British Asians
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| British South Asians (total of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi census categories) 3,078,374 (2011) and with East Asians in the United Kingdom 4,078,374 |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United Kingdom |
|
 England |
2,944,498 (5.5%) (2011) |
 Scotland |
85,875 (1.6%) (2011) |
 Wales |
40,172 (1.3%) (2011) |
 N.Ireland |
7,829 (0.4%) (2011) |
| Languages | |
|
Primary language: English |
|
| Religion | |
| Chiefly Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism Christian, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Jain and Atheist minorities |
|
Primary language: English
British Asians (also referred as South Asians in the United Kingdom, Asian British people or Asian Britons) are persons of Asian descent who reside in the United Kingdom. In British English usage, the term Asians usually includes British originating only from South Asia. Prior to the formation of the United Kingdom, immigration of South Asian ethnic groups to England began with the arrival of the East India Company to the Indian subcontinent. This continued during the British Raj and increased in volume after the independence of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka from the British rule, chiefly for education and economic pursuits. A major influx of Asian immigrants, mostly Hindus and Muslims, also took place following the expulsion of Indian communities (then holders of British passports) from Uganda.
In Britain, the word "Asian" usually refers specifically to people of South Asian ancestry (Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans). This usage contrasts to that in the United States, where it is used to refer to people of East Asian origin. The British Sociological Association's guidelines on equality and diversity suggest that "South Asian" is more precise than "Asian", and that the latter should not be used where there is a risk of it conflating South Asians with people from elsewhere in Asia.
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