Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with an overall density of some 6,300 people per square kilometre.[2] At the same time, Hong Kong has one of the world's lowest birth rates—0.68 per woman of child-bearing age as of 2022, far below the replacement rate of 2.1. It is estimated that 26.8% of the population will be aged 65 or more in 2033, up from 12.1% in 2005. Hong Kong recorded a crude birth rate of 8.2 per 1,000 people on average annually in 2005–2010.[3]
Ethnically, Hong Kong mainly consists of Chinese who constitute approximately 92% of the population.[4][5] Of these, many originate from various regions in Guangdong. There are also a number of descendants of immigrants from elsewhere in Southern China during and after the Chinese Civil War.
People from Hong Kong generally refer to themselves, in Cantonese, as Hèung Góng Yàhn (Chinese: 香港人; Cantonese Yale: Hèung Góng Yàhn; lit. 'Hong Kong people'); however, the term is not restricted to those of Chinese descent, owing to Hong Kong's roughly 160-year colonial history that saw the civil servants and traders of British, Indian, Russian and other ethnic groups stationed in Hong Kong.
In English, the term 'Hongkongers' (or sometimes 'Hong Kongers') is also used to refer to Hong Kongese people, while the term 'Hongkongese' is sometimes used as an adjective to describe people or things related to Hong Kong.[6][7]
The following census data is available for Hong Kong between the years 1841–2011. In 2011, Hong Kong had a population of just over 7 million, with a density of approximately 6,300 people per square kilometer. This makes Hong Kong the fourth most densely populated region in the world, after Macau, Monaco, and Singapore.[2]
Age groups
United Nations data
According to United Nations estimates from 1 July 2013, Hong Kong's population is distributed in the following age ranges, with the largest age group represented being 50–54 years:[14]
Age group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
3,330,700
3,856,800
7,187,500
100
0–4
134,500
125,700
260,200
3.62
5–9
128,000
120,200
248,200
3.45
10–14
149,100
139,600
288,700
4.02
15–19
208,000
196,300
404,300
5.63
20–24
226,400
230,700
457,100
6.36
25–29
221,800
295,800
517,600
7.20
30–34
231,900
343,200
575,100
8.00
35–39
229,500
331,000
560,500
7.80
40–44
239,800
338,700
578,500
8.05
45–49
271,000
337,900
608,900
8.47
50–54
313,500
341,100
654,600
9.11
55–59
281,300
287,900
569,200
7.92
60–64
220,000
223,100
443,100
6.16
65–69
148,800
146,400
295,200
4.11
70–74
109,600
103,700
213,300
2.97
75–79
100,600
109,900
210,500
2.93
80–84
69,500
88,400
157,900
2.20
85+
47,400
97,200
144,600
2.01
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
411,600
385,500
797,100
11.09
15–64
2,443,200
2,925,700
5,368,900
74.70
65+
475,900
545,600
1,021,500
14.21
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020):[15]
Age Group
Male
Female
Total
%
Total
3 416 300
4 065 500
7 481 800
100
0–4
137 400
127 400
264 800
3.54
5–9
154 600
144 800
299 400
4.00
10–14
154 400
150 700
305 100
4.08
15–19
140 100
133 500
273 600
3.66
20–24
192 600
191 900
384 500
5.14
25–29
224 600
257 300
481 900
6.44
30–34
229 800
320 400
550 200
7.35
35–39
237 500
369 300
606 800
8.11
40–44
226 300
343 500
569 800
7.62
45–49
241 500
339 700
581 200
7.77
50–54
241 400
315 400
556 800
7.44
55–59
301 200
343 300
644 500
8.61
60–64
292 400
299 000
591 400
7.90
65–69
223 200
229 900
453 100
6.06
70–74
165 200
171 500
336 700
4.50
75–79
95 100
95 200
190 300
2.54
80–84
79 900
94 000
173 900
2.32
85+
79 100
138 700
217 800
2.91
Age group
Male
Female
Total
Percent
0–14
446 400
422 900
869 300
11.62
15–64
2 327 400
2 913 300
5 240 700
70.05
65+
642 500
729 300
1 371 800
18.34
Hong Kong government data
The Hong Kong government provides the following estimates for mid-2013:[16]
age
percentage
males
females
0–14 years
11.0%
408,000
382,600
15–24 years
11.7%
424,500
417,900
25–34 years
15.2%
454,900
639,700
35–44 years
15.9%
471,500
671,800
45–54 years
17.7%
587,900
681,700
55–64 years
14.2%
503,700
512,600
65 and over
14.3%
479,500
547,700
Median age: 45.0 (2013 est.)
