Third in the world

We may be in a banking meltdown, we might not have won the world cup since 1966 but we did come fourth in the world medal table at the 2008 Olympics and after overtaking the Netherlands earlier this year we are now number three in the world in the "population density" table.



Of countries with a population of at least 10million England now only ranks behind Bangladesh (1,045 per sq km) and South Korea (498 per sq km).

England's figures forecast 405 people for every square kilometre by 2011 and the Office of National Statistics have calculated the rate of increase has increased fivefold in the last decade with the likely continuing increase in population density putting us at an estimated 574 people for every square kilometre by 2081. This compares with just 287 for every square kilometre when the figures started to be collected in 1931.



Housing shortages, overcrowding, overstretched schools, transport, hospitals and other public services, all things we might have to just get used to living with?