The two graphs provide information about UK citizenship. The line graph illustrates the number of people who were granted UK citizenship annually between 1962 and 2002, while the bar chart compares the regional origins of new citizens in 1996 and 2002. All figures are expressed in thousands.
Overall, the total number of people acquiring UK citizenship rose significantly over the 40-year period, with a particularly sharp increase after 1999. In terms of origin, the majority of new citizens in both 1996 and 2002 came from Asia and Africa.
In 1962, around 20,000 people were granted citizenship. This figure rose gradually to approximately 50,000 by the early 1980s. A notable increase followed, peaking at just over 70,000 in the late 1980s. However, this upward trend was briefly interrupted in the 1990s, when the number fell to around 54,000 by 1996. From that point onward, there was a dramatic surge, reaching roughly 120,000 in 2002 – the highest figure in the period shown.
The bar chart reveals a marked increase in new citizens from all regions between 1996 and 2002, with Asia and Africa accounting for the largest proportions. In 1996, 19,000 new citizens came from Asia and 9,000 from Africa. By 2002, these figures had more than doubled to 50,000 and 39,000, respectively. The number from Europe and the Americas also rose from 9,000 to 27,000. In contrast, the contribution from Australasia and other regions remained low, with only a slight decrease from 5,000 to 4,000.
In summary, citizenship grants in the UK grew steadily, with a particularly steep rise after 1999, and the primary sources of new citizens were consistently Asia and Africa.