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Population
THE total estimated population at the end of 1978 was 4,720,200, comprising 2,427,900 males and 2,292,300 females. This represents an increase of 23 per cent on the 1968 population estimate of 3,844,500.
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The average annual rate of increase over the 10-year period was 2.1 per cent, with the rate fluctuating year by year because of changes in migration flow. But the rate of natural increase dropped steadily over the period from 16.6 to 12.3 per thousand. This was the result of the birth rate declining from 21.7 per thousand in 1968 to 17.5 per thousand in 1978, and the death rate remaining stable at about five per thousand.
In the first half of the 10-year period, the decline in the birth rate was caused by a decrease in the number of married women in the prime child-bearing age groups and by women having fewer children; in the second half, it was mainly the result of fewer births. In recent years, later marriages also have contributed to this trend, along with improvements in education and job opportunities.
This is a favourable trend. But, reflecting the baby boom of the 1950s, it is estimated that the number of women in the fertile age group between 20 and 35 will increase substantially from 567,900 in 1978 to 784,300 by 1988. To counter an anticipated large increase in the number of births during this period, the government plans to make available to those who desire them a whole range of family planning services. The intention is to develop existing services and to increase publicity and research.
Hong Kong, with a land area of only 1,052 square kilometres, is one of the most densely-populated places in the world. The overall density per square kilometre at the end of 1978 was 4,487. But this figure includes a wide variety of densities by individual areas. According to the 1976 by-census, the density for the metropolitan areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Kowloon and Tsuen Wan was 25,400; but for the New Territories it was 554 per square kilometre. These area densities will, of course, change with the development of more new towns in the New Territories - notably at Tsuen Wan/Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun. They are being developed to alleviate high densities in the urban areas and to cope with the prospect of providing an increasing population with better housing and an improved living environment.
The population of Hong Kong is still very young - in 1978 about 40 per cent were below the age of 20. But the median age of the population was 24.2, compared with 20.5 10 years ago. The age distribution of the population has also changed con- siderably. In 1968, 39.2 per cent of the population were under 15; now it is 27.9 per cent. The relative figure for those aged 65 and above has risen from four per cent to 5.9 per cent. As a result of the changing numbers of the young and the aged,