| align="right" | 32,746
| align="right" | 14,756
| align="right" | 18.3
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 6.0
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.99
|-
| 1965
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 46,292
| align="right" | 33,062
| align="right" | 13,230
| align="right" | 17.9
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 5.5
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.91
|-
| 1966
| align="right" |
| align="right" | 44,866
| align="right" | 34,643
| align="right" | 10,223
| align="right" | 17.5
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" | 4.7
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.81
|-
| 1967
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 43,706
| align="right" | 33,160
| align="right" | 10,546
| align="right" | 17.0
| align="right" | 12.2
| align="right" | 4.8
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.73
|-
| 1968
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 44,207
| align="right" | 34,892
| align="right" | 9,315
| align="right" | 16.7
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 3.8
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.62
|-
| 1969
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 43,082
| align="right" | 35,953
| align="right" | 7,129
| align="right" | 16.2
| align="right" | 13.5
| align="right" | 2.7
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.53
|-
| 1970
| align="right" | 
| align="right" | 42,487
| align="right" | 34,998
| align="right" | 7,489
| align="right" | 15.8
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" | 3.0
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.47
|-
| 1971
| align="right" | 2,740,000
| align="right" | 43,056
| align="right" | 34,817
| align="right" | 8,239
| align="right" | 15.7
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 3.0
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.45
|-
| 1972
| align="right" | 2,755,000
| align="right" | 39,955
| align="right" | 36,000
| align="right" | 3,955
| align="right" | 14.5
| align="right" | 13.1
| align="right" | 1.4
| align="right" style="color: blue"| 2.24
|-
| 1973
| align="right" | 2,772,000
| align="right" | 37,597
| align="right" | 35,826
| align="right" | 1,771
| align="right" | 13.6
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 0.7
| align="right" | 2.08
|-
| 1974
| align="right" | 2,785,000
| align="right" | 36,206
| align="right" | 35,634
| align="right" | 572
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" | 0.2
| align="right" | 1.97
|-
| 1975
| align="right" | 2,795,000
| align="right" | 33,972
| align="right" | 35,610
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -1,638
| align="right" | 12.2
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.5
| align="right" | 1.87
|-
| 1976
| align="right" | 2,799,000
| align="right" | 33,738
| align="right" | 36,345
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,607
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" style="color: red" | -1.1
| align="right" | 1.79
|-
| 1977
| align="right" | 2,800,000
| align="right" | 31,765
| align="right" | 35,205
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -3,440
| align="right" | 11.3
| align="right" | 12.6
| align="right" style="color: red" | -1.3
| align="right" | 1.72
|-
| 1978
| align="right" | 2,804,000
| align="right" | 33,308
| align="right" | 35,963
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,665
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.9
| align="right" | 1.79
|-
| 1979
| align="right" | 2,810,000
| align="right" | 36,174
| align="right" | 36,087
| align="right" | 87
| align="right" | 12.9
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" | 0.1
| align="right" | 1.91
|-
| 1980
| align="right" | 2,815,000
| align="right" | 37,357
| align="right" | 35,149
| align="right" | 2,208
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 0.8
| align="right" | 1.95
|-
| 1981
| align="right" | 2,813,000
| align="right" | 35,842
| align="right" | 35,015
| align="right" | 827
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 0.3
| align="right" | 1.87
|-
| 1982
| align="right" | 2,804,000
| align="right" | 35,720
| align="right" | 35,152
| align="right" | 568
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 0.2
| align="right" | 1.86
|-
| 1983
| align="right" | 2,803,000
| align="right" | 35,494
| align="right" | 35,242
| align="right" | 252
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 12.6
| align="right" | 0.1
| align="right" | 1.83
|-
| 1984
| align="right" | 2,800,000
| align="right" | 35,861
| align="right" | 33,652
| align="right" | 2,209
| align="right" | 12.8
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 0.8
| align="right" | 1.83
|-
| 1985
| align="right" | 2,803,000
| align="right" | 36,771
| align="right" | 35,536
| align="right" | 1,235
| align="right" | 13.1
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 0.4
| align="right" | 1.86
|-
| 1986
| align="right" | 2,811,000
| align="right" | 37,038
| align="right" | 34,712
| align="right" | 2,326
| align="right" | 13.2
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 0.9
| align="right" | 1.86
|-
| 1987
| align="right" | 2,822,000
| align="right" | 37,816
| align="right" | 33,919
| align="right" | 3,897
| align="right" | 13.4
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 1.4
| align="right" | 1.88
|-
| 1988
| align="right" | 2,841,000
| align="right" | 38,824
| align="right" | 33,981
| align="right" | 4,842
| align="right" | 13.7
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 1.7
| align="right" | 1.91
|-
| 1989
| align="right" | 2,855,000
| align="right" | 38,019
| align="right" | 35,134
| align="right" | 2,885
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 12.3
| align="right" | 1.0
| align="right" | 1.86
|-
| 1990
| align="right" | 2,861,000
| align="right" | 38,866
| align="right" | 33,963
| align="right" | 4,903
| align="right" | 13.6
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 1.7
| align="right" | 1.91
|-
| 1991
| align="right" | 2,873,000
| align="right" | 38,079
| align="right" | 34,136
| align="right" | 3,943
| align="right" | 13.3
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 1.4
| align="right" | 1.88
|-
| 1992
| align="right" | 2,877,000
| align="right" | 37,523
| align="right" | 33,792
| align="right" | 3,731
| align="right" | 13.0
| align="right" | 11.7
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 1.87
|-
| 1993
| align="right" | 2,883,000
| align="right" | 36,578
| align="right" | 35,826
| align="right" | 752
| align="right" | 12.7
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 0.3
| align="right" | 1.84
|-
| 1994
| align="right" | 2,887,000
| align="right" | 35,366
| align="right" | 33,824
| align="right" | 1,542
| align="right" | 12.2
| align="right" | 11.7
| align="right" | 0.5
| align="right" | 1.79
|-
| 1995
| align="right" | 2,888,000
