Central Asians in the United Kingdom

See also: British Asians, East Asians in the United Kingdom, and Southeast Asians in the United Kingdom

Central Asians in the United Kingdom

Total population
Ethnic Central Asians: 3,661 (England and Wales only, 2021)[1] Other estimates: At least 10,667 Kazakh (5,432), Uzbek (2,864), Kyrgyz (1,132), Turkmen (784), Tajik (455), Other Central Asians (Unknown) All figures are the 2015 UN population estimates for the United Kingdom[2]
Regions with significant populations
London[3]
Languages
West/Central Asian language (all other) – 9,869 (including Kazakh language, Kyrgyz language, Tajik language, Turkmen language, and Uzbek language) Number of speakers in England & Wales as a main language, of all usual residents aged 3 and over, from the 2021 census.[4]
Religion
Islam, Non-religious, others

Central Asians in the United Kingdom are Central Asians living in the United Kingdom. They have been present in the country since the 21st century^{[citation needed]} and primarily originate from the countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Population history

The UK Government considers the Central Asian sovereign states to be Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.^[5] According to United Nations population estimates conducted in 2015, there are over 10,000 Central Asian people residing in the United Kingdom.^[2] In 2001, Nooralhaq Nasimi founded the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) in London, which seeks to specifically help Afghan, as well as Central Asian refugees settle in the UK.^[3]

2021 Census

The figures below represent data collected for the 2021 United Kingdom census with the country as a reported birthplace recorded (i.e. does not include British born people of Central Asian origin). The census in Scotland was delayed for a year and took place in 2022.^[6]

State/Territory	England (2021)[7]	Scotland (2022)[8]	Wales (2021)[7]	Northern Ireland (2021)[9]	United Kingdom (2021/22)
Kazakhstan	5,604	1,067	128	72	–
Uzbekistan	3,789		47	21
Kyrgyzstan	1,364		37	0
Other Central Asia	1,557		22	–
Total	12,314	1,067	234	93	13,708

Subgroups

Kazakhs

See also: Kazakhs

The UN has estimated that there are 5,432 Kazakhs living in the United Kingdom, as of 2015.^[2] In 2009, it was reported that Kazakh entrepreneurs were achieving high positions in British industry.^[10] Kazakh politician Dariga Nazarbayeva is a part-time resident in London.^[11][12] In 2011, Kazakh businessman Mukhtar Ablyazov was granted asylum in the UK, along with his wife and children.^[13] In 2018, a Kazakh TV-feature reported how ethnic Kazakhs in the UK preserved their culture and language while living as part of the diaspora.^[14]

Kazakhs have studied at British schools and universities since at least 2006.^[15] In the 2006/2007 school year, private school Haileybury and Imperial Service College had 14 Kazakh students.^[16] In 2020, it was reported that the UK was the most popular destination of Kazakhstan's Bolashak Programme, allowing the majority of its students to reside and study in Britain.^[17]

Kyrgyz

See also: Kyrgyz people

Between 1997 and 2002, Kyrgyz diplomat Roza Otunbayeva resided in London, England, serving as the Central Asian nation's ambassador to the UK.^[18] In 2007, the Israeli Government helped support an appeal against the deportation of Kyrgyz nationals from the United Kingdom. The refugees, who were orphaned twin sisters and resided in Birmingham, England, were claiming asylum in the country.^[19] Kyrgyz former politician Maxim Bakiyev is a resident in the United Kingdom.^[20][21] In 2015, the UN estimated there were 1,132 Kyrgyz residents in the UK.^[2]

Tajiks

See also: Tajiks

In 2013, Tajik child care workers gained temporary residency in the UK, travelling to Falkirk, Scotland for professional training in their field. The sharing of modern child care techniques was administered by Falkirk Council and funded by an EU-backed scheme.^[22] By 2015, the UN had estimated a total population of 455 Tajiks in the country.^[2]

Turkmens

See also: Turkmens

In 2015, the UN estimated that there were 784 Turkmens residing in the United Kingdom.^[2]

Uzbeks

See also: Uzbeks

The second largest national subgroup of Central Asians after Kazakhs, the United Nations estimated a total population of 2,864 Uzbeks living in the United Kingdom in 2015.^[2]

See also

• Afghans in the United Kingdom
• Asian Americans
• Asian Australians
• Asian Canadians
• Asian New Zealanders
• British Asians
• British East and Southeast Asian
• British Turks
• East Asians in the United Kingdom
• Southeast Asians in the United Kingdom

References

1. "TS:002 Ethnic group (detailed)". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
2. "Trends in International Migrant Stock: Migrants by Destination and Origin (United Nations database, POP/DB/MIG/Stock/Rev.2015)" (XLS). United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
3. "'Idiots tell me to leave' – What life is like as an Afghan refugee in London". Reach plc. 17 December 2018.
4. "TS024 - Main language (detailed)". Nomis: Official Census and Labour Market Statistics. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
5. David Lidington (23 February 2012). "UK engagement with Central Asia". UK Government. The Central Asian states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – were in many respects dealt a difficult hand at independence.
6. McNeill, Kirsty (18 March 2021). "March 21st is Census day - but Scotland will have to wait". Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
7. "Country of birth (extended)". www.ons.gov.uk. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
8. "Table UV204 - Country of birth: Country by Country of Birth by Individuals". National Records of Scotland. Retrieved 24 May 2024. > 'All of Scotland' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Country of birth: UV204'
9. "MS-A18: Country of birth - full detail". nisra.gov.uk. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
10. Simon Bowers; Tim Webb (8 April 2020). "Kazakhs join British super-rich". The Guardian. Young Kazakhs are among former eastern bloc businessmen at top of British industry
11. "Kazakh family win Unexplained Wealth Order battle over London homes". BBC. 8 April 2020.
12. David Dawkins (11 March 2020). "U.K. Takes Fight To Kazakhstan's Wealthy Elite Over Unexplained 'Billionaires' Row' Mansion". Forbes.
13. Richard Orange (12 July 2011). "Kazakh billionaire granted UK asylum". The Daily Telegraph.
14. "Kazakh Diaspora in UK". Khabar Agency. 3 April 2018. Ethnic Kazakhs living in the United Kingdom are working towards preserving the national culture. Members of the Kazakh diaspora in UK want to promote their national traditions and pass them down to a younger generation.
15. Yerlan Askarbekov (28 October 2016). "What Kazakhstan really thought of Borat". BBC. Maybe the most angry Kazakhs in 2006 were our students in the UK and US. They understood the movie, but their non-Kazakh peers on campus did not.
16. "Top British school in Borat's homeland". Evening Standard. 25 January 2007. Haileybury currently has 14 Kazakh pupils.
17. "Kazakhs studying in UK forced to reveal passwords". The Times. 3 October 2020.
18. Annette Bohr (April 2010). "Revolution in Kyrgyzstan – Again" (PDF). Chatham House.
19. "Kyrgyzstani refugees prefer U.K." Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 13 February 2007.
20. "Kyrgyz ex-leader Bakiyev's son held in UK for fraud". BBC. 13 October 2012.
21. Maxton Walker (14 July 2013). "Kyrgyz president attacks UK for 'hosting a guy who robbed us'". The Guardian.
22. "Falkirk social workers to host Tajikistani counterparts". BBC. 8 November 2012. The European Union-backed scheme will see Tajikistani child care workers visit Falkirk Council to witness modern child care techniques first hand.

External links