Asians more likely to marry inside race: Survey

Five times as many Asians as whites would marry only someone of their own race, a survey in Britain indicated on Monday.

The survey for the BBC Asian Network by ICM Research found that 44 per cent of Asians would marry only from the same race compared with 9 per cent of white participants.

When it came to friendships, fewer than a third of Asian participants said "all or most" of their friends were from the same race, compared with more than two-thirds of white people.

In the survey, "Asian" refers to people identifying themselves as Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Sri Lankan. According to the survey, nearly half (44 per cent) of Asians would not date a white person, while more than half of young Asians would not consider dating a black person.

The figures show a stark contrast with white respondents, of whom only nine per cent would marry only someone of their own racial background.

Young Asians also appeared to have a very different attitude to homosexuality -- 44 per cent of them thought it immoral compared with eight per cent of young white people.

The study is carried out as part of the BBC's Asian National season and was designed to gain an insight into the mindset of British Asians.

Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans aged under 34 were questioned for the research.