| align="right" | 34,477
| align="right" | 35,306
| align="right" style="color: red" | -829
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 12.2
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.3
| align="right" | 1.77
|-
| 1996
| align="right" | 2,891,000
| align="right" | 34,894
| align="right" | 34,802
| align="right" | 92
| align="right" | 12.1
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 0.1
| align="right" | 1.81
|-
| 1997
| align="right" | 2,895,000
| align="right" | 34,520
| align="right" | 34,886
| align="right" style="color: red" | -366
| align="right" | 11.9
| align="right" | 12.1
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.2
| align="right" | 1.81
|-
| 1998
| align="right" | 2,899,000
| align="right" | 33,438
| align="right" | 33,905
| align="right" style="color: red" | -467
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" | 11.7
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.2
| align="right" | 1.78
|-
| 1999
| align="right" | 2,900,000
| align="right" | 32,111
| align="right" | 34,929
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,818
| align="right" | 11.1
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.9
| align="right" | 1.72
|-
| 2000
| align="right" | 2,907,000
| align="right" | 31,304
| align="right" | 33,501
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,197
| align="right" | 10.8
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.7
| align="right" | 1.68
|-
| 2001
| align="right" | 2,910,000
| align="right" | 30,616
| align="right" | 33,249
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,633
| align="right" | 10.5
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.9
| align="right" | 1.66
|-
| 2002
| align="right" | 2,923,000
| align="right" | 30,205
| align="right" | 33,314
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -3,108
| align="right" | 10.3
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" style="color: red" | -1.1
| align="right" | 1.64
|-
| 2003
| align="right" | 2,937,000
| align="right" | 31,400
| align="right" | 33,810
| align="right" style="color: red" |  -2,410
| align="right" | 10.7
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" style="color: red" | -0.8
| align="right" | 1.71
|-
| 2004
| align="right" | 2,957,000
| align="right" | 32,325
| align="right" | 32,317
| align="right" | 8
| align="right" | 10.9
| align="right" | 10.9
| align="right" | 0.0
| align="right" | 1.76
|-
| 2005
| align="right" | 2,969,000
| align="right" | 32,593
| align="right" | 32,162
| align="right" | 431
| align="right" | 11.0
| align="right" | 10.8
| align="right" | 0.2
| align="right" | 1.78
|-
| 2006
| align="right" | 2,985,000
| align="right" | 33,628
| align="right" | 31,083
| align="right" | 2,545
| align="right" | 11.3
| align="right" | 10.4
| align="right" | 1.1
| align="right" | 1.82
|-
| 2007
| align="right" | 3,006,000
| align="right" | 34,414
| align="right" | 32,148
| align="right" | 2,266
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" | 10.7
| align="right" | 0.7
| align="right" | 1.86
|-
| 2008
| align="right" | 3,026,000
| align="right" | 35,650
| align="right" | 32,066
| align="right" | 3,584
| align="right" | 11.8
| align="right" | 10.6
| align="right" | 1.2
| align="right" | 1.91
|-
| 2009
| align="right" | 3,039,000
| align="right" | 34,937
| align="right" | 31,066
| align="right" | 3,871
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" | 10.2
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 1.87
|-
| 2010
| align="right" | 3,050,000
| align="right" | 35,952
| align="right" | 31,197
| align="right" | 4,755
| align="right" | 11.8
| align="right" | 10.2
| align="right" | 1.6
| align="right" | 1.92
|-
| 2011
| align="right" | 3,063,000
| align="right" | 35,598
| align="right" | 30,426
| align="right" | 5,172
| align="right" | 11.6
| align="right" | 9.9
| align="right" | 1.7
| align="right" | 1.90
|-
| 2012
| align="right" | 3,074,000
| align="right" | 35,238
| align="right" | 31,502
| align="right" | 3,736
| align="right" | 11.5
| align="right" | 10.2
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 1.88
|-
| 2013
| align="right" | 3,082,000
| align="right" | 33,747
| align="right" | 32,138
| align="right" | 1,609
| align="right" | 10.9
| align="right" | 10.4
| align="right" | 0.5
| align="right" | 1.80
|-
| 2014
| align="right" | 3,092,000
| align="right" | 33,544
| align="right" | 31,439
| align="right" | 2,105
| align="right" | 10.8
| align="right" | 10.2
| align="right" | 0.6
| align="right" | 1.78
|-
| 2015
| align="right" | 3,099,000
| align="right" | 33,279
| align="right" | 33,198
| align="right" | 81
| align="right" | 10.7
| align="right" | 10.7
| align="right" | 0.0
| align="right" | 1.77
|-
| 2016
| align="right" | 3,113,000
| align="right" | 32,936
| align="right" | 33,047
| align="right" style="color: red" | –111
| align="right" | 10.6
| align="right" | 10.6
| align="right" style="color: red" | –0.0
| align="right" | 1.74
|-
| 2017
| align="right" | 3,125,000
| align="right" | 32,176
| align="right" | 33,248
| align="right" style="color: red" | −1,072
| align="right" | 10.4
| align="right" | 10.6
| align="right" style="color: red" | −0.2
| align="right" | 1.69
|-
| 2018
| align="right" | 3,139,000
| align="right" | 31,274
| align="right" | 34,406
| align="right" style="color: red" | –3,132
| align="right" | 10.0
| align="right" | 11.0
| align="right" style="color: red" | –1.0
| align="right" | 1.63
|-
| 2019
| align="right" | 3,153,000
| align="right" | 29,704
| align="right" | 32,900
| align="right" style="color: red" | -3,196
| align="right" | 9.4
| align="right" | 10.4
| align="right" style="color: red" | -1.0
| align="right" | 1.54
|-
| 2020
| align="right" | 3,170,000
| align="right" | 28,638
| align="right" | 37,399
| align="right" style="color: red" | -8,761
| align="right" | 9.0
| align="right" | 11.8
| align="right" style="color: red" | -2.8
| align="right" | 1.47
|-
| 2021(c)
| align="right" | 3,107,500 
| align="right" | 28,781
| align="right" | 36,141
| align="right" style="color:red" | -7,360
| align="right" | 9.3
| align="right" | 11.6
| align="right" style="color:red" | -2.3
| align="right" | 1.51
|-
| 2022
| align="right" | 3,131,640
| align="right" | 28,296
| align="right" | 35,688
| align="right" style="color:red" | -7,392
| align="right" | 9.1
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" style="color:red" | -2.3
| align="right" | 1.46
|-
| 2023
| align="right" | 3,164,400
| align="right" | 27,374
| align="right" | 36,041
| align="right" style="color:red" | -8,667
| align="right" | 8.7
| align="right" | 11.4
| align="right" style="color:red" | -2.7
| align="right" | 1.39
|-
| 2024
| align="right" | 3,192,000
| align="right" | 26,832
| align="right" | 35,405
| align="right" style="color:red" | -8,573
| align="right" | 8.4
| align="right" | 11.1
| align="right" style="color:red" | -2.7
| align="right" style="color:red" | 1.35
|}
(c) = Census results.

