Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                     
Table 2.10 Strength of UK Regular Forces by Service and ethnic origin at 1 April each year1,2
  2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
  Number Percent1 Number Percent1 Number Percent1 Number   Percent1   Number   Percent1   Number   Percent1  
All Services 207 020   201 100   195 850   190 395 p     187 055 p     188 365 p    
                                     
    Ethnic Minorities2 9 320 4.9 9 885 5.3 10 180 5.5 10 360 p 5.8 p 10 600 p 6.1 p 11 380 p 6.5 p
        Asian 790 0.4 905 0.5 970 0.5 1 025 p 0.6 p 1 090 p 0.6 p 1 320 p 0.8 p
        Black 5 065 2.6 5 535 3.0 5 790 3.1 5 990 p 3.4 p 6 270 p 3.6 p 6 780 p 3.9 p
        Chinese 155 0.1 160 0.1 150 0.1 140 p 0.1 p 145 p 0.1 p 140 p 0.1 p
        Mixed 2 320 1.2 2 275 1.2 2 275 1.2 2 250 p 1.3 p 2 155 p 1.2 p 2 225 p 1.3 p
        Other 995 0.5 1 010 0.5 995 0.5 955 p 0.5 p 940 p 0.5 p 910 p 0.5 p
                                     
    White 182 060 95.1 177 665 94.7 173 710 94.5 167 315 p 94.2 p 164 250 p 93.9 p 164 615 p 93.5 p
                                     
    Unknown3 15 640 * 13 545 * 11 955 * 12 725 p *   12 210 p *   12 370 p *  
                                     
                                     
Naval Service 40 880   39 945   39 390   38 860       38 575 p     38 340 p    
                                     
    Ethnic Minorities2 920 2.4 960 2.5 995 2.6 985   2.7   1 125 p 3.1 p 1 200 p 3.3 p
        Asian 75 0.2 85 0.2 85 0.2 70   0.2   80 p 0.2 p 85 p 0.2 p
        Black 310 0.8 335 0.9 385 1.0 405   1.1   540 p 1.5 p 605 p 1.7 p
        Chinese 25 0.1 25 0.1 25 0.1 25   0.1   25 p 0.1 p 20 p 0.1 p
        Mixed 360 0.9 365 0.9 360 0.9 345   0.9   340 p 0.9 p 355 p 1.0 p
        Other 145 0.4 145 0.4 145 0.4 140   0.4   135 p 0.4 p 135 p 0.4 p
                                     
    White 37 630 97.6 37 465 97.5 37 260 97.4 35 485   97.3   35 690 p 96.9 p 35 280 p 96.7 p
                                     
    Unknown3 2 330 * 1 520 * 1 135 * 2 385   *   1 760 p *   1 865 p *  
                                     
                                     
Army 112 745   109 285   107 730   106 170 p     105 090 p     106 460 p    
                                     
    Ethnic Minorities2 7 200 6.9 7 780 7.6 8 150 8.0 8 435 p 8.4 p 8 610 p 8.8 p 9 315 p 9.4 p
        Asian 540 0.5 655 0.6 735 0.7 820 p 0.8 p 885 p 0.9 p 1 100 p 1.1 p
        Black 4 435 4.2 4 890 4.8 5 140 5.1 5 345 p 5.3 p 5 515 p 5.6 p 5 970 p 6.0 p
        Chinese 95 0.1 95 0.1 90 0.1 85 p 0.1 p 90 p 0.1 p 90 p 0.1 p
        Mixed 1 475 1.4 1 460 1.4 1 495 1.5 1 510 p 1.5 p 1 445 p 1.5 p 1 490 p 1.5 p
        Other 655 0.6 675 0.7 690 0.7 670 p 0.7 p 670 p 0.7 p 660 p 0.7 p
                                     
    White 97 745 93.1 94 595 92.4 93 490 92.0 92 000 p 91.6 p 89 625 p 91.2 p 89 845 p 90.6 p
                                     
    Unknown3 7 805 * 6 910 * 6 090 * 5 730 p *   6 860 p *   7 300 p *  
                                     
                                     
Royal Air Force 53 390   51 870   48 730   45 370       43 390 p     43 565 p    
                                     
    Ethnic Minorities2 1 200 2.5 1 150 2.5 1 040 2.4 935   2.3   865 p 2.2 p 870 p 2.2 p
        Asian 170 0.4 165 0.4 155 0.3 135   0.3   120 p 0.3 p 135 p 0.3 p
        Black 320 0.7 310 0.7 265 0.6 235   0.6   215 p 0.5 p 210 p 0.5 p
        Chinese 35 0.1 35 0.1 35 0.1 30   0.1   30 p 0.1 p 35 p 0.1 p
        Mixed 485 1.0 455 1.0 420 1.0 395   1.0   370 p 0.9 p 380 p 0.9 p
        Other 195 0.4 185 0.4 165 0.4 145   0.4   130 p 0.3 p 115 p 0.3 p
                                     
    White 46 685 97.5 45 605 97.5 42 960 97.6 39 825   97.7   38 935 p 97.8 p 39 490 p 97.8 p
                                     
    Unknown3 5 505 * 5 115 * 4 730 * 4 605   *   3 590 p *   3 210 p *  
Source: DASA (Quad-Service)
UK Regular Forces comprises all trained and untrained personnel. It excludes Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve personnel, and mobilised reservists.
 
1. Percentages are calculated from unrounded data and are based on those with known ethnicity only.
2. Asian comprises Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Pakistani, Asian Indian and other Asian Backgrounds.
    Black comprises Black Caribbean, Black African and other Black Backgrounds.
    Chinese is defined as "any Chinese background".
    Mixed comprises Mixed Black African and White, Mixed Asian and White, Mixed Black Caribbean and white and other Mixed Ethnic Backgrounds.
    Other is defined as "other ethnic background".
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 from1 April 2007 onwards, and Naval Service and RAF strength statistics from 1 April 2008 onwards are provisional and subject to review.