"UK to have Europe's biggest population: Migration will force us ahead of Germany, says UN"

The Mail has the story...

"Britain will overtake Germany as the country with the highest population in Europe, the United Nations predicted yesterday.

The gap of more than 20million people between this country and Germany will be closed by 2050, its analysts said.

By then Britain will also have outstripped France to be home to more people than any other EU nation.

Germany has been the most populous country in Europe since its establishment as a nation 139 years ago.

Britain's population growth comes because of immigration rates that mean this country is and will remain the third greatest destination for migrants in the world, the UN said.

A report by the UN Population Division said Germany's population, currently 82million, will fall to 71million by 2050. Britain's will rise from 61million to 72million, while France's population of 62million will grow to 68 million.

The changes are mainly a result of net migration - the number entering a country as immigrants minus the number leaving as emigrants.

The UN said Britain's net migration rate will be 174,000 people a year until 2050. It is third only to the U.S., which will grow by 1.1million migrants a year, and Canada, which will have 214,000. Germany's net migration rate will be 110,000, while France's will be 100,000 a year. "

Usual questions apply, usual answers will be given and WHY?