===Current vital statistics===
<ref>{{cite web |title=Deaths registered monthly in England and Wales|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/monthlyfiguresondeathsregisteredbyareaofusualresidence}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"  style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
| '''January—July 2024'''
| 
| 21,483
| 
|-
| '''January—July 2025'''
| 
| 21,766
| 
|-
| '''Difference'''
| 
| {{increasenegative}} +283 (+1.32%)
|
|}

==Place of birth==
According to the 2011 census 2.2 million (73%) of the usual residents were born in Wales, a reduction of two percent since 2001. In 2001, 590,000 (20%) of the population of Wales was born in England. By 2011, the proportion of English-born citizens of Wales had increased by one percent to 21%. In 2011, 27% (837,000) of the total population of Wales were born outside Wales, and of these immigrants 636,000 (76%) were born in England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/stb-2011-census-key-statistics-for-wales.html#tab---Usual-residents-born-outside-the-UK |title=O2011 Census: Key Statistics for Wales, March 2011 |publisher=Ons.gov.uk |date=March 2011 |access-date=9 January 2016}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Country of birth
! colspan="2" |1991<ref name="GB_LBS91_1991">{{cite web |title=1991 census - local base statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/lbs91 |publisher=Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |access-date=14 June 2023}} ''Tables L01 to L18: Demographic and economic characteristics > L07 Country of birth''</ref>
!colspan="2"|2001<ref name="UV008">{{cite web |title=UV008: Country of birth |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2001/uv008 |publisher=Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |access-date=30 August 2013}}</ref>
!colspan="2"|2011<ref name="QS213EW">{{cite web |title=QS213EW: Country of birth (expanded) |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/qs213ew |publisher=Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |access-date=26 March 2013}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="TS012">{{cite web |title=TS012: Country of birth (detailed) |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS012/editions/2021/versions/2 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=28 March 2023}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align:left" | {{flag|United Kingdom}}
! 2,758,057
! 97.28%
! 2,811,594
! 96.85%
! 2,895,585
! 94.52%
! 2,892,065
! 93.07%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{flag|Wales}}
| 2,187,699
| 77.17%
| 2,188,754
| 75.39%
| 2,226,005
| 72.66%
| 2,202,820
| 70.89%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{flag|England}}
| 539,700
| 19.04%
| 589,828
| 20.32%
| 636,266
| 20.77%
| 659,084
| 21.21%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{flag|Scotland}}
| 23,117
| 0.82%
| 24,389
| 0.84%
| 24,346
| 0.79%
| 21,975
| 0.71%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{flag|Northern Ireland|union}}
| 7,388
| 0.26%
| 7,851
| 0.27%
| 8,253
| 0.27%
| 7,803
| 0.25%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | UK not otherwise specified
| 153
| 0.01%
| 772
| 0.03% 
| 434
| 0.01%
| 288
| 0.01%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | {{flagicon|European Union}} [[European Union|European Union (EU)]] Member countries
! –
! –
!35,783
!1.23%
!67,535
!2.20%
!91,472
!2.94%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Irish people in Great Britain|Ireland]]
| 13,442
| 0.47%
| 12,740
| 0.44%
| 12,175
| 0.40%
| 9,998
| 0.32%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other {{flag|EU}} Member Countries (joined pre-2001)
| –
| –
|  
|  
| 26,343
| 1.81%
| 31,590
| 1.02%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{Flagicon|Poland}} [[Poles in the United Kingdom|Poland]]
| 2,066
| 0.07%
| 1,428 
| 0.05% 
| 18,023
| 0.59%
| 24,832
| 0.80%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other {{flag|EU}} Member Countries (joined post-2001)
| – 
| – 
|
|
| 29,017
| 0.95%
| 24,792
| 0.80%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Non-UK/EU Countries
! 
! 
! 55,708
! 1.92%
! 100,336
! 3.28%
! 123,962
! 3.99%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''Total'''
| '''2,835,073'''
| '''100.00%'''
| '''2,903,085'''
| '''100.00%'''
| '''3,063,456'''
| '''100.00%'''
| '''3,107,499'''
| '''100.00%'''
|-
|}
[[File:Born In England 2011 Census Wales.png|thumb|250px|Map showing the percentage of the population born in England according to the 2011 census.]]

