ABSTRACT
An island off the northwest coast of Europe, England has had significant cultural, economic, historic and social impacts on the wider world, with hundreds of millions of people speaking the English language in many countries. At the most recent census in 2011, England's population stood at approximately 53 million (Office for National Statistics 2012a). This represents 84 per cent of the total population of the UK, which currently stands at 63.2 million (Office for National Statistics 2012b). England is both part of Great Britain (GB) and the United Kingdom (UK). While Great Britain comprises the two kingdoms of Scotland and England, together with the principality of Wales, the UK also includes Northern Ireland (though it should be noted that the push for Scottish independence is gaining ground). In the UK, women (32.2 million) marginally outnumber men (31 million) (Office for National Statistics 2012c). In common with many other countries in the European Union, the UK has an ageing population, with more women than men in older age groups, reflecting the higher life expectancy of females (82 years for women compared with 76 for men in 2008) (Advisory Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2012).
