Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                 
Table 2.14 Strength of UK Regular Forces by Service and ethnic origin at 1 April each year
  2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
 
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
Number
Percent1
of total (exc. unknown)
All Services 206 915   207 020   201 100   195 850   190 395 p     187 055 p    
                                 
Ethnic Minorities2 8 175 4.3 9 320 4.9 9 885 5.3 10 180 5.5 10 360 p 5.8 p 10 600 p 6.1 p
   Asian 740 0.4 790 0.4 905 0.5 970 0.5 1 025 p 0.6 p 1 090 p 0.6 p
   Black 4 020 2.1 5 065 2.6 5 535 3.0 5 790 3.1 5 990 p 3.4 p 6 270 p 3.6 p
   Chinese 150 0.1 155 0.1 160 0.1 150 0.1 140 p 0.1 p 145 p 0.1 p
   Mixed 2 295 1.2 2 320 1.2 2 275 1.2 2 275 1.2 2 250 p 1.3 p 2 155 p 1.2 p
   Other 970 0.5 995 0.5 1 010 0.5 995 0.5 955 p 0.5 p 940 p 0.5 p
                                 
White 181 655 95.7 182 060 95.1 177 665 94.7 173 710 94.5 167 315 p 94.2 p 164 250 p 93.9 p
                                 
Unknown3 17 085 * 15 640 * 13 545 * 11 955 * 12 725 p *   12 210 p *  
 
                                 
Naval Service 41 550   40 880   39 945   39 390   38 860       38 575 p    
                                 
Ethnic Minorities2 880 2.3 920 2.4 960 2.5 995 2.6 985   2.7   1 125 p 3.1 p
   Asian 75 0.2 75 0.2 85 0.2 85 0.2 70   0.2   80 p 0.2 p
   Black 290 0.7 310 0.8 335 0.9 385 1.0 405   1.1   540 p 1.5 p
   Chinese 25 0.1 25 0.1 25 0.1 25 0.1 25   0.1   25 p 0.1 p
   Mixed 350 0.9 360 0.9 365 0.9 360 0.9 345   0.9   340 p 0.9 p
   Other 145 0.4 145 0.4 145 0.4 145 0.4 140   0.4   135 p 0.4 p
                                 
White 38 005 97.7 37 630 97.6 37 465 97.5 37 260 97.4 35 485   97.3   35 690 p 96.9 p
                                 
Unknown3 2 660 * 2 330 * 1 520 * 1 135 * 2 385   *   1 760 p *  
 
                                 
Army 112 125   112 745   109 285   107 730   106 170 p     105 090 p    
                                 
Ethnic Minorities2 6 070 5.9 7 200 6.9 7 780 7.6 8 150 8.0 8 435 p 8.4 p 8 610 p 8.8 p
   Asian 495 0.5 540 0.5 655 0.6 735 0.7 820 p 0.8 p 885 p 0.9 p
   Black 3 405 3.3 4 435 4.2 4 890 4.8 5 140 5.1 5 345 p 5.3 p 5 515 p 5.6 p
   Chinese 90 0.1 95 0.1 95 0.1 90 0.1 85 p 0.1 p 90 p 0.1 p
   Mixed 1 460 1.4 1 475 1.4 1 460 1.4 1 495 1.5 1 510 p 1.5 p 1 445 p 1.5 p
   Other 625 0.6 655 0.6 675 0.7 690 0.7 670 p 0.7 p 670 p 0.7 p
                                 
White 97 280 94.1 97 745 93.1 94 595 92.4 93 490 92.0 92 000 p 91.6 p 89 625 p 91.2 p
                                 
Unknown3 8 775 * 7 805 * 6 910 * 6 090 * 5 730 p *   6 860 p *  
 
                                 
Royal Air Force 53 240   53 390   51 870   48 730   45 370       43 390 p    
                                 
Ethnic Minorities2 1 225 2.6 1 200 2.5 1 150 2.5 1 040 2.4 935   2.3   865 p 2.2 p
   Asian 175 0.4 170 0.4 165 0.4 155 0.3 135   0.3   120 p 0.3 p
   Black 325 0.7 320 0.7 310 0.7 265 0.6 235   0.6   215 p 0.5 p
   Chinese 35 0.1 35 0.1 35 0.1 35 0.1 30   0.1   30 p 0.1 p
   Mixed 485 1.0 485 1.0 455 1.0 420 1.0 395   1.0   370 p 0.9 p
   Other 200 0.4 195 0.4 185 0.4 165 0.4 145   0.4   130 p 0.3 p
                                 
White 46 370 97.4 46 685 97.5 45 605 97.5 42 960 97.6 39 825   97.7   38 935 p 97.8 p
                                 
Unknown3 5 645 * 5 505 * 5 115 * 4 730 * 4 605   *   3 590 p *  
Source: DASA (Quad-Service)
UK Regular Forces includes all trained and untrained personnel. Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve personnel, and mobilised reservists are excluded.
1.  Percentages are calculated from unrounded data.
2.  Asian includes Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Pakistani, Asian Indian and other Asian Backgrounds.
     Black includes Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black Backgrounds.
     Mixed includes Mixed Black African and White, Mixed Asian and White, Mixed Black Caribbean and White and other Mixed Ethnic Backgrounds.
3.  Includes those with an unrecorded ethnic origin and those who chose not to declare.
Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, Army strength statistics for 1 April 2007 and 1 April 2008, and Naval Service and RAF strength statistics for 1 April 2008 are provisional and subject to review.