Below are the 5 largest foreign-born groups in Wales according to 2014 ONS estimates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/population-by-country-of-birth-and-nationality/2014/rft-table-5-pop-by-cob-jan-14-to-dec-14.xls|title=Table 1.3: Overseas-born population in the United Kingdom, excluding some residents in communal establishments, by sex, by country of birth, January 2014 to December 2014|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|date=27 August 2015|access-date=17 April 2016}} Figures given are the central estimates. See the source for 95 per cent [[confidence interval]]s.</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!rowspan=2|Country of birth
! colspan=3|Estimated population
|-
!  2013!!2014!!2015
|-
|border = "1"|{{flag|Poland}}
|align="right"|{{nts|20000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|22000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|23000 }}
|-
|border = "1"|{{flag|Republic of Ireland}}
|align="right"|{{nts|11000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|12000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|10000 }}
|-
|border = "1"|{{flag|India}}
|align="right"|{{nts|10000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|12000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|13000 }}
|-
|border = "1"|{{flag|Germany}}
|align="right"|{{nts|11000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|11000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|11000 }}
|-
|border = "1"|{{flag|South Africa}}
|align="right"|{{nts|7000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|6000 }}
|align="right"|{{nts|6000 }}
|}
[[File:Wales population pyramid from 2001 to 2020.gif|thumb|286x286px|Population pyramid from 2001 to 2020]]

==Age==
[[File:Wales Population pyramid estimate 2020.svg|thumb|299x299px|Population pyramid in 2020]]
According to the 2011 census, some 563,000 of the population were aged 65 and over, an increase of 56,700 or one percent since 2001. As in 2001, six per cent (178,000) of the population in Wales were children under five, an increase of 11,300.<ref name="2011censuswales">{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_290982.pdf|title=2011 Census: Key Statistics for Wales, March 2011|website=Ons.gov.uk|access-date=23 December 2012}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
! Ages attained<br> (years)
! Population
! % of total
|-
| 0–4
| 178,301
| 5.82
|-
| 5–9
| 163,079
| 5.32
|-
| 10–14
| 177,748
| 5.80
|-
| 15–19
| 199,120
| 6.50
|-
| 20–24
| 211,924
| 6.92
|-
| 25–29
| 185,728
| 6.06
|-
| 30–34
| 174,694
| 5.70
|-
| 35–39
| 183,045
| 5.98
|-
| 40–44
| 213,155
| 6.96
|-
| 45–49
| 213,155
| 7.20
|-
| 50–54
| 201,599
| 6.58
|-
| 55–59
| 186,923
| 6.10
|-
| 60–64
| 204,885
| 6.69
|-
| 65–69
| 166,007
| 5.42
|-
| 70–74
| 134,543
| 4.39
|-
| 75–79
| 108,202
| 3.53
|-
| 80–84
| 79,232
| 2.59
|-
| 85–89
| 49,360
| 1.61
|-
| 90+
| 25,200
| 0.82
|}

:Source: ''[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/population-and-household-estimates-for-the-united-kingdom/rft-table-3-census-2011.xls 2011 Census: Usual resident population by five-year age group and sex, local authorities in the United Kingdom, Accessed 23 December 2012]''

==National identity==
{{Main|Welsh national identity}}

=== 2011 ===
A question on [[national identity]] was asked in the 2011 census: "What do you feel is your national identity?" Respondents could identify themselves as having one or more national identity.

An analysis of the 2011 data by [[Manchester University]]'s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity revealed that:<ref>{{cite web |first1=Bethan |last1=Harries |first2=Bridget |last2=Byrne |first3=Kitty |last3=Lymperopoulou |title=who identifies as Welsh? National identities and ethnicity in Wales |publisher=Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) / University of Manchester |url=http://hummedia.manchester.ac.uk/institutes/code/briefings/dynamicsofdiversity/code-census-briefing-national-identity-wales.pdf |date=November 2014 |access-date=29 July 2019 }}</ref>
*58% identified as "Welsh only"
*16% identified as "British only"
*12% identified as "English only"
*7% identified as "Welsh and British"

The remainder chose other national identities. The Welsh-Caribbean population were the most likely to respond as "Welsh Only", at 59% of 11,099 citizens.

=== 2018 ===
A 2018 poll, commissioned by the [[BBC]] and carried out by [[YouGov]], found that almost eight in 10 (79%) people in Wales identified strongly as British; while six in 10 (62%) identified strongly as Welsh.<ref>{{cite news |first=Daniel |last=Davies |title=How optimistic are people in Wales, BBC survey asks |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-44369889 |access-date=29 July 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=YouGov / BBC Survey Results |date=2018 |website=www.yougov.co.uk |url=https://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/qwgdgkhy4e/BBCResults_180501_Wales.pdf |access-date=29 July 2019 }}</ref>

=== 2020 ===
A 2020 YouGov poll asking a sample of 1110 people "Which, if any, of the following best describes the way you think of yourself?" found the following responses:

* 21% "Welsh not British"
* 17% "More Welsh than British"
* 22% "Equally Welsh and British"
* 9% "More British than Welsh"
* 17% "British not Welsh"
* 11% "Other"
* 3% "Don't know"