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
At the end of the 20th century, Hong Kong had one of the lowest birth rates in the world. However, the number of births doubled in the decade between 2001 and 2011, largely due to an increase in the number of children born in Hong Kong to women with residence in mainland China. In 2001 there were 7,810 births to Mainland women (16%) out of a total of 48,219 births. By 2009 it increased to 37,253 births to Mainland women (45%) out of a total of 82,095 births.[20]
Registered births and deaths
Average population
Live births
Deaths
Natural change
Crude birth rate (per 1,000)
Crude death rate (per 1,000)
Natural change (per 1,000)
TFR
1950
1,974,000
60,600
18,465
42,135
30.7
9.4
21.3
1951
2,044,000
68,500
20,580
47,920
34.0
10.2
23.8
1952
2,141,000
71,976
19,459
52,517
33.9
9.2
24.7
1953
2,253,000
75,544
18,300
57,244
33.7
8.2
25.5
1954
2,371,000
83,317
19,283
64,034
35.2
8.2
27.1
1955
2,490,000
90,511
19,080
71,431
36.3
7.7
28.7
1956
2,607,000
96,746
19,295
77,451
37.0
7.4
29.6
1957
2,721,000
97,834
19,365
78,469
35.8
7.1
28.7
1958
2,834,000
106,624
20,554
86,070
37.4
7.2
30.2
1959
2,951,000
104,579
20,250
84,329
35.2
6.8
28.4
1960
3,075,000
110,667
19,146
91,521
36.1
6.2
29.9
5.014
1961
3,207,000
108,726
18,738
89,988
34.3
5.9
28.4
5.030
1962
3,344,000
119,166
20,933
98,233
36.1
6.3
29.7
4.980
1963
3,477,000
118,413
20,340
98,073
34.6
5.9
28.7
4.857
1964
3,596,000
111,436
18,657
92,779
31.8
5.3
26.5
4.665
1965
3,692,000
106,362
18,160
88,202
29.6
5.0
24.5
4.422
1966
3,763,000
96,436
19,261
77,175
26.6
5.3
21.3
4.152
1967
3,812,000
94,368
20,234
74,134
25.3
5.4
19.9
3.887
1968
3,850,000
83,641
19,444
64,197
22.0
5.1
16.9
3.649
1969
3,889,000
82,482
19,256
63,226
21.3
5.0
16.4
3.448
1970
3,942,000
79,132
19,996
59,136
20.0
5.1
14.9
3.284
1971
4,009,000
79,789
20,374
59,415
19.7
5.0
14.7
3.459
1972
4,088,000
80,344
21,397
58,947
19.5
5.2
14.3
3.315
1973
4,180,000
82,252
21,251
61,001
19.5
5.0
14.5
3.177
1974
4,283,000
83,589
21,879
61,710
19.3
5.1
14.3
2.967
1975
4,396,000
79,790
21,591
58,168
17.9
4.9
13.0
2.666
1976
4,519,000
78,511
22,628
55,883
17.4
5.1
12.3
2.480
1977
4,652,000
80,022
23,331
56,691
17.5
5.1
12.4
2.376
1978
4,788,000
80,957
23,816
57,141
17.3
5.1
12.2
2.272
1979
4,919,000
81,975
25,110
56,865
16.8
5.1
11.7
2.120
1980
5,039,000
85,290
24,995
60,295
17.0
4.9
12.1
2.047
1981
5,145,000
86,751
24,822
61,929
16.8
4.8
12.0
1.933
1982
5,239,000
86,120
25,384
60,736
16.4
4.8
11.5
1.860
1983
5,322,000
83,293
26,512
56,781
15.6
5.0
10.6
1.722
1984
5,394,000
77,297
25,510
51,787
14.4
4.7
9.7
1.559
1985
5,456,000
76,126
25,248
50,878
14.0
4.6
9.3
1.491
1986
5,508,000
71,620
25,902
45,718
13.0
4.7
8.3
1.367
1987
5,551,000
69,958
26,916
43,042
12.6
4.8
7.8
1.311
1988
5,592,000
75,412
27,659
47,753
13.4
4.9
8.5
1.400
1989
5,641,000
69,621
28,745
40,876
12.3
5.1
7.2
1.296
1990
5,704,000
67,731
29,136
38,595
12.0
5.1
6.9
1.272
1991
5,786,000
68,281
28,429
39,852
12.0
4.9
7.1
1.281
1992
5,884,000
70,949
30,550
40,399
12.3
5.2
7.1
1.347
1993
5,992,000
