Many view Scotland as an ethnically homogeneous nation with an almost exclusively white population. However, this stereotype is outdated and ignores the fact that many BAME communities across the country are growing. Although not as diverse as other parts of the UK, such as London, Scotland is trending towards a more ethnically mixed population, according to census data from 2001 to 2011. And this trend is expected to continue through to the next census in 2022.
By far the largest minority ethnic group in Scotland is the South Asian community. Scottish Indians make up around 0.6% of the population, Pakistanis 0.9% and Bangladeshis just under 0.1%. A large number of South Asians, particularly Indians, lived and worked in East Africa before coming to the UK in the 1960s and 70s. Many also immigrated directly from the sub-continent following the end of British rule and the partition of India in 1947.
Some of them established businesses which benefited from the pro-enterprise policies of the 1980s. They have had a distinctive cultural influence, with British-Indian cuisine being a national favourite. And there are numerous Islamic mosques, Sikh gurdwaras and Hindu temples across Scotland, many of them engaged in important charity and community work. When it comes to language, the South Asian influence is even more apparent. There are over 46,000 Scots who speak Urdu or Punjabi, which is nearly double the number of Gaelic speakers.
Immigration from China has also been significant, with Chinese people accounting for 0.6% of the Scottish population. The first Chinese restaurant in Glasgow opened in 1948 on Govan Road, at a time when there were very few Chinese people living in the city. It was not until the 1960s that large numbers of Chinese immigrants started to make Glasgow their home. The last census revealed that over 16,000 people speak Mandarin or Cantonese across Scotland. Many of them in Glasgow, which has one of Britain’s largest Chinese communities totalling about 12,000.
More recently, the African and Caribbean communities have experienced significant growth. Between 2001 and 2011 the number of Scots describing themselves as African, Caribbean or Black rose from 0.1% to 0.7%. As this trend continues, Black Scots will become even more prominent in society and public life. Something we have already begun to see with the election of Black politicians such as Scottish Conservative Friends of BAME (SCBAME) board member Adebayo Aibinu.
As well as the groups mentioned above, there are various smaller ethnic minority communities and white immigrants from other European countries. All of them make an essential contribution to Scottish society. As we head towards the 2022 census, we expect to see increasing diversity in all areas of the country. This is something we should continue to celebrate as immigrant and minority communities make large cultural and economic contributions that benefit all of us.