==== Summary ====
Total Welsh at all: 69%

Total at least more Welsh than British: 38%

Total at least more British than Welsh: 26%<ref>{{Cite web |title=YouGov - UK break up attitudes (Wales) |url=https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/z6q8d192zo/YouGov%20-%20UK%20break%20up%20attitudes%20%28Wales%29.pdf}}</ref>

==Ethnicity==
[[File:Ethnic demography of Wales from 1981 – 2021.gif|thumb|250x250px|Ethnic demography of Wales from 1981–2011]]
[[File:Ethnic makeup of Wales in single year age groups in 2021.svg|thumb|251x251px|Ethnic makeup of Wales in single year age groups in 2021]]
[[File:Population pyramid of Wales by ethnicity in 2021.svg|thumb|249x249px|Population pyramid of Wales by ethnicity in 2021]]
According to the 2011 census, 2.2 million (73%) of usual residents of Wales were born there, two percent less than in 2001. The change can be attributed to both international and internal migration. In 2001, 590,000 (20%) of the population of Wales was born in England. In 2011, this had increased by one percent.<ref name="2011censuswales" /> Nearly 418,000 people identified themselves as [[Welsh people|Welsh]] in 2001. The 1991, 2001 and 2011 census estimated the following ethnic groups:
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible" style="text-align:right"
|+Ethnic demography of Wales [[File:Flag_of_Wales.svg|20x20px]]
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic group
! colspan="12" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1t8915s |title=Explaining ethnic differences: Changing patterns of disadvantage in Britain |date=2003 |publisher=Bristol University Press |edition=1|doi=10.2307/j.ctt1t8915s |jstor=j.ctt1t8915s }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1985 |title=Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement |url=https://jstor.org/stable/community.28327806 |journal=Commission for Racial Equality |language=English |pages=Table 2.1|last1= Equality|first1= Commission for Racial}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991<ref>Office of Population Censuses and Surveys ; General Register Office for Scotland ; Registrar General for Northern Ireland (1997): 1991 Census aggregate data. UK Data Service (Edition: 1997). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5257/census/aggregate-1991-1 This information is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence</ref><ref>As UK Census data past 2001 is unavailable through the ONS website, it has been [https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census/2011censusdata/censusdata18011991 recommended] to use archival census collection websites to obtain data. Data is taken from United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/index.htm Casweb Data services] of the United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for Wales] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405213012/http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm |date=2022-04-05 }} (Table 6)</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ethnic Statistics in Unitary authorities in Wales|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-07|website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107103548/https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |archive-date=2022-01-07 }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011<ref>{{Cite web|title=Key Statistics for Unitary authorities in Wales|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-07|website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107103548/https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |archive-date=2022-01-07 }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Population
!%
!Population
!%
!Population
!%
! Population || % || Population || %
!Population
! %
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[White people|White]]: Total 
!–
!99.6%
!2,788,533
!99.1%
!2,793,522
!98.5%!! 2,841,505 !! 97.9% !! 2,928,253 !!
95.6%
!2,915,848
!94.2%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 2,786,605 ||96.0% ||2,855,450 || 93.2%
|2,814,427
|90.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|20,841
|0.7%||17,689 || 0.6% ||14,086 || 0.5%
|13,214
|0.4%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Irish Traveller/White Gypsy]]<ref name="auto2" group="note">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –||2,785 || 0.1%
|3,550
|0.1%
|-
|White: Roma                                           
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,843
|0.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Other (United Kingdom Census)|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||37,211 || 1.3% ||55,932 || 1.8%
|82,994 
|2.7%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Asian people|Asian]] or [[British Asian|Asian British]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!24,399
!0.9%!! 31,715 !! 1.1%  !! 70,128 !!
2.3%
!89,028
!3.0%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|6,384
|0.2%|| 8,261 || 0.3%  || 17,256 || 0.6%
|21,070
|0.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistani|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|5,717
|0.2%||8,287 ||0.3%  ||12,229 || 0.4%
|17,534
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,820
|0.1%||5,436 ||0.2%  || 10,687|| 0.3%
|15,314
|0.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]<ref group="note">In 2001, listed under the 'Chinese or other ethnic group' heading.</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|4,801
|0.2%||6,267 || 0.2%|| 13,638||0.4%
|14,454
|0.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[Other Asian (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Asian Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,677
|0.1%||3,464 || 0.1% ||16,318 || 0.5%
|20,656
|0.7%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Black people|Black]] or [[Black British]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!9,492
!0.3%!! 7,069 !! 0.2% !! 18,276 !!
0.6%
!27,554
!0.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[Black British|African]] 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,671
|0.1%||3,727 || 0.1% ||11,887 || 0.4%
|19,907
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean community|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,348
|0.1%||2,597 ||0.1% ||3,809 || 0.1%
|3,700
|0.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[Other Black|Other]] 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,473
|0.1%||745 || <0.1% ||2,580 || 0.1%
|3,947
|0.1%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[British Mixed]]: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–!! 17,661 !! 0.7% !! 31,521 !!
1.0%
!48,598
!1.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: [[Mixed White and Black Caribbean (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|White and Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||5,996  ||0.2%  ||11,099 || 0.4%
|13,732
|0.4%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: [[Mixed White and Black African people in the United Kingdom|White and African]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||2,413  || 0.1% ||4,424 || 0.1%
|8,068
|0.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: [[Mixed White and Asian (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|White and Asian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||5,001  ||0.2% ||9,019 || 0.3%
|14,035
|0.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: [[Multiracial|Other Mixed]] 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||4,251 || 0.2%||6,979 || 0.2%
|12,763
|0.4%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Other: Total 
!–
!–
!–
!–
!7,660
!0.3%!! 5,135 !! 0.2% !! 15,278 !!
0.5%
!26,466
!0.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: [[British Arabs|Arab]]<ref group="note" name="auto">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –||9,615 || 0.3%
|11,641
|0.4%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Any other ethnic group 
|–
|–
|–
|–
|7,660
|0.3%||5,135 || 0.2% ||5,663 || 0.2%
|14,825
|0.5%
|-
!Ethnic minority: Total
!–
!0.4%
!24,467
!0.9%
!41,551
!1.5%
!61,580
!2.1%
!135,203
!4.4%
!191,646
!5.8%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Total: 
!–
!100%
!2,813,000
!100%
!2,835,073
!100%!! 2,903,085 !! 100% !! 3,063,456 !!
100%
!3,107,494
!100%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}

