4
The changes in the age and sex structure of the population
are shown below:
Distribution of Economically Active Population
Age
% distribution in
1971
% distribution in
1976
M
F
T
M
F
T
under 30
23.2 17.7
40.9
27.1 20.1
47.2
30 - 50
29.4 10.1
39.5
24.7
9.0
33.7
over 50
Total
13.6 6.0 19.6
66.3 33.7 100.0
13.2
5.9
19.1
65.0 35.0 100.0
The
Both of these demographic changes will have tended to increase income inequality between 1971 and 1976. fact that the Gini coefficient hardly changed over the period suggests that, after correction for the demographic changes, the distribution of income has in fact become more equal.
Government Secretariat, Hong Kong
May 1977
CONFIDENTIAL