Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate was 5.34 million in 2030. ▼ Falling
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom, 2000–2030
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom is 5.34 million, measured in 2030. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of down 31.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom peaked at 17.23 million in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.34 million, in 2030.
That places United Kingdom 29th out of 166 countries with data for 2030, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.23 million | — |
| 2005 | 14.12 million | -18.1% |
| 2007 | 13.14 million | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 11.76 million | -10.5% |
| 2015 | 9.62 million | -18.2% |
| 2020 | 7.83 million | -18.7% |
| 2022 | 7.25 million | -7.4% |
| 2023 | 6.99 million | -3.6% |
| 2024 | 6.72 million | -3.8% |
| 2025 | 6.50 million | -3.3% |
| 2030 | 5.34 million | -17.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 5.34 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 935,000, 5.7× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 5.34 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.25 million, 4.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.83 million | 13.14 million | 17.23 million | 3 |
| 2010s | 10.69 million | 9.62 million | 11.76 million | 2 |
| 2020s | 7.06 million | 6.50 million | 7.83 million | 5 |
| 2030s | 5.34 million | 5.34 million | 5.34 million | 1 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom?
- Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate in United Kingdom was 5.34 million in 2030, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 17.23 million in 2000.
- What is the lowest number of current tobacco smokers, estimate recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.34 million in 2030.
- How does United Kingdom rank for number of current tobacco smokers, estimate?
- United Kingdom ranks 29th out of 166 countries with data for 2030.
- Is number of current tobacco smokers, estimate rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Number of current tobacco smokers, estimate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).