'''Notes for table above'''
<references group="note"/>

:Source: ''[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities/urban-area-summary-results-for-local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls Census 2001 Key Statistics - Urban area summary results for local authorities KS06 Ethnic group, Retrieved 18 June 2013]''
:Source: ''[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls Census 2011: Ethnic group, unitary authorities in Wales, Accessed 23 December 2012]''

=== Ethnicity of school pupils ===
[[File:White British school children in Wales.svg|thumb|341x341px|White British school children in Wales]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+Ethnicity of school pupils within Wales
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic group
! colspan="6" |School year<ref>{{Cite web |title=Schools' census results: February 2022 |url=https://gov.wales/schools-census-results-february-2022-html |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=GOV.WALES |date=31 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |2008
! colspan="2" |2016
! colspan="2" |2022
|-
!Population
!%
!Population
!%
!Population
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people|White]]: Total
!383,820
!93.8%
!362,290
!92.2
!365,231
!90.3%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]
|376,870
|92.1%
|351,145 
|89.4%
|350,842
|86.7%
|-
|White: [[Irish Traveller|Irish Traveller/White Gypsy]]
|585
|
|996
|
|1,183
|0.3%
|-
|White: [[White Other (United Kingdom Census)|Other]]
|6365
|
|10,149
|
|13,206
|3.3%
|-
![[Asian people|Asian]] or [[British Asian|Asian British]]: Total
!7,845
!1.9%
!9,905
!2.5%
!10,520
!2.6%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian]]
|1345
|
|2,056
|
|2,641
|0.7%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistani|Pakistani]]
|2225
|
|3,009
|
|3,285
|0.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]]
|2300
|
|3,188 
|
|3,304
|0.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|865
|
|720
|
|939
|0.2%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Asian|Asian Other]]
|1110
|
|932
|
|1,290
|0.3%
|-
![[Black people|Black]] or [[Black British]]: Total
!2,140
!0.5%
!3,355
!0.9%
!4,446
!1.1%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean community|Caribbean]]
|200
|
|194 
|
|198
|–
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Black British|African]]
|1595
|
|2,743 
|
|3,711
|0.9%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Other Black|Other]]
|345
|
|418 
|
|537
|0.1%
|-
![[British Mixed]]: Total
!6,715
!1.6%
!10,592
!2.7%
!14,775
!3.7%
|-
|Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[British African-Caribbean community|Caribbean]]
|1750
|
|2,314 
|
|2,754
|0.7%
|-
|Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[Black British|African]]
|730
|
|1,398 
|
|2,198
|0.5%
|-
|Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[British Asian|Asian]]
|1605
|
|2,351
|
|3,011
|0.7%
|-
|Mixed: [[Multiracial|Other Mixed]]
|2630
|
|4,529
|
|6,812
|1.7%
|-
!Other: Total
!2530
!0.6%
!4,639 
!1.2%
!6,059
!1.5%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|2530
|0.6%
|
|
|6,059
|1.5%
|-
!Unknown or not stated
!6245
!1.5%
!2,081
!0.5%
!2,511
!0.6%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total:
!409,295
!100%
!392,862 
!100%
!404,481
!100%
|}

==Religion==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!rowspan="2"|Religion
!colspan="2"|2001<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census/2011censusdata/2001censusdata|title=View:Census2001|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
!colspan="2"|2011<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/articles/religioninenglandandwales2011/2012-12-11|title=View:Census2011|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
!colspan="2"|2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021|title=View:Census2021|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|[[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|No religion]]||align=right|537,935||align=right|18.5||align=right|982,997||align=right|32.1||align=right|1,446,398||align=right|46.5
|-
|[[Christianity in Wales|Christianity]]||align=right|2,087,242||align=right|71.9||align=right|1,763,299||align=right|57.6||align=right|1,354,773||align=right|43.6
|-
|[[Islam in Wales|Islam]]||align=right|21,739||align=right|0.7||align=right|45,950||align=right|1.5||align=right|66,947||align=right|2.2
|-
|[[Hinduism in Wales|Hinduism]]||align=right|5,439||align=right|0.2||align=right|10,434||align=right|0.3||align=right|12,242||align=right|0.4
|-
|[[Buddhism in Wales|Buddhism]]||align=right|5,407||align=right|0.2||align=right|9,117||align=right|0.3||align=right|10,075||align=right|0.3
|-
|[[Sikhism in Wales|Sikhism]]||align=right|2,015||align=right|0.1||align=right|2,962||align=right|0.1||align=right|4,048||align=right|0.1
|-
|[[History of the Jews in Wales|Judaism]]||align=right|2,256||align=right|0.1||align=right|2,064||align=right|0.1||align=right|2,044||align=right|0.1
|-
|Other religion<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jamesdholt.com/2022/11/29/other-religions-in-the-2021-england-and-wales-census/|title=View:Other Religions in the 2021 England and Wales Census|date=29 November 2022 |publisher=DrJamesDHolt}}</ref>||align=right|6,909||align=right|0.2||align=right|12,705||align=right|0.4||align=right|15,926||align=right|0.5
|-
|Religion not stated||align=right|234,143||align=right|8.1||align=right|233,928||align=right|7.6||align=right|195,041||align=right|6.3
|-
|Total population||align=right|2,903,085||align=right|100.0||align=right|3,063,456||align=right|100.0||align=right|3,107,494||align=right|100.0
|}

