In 2007, net immigration to the UK was 237,000, a rise of 46,000 on 2006. In 2004 the number of people who became British citizens rose to a record 140,795 - a rise of 12% on the previous year. This number had risen dramatically since 2000. In the 2001 Census, citizens from the Republic of Ireland were the largest foreign-born group and have been for the last 200 years. This figure does not include those from Northern Ireland since it is part of the United Kingdom. Those of Irish ancestry number roughly 6 million from first, second and third generations.
The pattern of immigration into the UK is mirrored in mainland Europe.
The overwhelming majority of new citizens come from Asia (40%) and Africa (32%). In 2011, an estimated 589,000 migrants arrived to live in the UK for at least a year, most of the migrants were people from Asia (particularly the Indian subcontinent) and Africa while 338,000 people emigrated from the UK for a year or more.