70,451
30,571
39,880
12.0
5.1
6.9
1.342
1994
6,101,000
71,646
29,905
41,741
11.9
4.9
7.0
1.355
1995
6,206,000
68,637
31,468
37,169
11.2
5.1
6.1
1.295
1996
6,304,000
63,291
32,176
31,115
9.9
5.1
4.8
1.191
1997
6,492,000
59,250
31,738
27,512
9.1
4.9
4.2
1.127
1998
6,550,000
52,977
32,847
20,130
8.1
5.0
3.1
1.016
1999
6,611,000
51,281
33,255
18,026
7.8
5.0
2.7
0.981
2000
6,675,000
54,134
33,758
20,376
8.1
5.1
3.1
1.032
2001
6,721,000
48,219
33,378
14,841
7.2
5.0
2.2
0.931
2002
6,728,000
48,209
34,267
13,942
7.1
5.1
2.0
0.941
2003
6,745,000
46,965
36,971
9,994
7.0
5.5
1.5
0.901
2004
6,781,000
49,796
36,918
12,878
7.3
5.4
1.9
0.922
2005
6,818,000
57,098
38,830
18,268
8.4
5.7
2.7
0.959
2006
6,871,000
65,626
37,457
28,169
9.6
5.5
4.1
0.984
2007
6,921,000
70,875
39,476
31,399
10.2
5.7
4.5
1.028
2008
6,951,000
78,822
41,796
37,026
11.3
6.0
5.3
1.064
2009
6,980,000
82,095
41,175
40,920
11.8
5.9
5.9
1.055
2010
7,024,000
88,584
42,194
46,390
12.6
6.0
6.6
1.127
2011
7,072,000
95,451
42,346
53,105
13.5
5.9
7.6
1.204
2012
7,155,000
91,558
43,917
47,641
12.8
6.1
6.7
1.285
2013
7,187,000
57,084
43,397
13,687
7.9
6.0
1.9
1.125
2014
7,242,000
62,305
45,087
17,218
8.6
6.2
2.4
1.235
2015
7,306,000
59,878
46,108
13,770
8.2
6.3
1.9
1.196
2016
7,337,000
60,856
46,905
13,951
8.3
6.4
1.9
1.205
2017
7,410,000
56,548
46,829
9,719
7.7
6.3
1.4
1.125
2018
7,451,000
53,716
47,400
6,316
7.2
6.3
0.9
1.080
2019
7,507,400
52,856
48,957
3,899
7.0
6.5
0.5
1.064
2020
7,481,800
43,031
50,666
-7,635
5.8
6.8
-1.0
0.883
2021
7,413,100
36,953
51,354
-14,401
5.0
6.9
-1.9
0.772
2022
7,346,100
32,512
62,100
-29,488
4.4
8.4
-4.0
0.701
2023
7,498,100
33,288
56,776
-23,488
4.4
7.6
-3.2
0.751
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Death rates by leading causes of death
No. of deaths per 100,000 population by leading causes of death (based on ICD 10th revision).[21]Red: increased compared with 2001.
Cause of death
2001
2011
2021
1.
Malignant neoplasms
169.9
187.2
203.8
2.
Pneumonia
45.1
87.8
132.6
3.
Diseases of heart
70
89.6
89
4.
Cerebrovascular
46.6
47.2
42.2
5.
External causes of morbidity and mortality
27.5
22.2
26.7
6.
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis
15.7
21.8
24
7.
Dementia
3.8
10.6
20.2
8.
Septicaemia
6.3
10.8
16.8
9.
Chronic lower respiratory diseases
31.5
27.8
14.3
10.
Diabetes mellitus
10.1
6.5
7.4
All other causes
69.7
85
118.1
All causes
496
596.6
695.2
Life expectancy
Hong Kong is the territory with the world's highest life expectancy according to the United Nations.
According to The World Factbook in 2006, the average marriage age in Hong Kong was 30 years for males and 27 years for females, and the population was subdivided into the following categories:
Marital status
Married
57.8%
3,423,995
Never married
32%
1,920,522
Divorced
3.2%
189,563
Separated
0.6%
34,722
Ethnicity
According to Hong Kong census data more than 90% of the population are Chinese. The largest minority are Filipino with over 200,000 in 2021, almost doubled since 2006. Other minorities include Indonesians, Indians, Nepalese and Whites.
