ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of ethnic groups in the UK, their make-up and their social positions relative to each other. It is hoped that this will provide important context for other chapters, and for the reader. Indeed, such context is central to an understanding of ethnicity, ethnic differences in health, and the provision of health and social care. So, even if the reader is conducting, planning or evaluating research conducted outside the UK, the messages contained here are relevant. For those interested in the UK context, more detail can be obtained by following up the references in the text, and in particular Modood et al. (1997) and Mason (2003).