*There are no solid statistics covering [[Christian denomination]]s in Wales. However it is clear that the [[Presbyterian Church of Wales]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://welshchapels.wales/nonconformity/calvinistic-methodists-presbyterians/|title=View:The story of nonconformity in wales|publisher=Welsh Religious Buildings Trust}}</ref> a [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformist]] denomination, and the [[Church in Wales]], part of the Anglican Church, have historically been the largest. Important to Wales have been Nonconformist denominations, which became widespread in the 18th century, and [[Roman Catholicism]] until the 16th century. The translation of the Bible into Welsh by William Morgan in 1588 not only helped the survival of the Welsh language (after the Laws in Wales Acts effectively outlawed it in public life) but also enabled a faster uptake of Protestantism.                      
*A [[Jewish]] community has existed in Wales since the 13th century or earlier, but there are now only about 2,000 Jews left (since peaking at around 5,000 in 1913), and most live in the Cardiff area. There used to be enough Jews to sustain synagogues in valley communities like Merthyr Tydfil and Tredegar, but there are now only three active synagogues in the whole country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stateofwales.com/2018/07/keeping-the-faith-i-religion-in-wales-facts-figures/|title=View:The changing nature of Christianity in Wales|publisher=State of Wales}}</ref>
*Wales before Christianity had a Celtic religion. Wales retained Celtic aspects{{clarify|date=October 2024}} in the church during the [[Middle Ages]].

==Language==
{{further|Welsh-speaking population}}[[File:Welsh speakers in the 2011 census.png|thumb|250px|The proportion of respondents in the 2011 census who said they could speak Welsh.]]
The 2011 census collected information about [[English language|English]] and [[Welsh language]] proficiency. In 2011, 2.9 million (97%) of residents age three and over spoke English or Welsh. In a further 18,000 households, at least one adult spoke English or Welsh. In 22,000 households, no resident spoke either language. There were 562,000 (19%) residents over age three proficient in at least speaking the Welsh language. This was a reduction of approximately two per cent compared to 2001, though the method of analysis differed between the two censuses. There was also a two per cent increase in those over three years of age who had no Welsh language skills.<ref name="2011censuswales" />Similar trend continued in the 2010s, and by the 2021 census proficient in at least speaking Welsh has decreased to about 538,300, about 17.8% of the total number of residents aged three or over. 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="2" |Welsh language skills!! colspan="2" |2001<ref name=":0">{{Cite report |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20151013225621mp_/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-report-on-the-welsh-language/report-on-the-welsh-language/report-on-the-welsh-language-.pdf |title=Census 2001: Report on the Welsh language |date=2001}}</ref>!! colspan="2" |2011<ref name=":1">''[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks207wa.xls 2011 Census: KS207WA Welsh language skills, unitary authorities in Wales, Accessed 23 December 2012]''</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name=":2">{{Cite report |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS032/editions/2021/versions/3?f=get-data&format=xls |title=Welsh language skills (detailed), Data combining multiple variables, England and Wales: Census 2021 |date=2021 |publisher=}}</ref>
|-
!Number!! % !!Number!! % 
!Number
!%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | No skills in Welsh ||2,007,984 ||71.6 || 2,167,987 || 73.3
|2,259,018
|74.8
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can speak, read and write Welsh ||457,946 || 16.3 || 430,717 || 14.6
|429,310
|14.2
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can understand spoken Welsh only || 138,416 || 4.9 ||	157,792 ||	5.3
|156,763
|5.2
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can speak but cannot read or write Welsh ||79,310 ||	2.8 ||	80,429 || 2.7
|68,387
|2.3
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other combination of skills in Welsh ||83,661 || 3.0 ||	73,392 ||	2.5
|70,721
|2.3
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can speak and read but cannot write Welsh||38,384 ||	1.4 ||	45,524 || 1.5
|33,970
|1.1
|-
!Total
! colspan="2" |2,805,701
! colspan="2" |2,955,841
! colspan="2" |3,018,169
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="2" |Welsh language skills
! colspan="2" |1991<ref>{{Cite web |title=Database Selection |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/select/getdatasetbytheme.asp?opt=3&theme=&subgrp= |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=Nomis}}</ref>!! colspan="2" |2001<ref name=":0" />!! colspan="2" |2011<ref name=":1" />
! colspan="2" |2021<ref name=":2" />
|-
!Number
! %
!Number!! % !!Number!! % 
!Number
!%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can speak 
|508,098
|18.66|| 582,368|| 20.76|| 562,016 ||19.01
|538,287
|17.83
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can read 
|444,575
|16.32|| || || ||
|522,411
|17.31
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Can write 
|384,605
|14.12|| || || ||
|458,462
|15.19
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Any skills above 
|546,551
|20.07|| 659,301|| 23.50|| 630,062||21.32
|602,388
|19.96
|-
|Any skills (includes listening)
|
|
|797,717
|28.43
|787,854
|26.65
|759,151
|25.15
|-
! style="text-align:left" |All skills above
!369,609
!13.57
!457,946
!16.32
!430,717
!14.57
!429,310
!14.22
|-
!Total
! colspan="2" |2,723,623
! colspan="2" |2,805,701
! colspan="2" |2,955,841
! colspan="2" |3,018,169
|}