Most Teochew-speaking migrants immigrated to Hong Kong between the late 1940s and early 1970s, while migrants from Fujian (previously Southern Min speakers, and increasingly more Central Min and Northern Min speakers) have constituted a growing number of migrants since 1978.[27] Many Taishanese and Cantonese also migrated after 1949.
According to the 2016 by-census, 92% of the Hong Kong population belongs to a Chinese ethnicity.[4] The Hong Kong census does not currently categorise Han Chinese subgroups nor does it differentiate other Chinese ethnicities, although in the past the census would collect information on language and dialect use.[28] However, the majority of Hongkongers of Chinese descent trace their ancestry to various parts of Southern China: the Guangzhou area, followed by Siyi (Toishanese people), Chaoshan (a region of Eastern Guangdong home to Teochew speakers), Fujian, and Shanghai.[29] Some Cantonese people also originate from Hakka-speaking villages in the New Territories.[30]
Ethnic minorities
8% of the population of Hong Kong are categorised as "ethnic minorities", including a large number of Filipinos and Indonesians, who together make up approximately 4.6% of the population.[31][32][33] However, the majority of the Filipinos and Indonesians population are short-termed foreign domestic helpers. After excluding foreign domestic helpers, the number of ethnic minorities was 263,593 in 2016, making up 3.6% of the whole Hong Kong population.[34]
Circa 2018 there were about 2,000 people of African origins with about 800–1,000 in Yuen Long.[35]Chungking Mansions is another area of settlement and employment. Some Africans seeking to asylum travelled to Hong Kong as of June 2020.[36] According to Lingnan University professor Lisa Leung Yuk-ming, African settlement began in the 1990s. The Hong Kong African Association (香港非洲人協會) is an ethnic association for those people.[37]
A Thai community began in Hong Kong when Thai women travelled with their husbands, of Chaozhou (Chiu Chow) origin, to Hong Kong in the 1970s. In 2016, Hong Kong had about 10,215 Thai residents, with around 33% residing in Kowloon City.[38]
Nationality
Due to its history as trading, business, and tourism hub, a large number of expatriates live in Hong Kong, representing 8% of the population.[39] The following lists ethnic groups with significant presence in Hong Kong in alphabetical order by category:
As a former British colony, Hong Kong has 2 official languages: English, and Chinese, although the specific variety of Chinese is not specified. The majority of the population uses Cantonese as their usual spoken language. However, due to Hong Kong's role as an international trade and finance hub, there are also a wide variety of minority groups speaking dozens of languages present in the territory.
However, a very large proportion of the population in Hong Kong are able to communicate in multiple languages. The school system is separated into English-medium and Chinese-medium school, both of which teach English and Mandarin.
Proportion of population (5+) able to speak selected languages[43]
Over half of all people (56.1% as of 2010) are not religious.[45] Religious people in Hong Kong follow a diverse range of religions, among which Taoist and Buddhist (specifically Chinese Buddhism) faiths are common for people of Chinese descent.
Confucian beliefs are popular in Hong Kong, but it is arguable whether Confucianism can be considered as a religion.[46] As such, Confucianism is excluded in some studies.[45]
The Christian beliefs of Protestantism (with 500,000 members) and Catholicism (401,000 members) are also common, as well as non-organised Chinese folk religions, whose followers may state that they are not religious.
Traditional religions including Chinese Buddhism were discouraged under British rule, which officially represented Christianity.[47] The handover of sovereignty from Britain to China has led to a resurgence of Buddhist and Chinese religions.[47]
Estimated number of adherents in Hong Kong by religion[48][49]
^Ng Lun, Ngai-ha. In: Ring, Trudy, Robert M. Salkin, Sharon La Boda (editors). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania (Volume 5 of International Dictionary of Historic Places, Trudy Ring, ISBN1884964052, 9781884964053). Taylor & Francis, 1996. ISBN1884964044, 9781884964046. p. 358.
^Ng Sek Hong (2010). Labour Law in Hong Kong. Kluwer Law International. p. 19. ISBN978-90-411-3307-6.
^Melvin Ember; Carol R. Ember; Ian Skoggard, eds. (2005). Encyclopedia of diasporas: immigrant and refugee cultures around the world. Diaspora communities. Vol. 2. Springer. pp. 94–95. ISBN978-0-306-48321-9.
^Berling, Judith A. (1982). "Confucianism". Focus on Asian Studies. 2 (1): 5–7. Archived from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
^ abChan, Shun-hing. Leung, Beatrice. [2003] (2003). Changing Church and State Relations in Hong Kong, 1950–2000. Hong Kong: HK university press. Page 24. ISBN962-209-612-3
^"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived(PDF) from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)