Over 40% of UK professionals are now members of LinkedIn, the professional networking site has announced today.

According to figures released today (9 December), LinkedIn has recruited more than one million new UK members in the six months since June 2010. This brings the total number of UK members on the site to 5 million, a significant percentage of the 12 million professionals currently at work in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The professional network launched in 2003 and now has 85 million members worldwide, with 20 million of those based in Europe.

The growth rate in the UK reflects a global growth rate of one new member every second for the site which styles itself as the home of online professional networking.

“We work in a networked world in which good business ideas and intelligent insights aren’t restricted by geography,” says Kevin Eyres, managing director at LinkedIn Europe. “This milestone in the UK is an important step for LinkedIn, and a reflection of how professional networking habits are evolving across Europe.”