:

The most common main languages spoken in Wales according to the 2011 census are shown below.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/qs204ew |title=View:Wales |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=5 September 2014}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! Language !! Usual<br>residents<br>aged 3+ !! Proportion
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[English language|English]] or [[Welsh language|Welsh]] || 2,871,405 || 97.14%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Polish language|Polish]] || 17,001 || 0.58%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Arabic language|Arabic]] || 6,800 || 0.23%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Bengali language|Bengali]] (with [[Sylheti language|Sylheti]] and [[Chittagonian language|Chatgaya]]) || 5,207 || 0.18%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Tagalog language|Tagalog/Filipino]] || 2,749 || 0.09%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] || 2,451 || 0.08%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Urdu language|Urdu]] || 2,350 || 0.08%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[French language|French]] || 2,073 || 0.07%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[German language|German]] || 2,050 || 0.07%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[Italian language|Italian]] || 1,694 || 0.06%
|-
|style="text-align:left"| Other || 42,061 || 1.42%
|}

==Marriage and civil partnership==
In 2011, those who were married were still the largest marriage or civil partnership status group in Wales for residents aged 16 and over, though since 2001 this group has decreased by 37,000 (over 5%). In contrast, single people (i.e. those who have never married or been part of a same sex partnership), have increased by 190,000 (6%) in the ten-year period. Civil partnerships, which were given legal status in 2005, appear for the first time in the census results. The number of widows, widowers and surviving partners is 20,000 lower than in 2001. The final groups, relating to separation and divorce or legal dissolution of civil partnerships, have both seen an increase in both numerical and relative terms since 2001.<ref name="2011censuswales"/>

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!rowspan=2|Status!!colspan=2| 2001 !!colspan=2|2011
|-
!Thousands!!%!!Thousands!!%
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Married]] || 1,204	|| 52.0 || 1,167 || 46.6
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Single person|Single]] || 650 || 28.1 || 840 || 33.5
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Divorced]] or legally dissolved || 201 || 8.7 || 242 || 9.7
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Widowed]] or surviving partner || 218 || 9.4 || 198 || 7.9
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Legal separation|Separated]] ||44 || 1.9 || 55 || 2.2
|-
|style="text-align:left" | [[Civil partnership]] || n/a || n/a || 5 || 0.2
|}

'''Table key'''
* Single = Single never married or registered a same-sex civil partnership)
* Divorced or legally dissolved = divorced or formerly in a same-sex civil partnership which is now legally dissolved
* Widowed or surviving partner = Widowed or surviving partner from a same-sex civil partnership
* Separated = Separated (but still legally married or still legally in a same-sex civil partnership)
* Civil partnership = In a registered same-sex civil partnership

:Source: ''[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-unitary-authorities-in-wales/rft-table-ks103ew.xls 2011 Census: KS103EW Marital and civil partnership status, unitary authorities in Wales, Accessed 23 December 2012]''

== Military staff and veterans ==
{{Main|Armed forces in Wales}}
Out of all the armed services, the Army has the largest presence in Wales, with over 1,400 personnel based there. As of 2019, there were 3,230 military and civilian personnel based in Wales.<ref name="Zubova2">{{Cite web |last=Zubova |first=Xenia |title=How Welsh is the British Army? |url=https://www.forces.net/heritage/history/how-welsh-british-army |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=Forces Network |date=March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

In the 2021 census, around 115,000 people in Wales reported that they had previously served in the armed forces, around 4.5% of usual residents in Wales aged 16 years or older.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |title=UK Armed Forces veterans in Wales (Census 2021) |url=https://gov.wales/uk-armed-forces-veterans-wales-census-2021-html |access-date=2022-11-19 |website=GOV.WALES |date=10 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==Miscellaneous data==
* Population density (2006): 143 people per square kilometre<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=3647|title=Stats Wales|website=Statwales.wales.gov.uk|access-date=2017-08-29|archive-date=2012-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116012017/http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/TableViewer/tableView.aspx?ReportId=3647|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Fertility rate: 1.90 (2007)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/Table_5_Area_Local_Authority.xls|title=Live births by local authority 2007|website=Statistics.gov.uk|access-date=2017-08-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070706060428/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/Table_5_Area_Local_Authority.xls|archive-date=2007-07-06}}</ref>
* In 2010, 58% of births were outside marriage in Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statswales.wales.gov.uk/ReportFolders/reportFolders.aspx|title=Detailed official data on Wales|website=Statwales.wales.gov.uk|access-date=2017-08-29}}</ref> Currently{{When|date=June 2024}}, Wales and Scotland are the only countries of the United Kingdom where the majority of births are outside of marriage (51.3% of births in Scotland in 2012 were outside of marriage).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/births-marriages-deaths-quarterly/ve-2012-q4-tableq1.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-04-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130617080614/http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/files2/stats/births-marriages-deaths-quarterly/ve-2012-q4-tableq1.pdf |archive-date=2013-06-17 }}</ref> Wales (along with Scotland) also had the highest death rate (10.9 per thousand) in 2005.<ref name="Overview">{{cite web|title=Wales's Population: A Demographic Overview 1971-2005|url=http://new.wales.gov.uk/docrepos/40382/40382313/statistics/population/pop-2007/wales-pop2005/wales-pop2005-e1.pdf?lang=en|website=New.wales.gov.uk|access-date=2017-08-29}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Demographics of the United Kingdom]]
*[[Demographics of England]]
*[[Demographics of Scotland]]
*[[Demographics of Northern Ireland]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Wales topics}}
{{Geography of Wales}}
{{Demographics of Europe}}
{{Economy of Wales}}

[[Category:Demographics of Wales]]