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Population
THE total estimated population at the end of 1979 was 5,017,000, comprising 2,611,600 males and 2,405,400 females. This represents an increase of 28 per cent on the 1969 population estimate of 3,906,100.
The average annual rate of increase over the 10-year period was 2.5 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 16.4 to 11.7 per thousand. This was the result of the birth rate declining from 21.3 per thousand in 1969 to 16.9 per thousand in 1979, 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 there being fewer women in the prime child-bearing ages of 25 to 34, and by women generally having fewer children. In the second half, the decrease was mainly the result of fewer births. In recent years, later marriages also have contributed to this trend, along with im- provements in education and job opportunities.
Reflecting the baby boom of the 1950s and early 1960s, the number of women in the fertile age group of 20 to 34 years will increase substantially from 618,500 in 1979 to 757,200 by 1989. To counter an anticipated large increase in the number of births during this period, the government is making available to those who desire them a whole range of family planning services. Continuous efforts are being made to encourage the development of small families.
Hong Kong, with a land area of only 1,061 square kilometres, is one of the most densely- populated places in the world. The overall density per square kilometre at the end of 1979 was 4,729. 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 people per square kilometre; but for the New Territories it was 554 per square kilometre. These area densities will, of course, change with the development of new towns in the New Territories. Six new towns are being developed to alleviate high densities in the urban areas and to help provide an increasing population with better housing and an improved living environment.
The population of Hong Kong is very young - in 1979 about 39 per cent were below the age of 20. But the median age of the population was 24.8, compared with 20.7 10 years ago. The age distribution of the population has also changed considerably. In 1969, 38.4 per cent of the population were under 15; now it is 26.5 per cent. The relative figure for those aged 65 and above has risen from 4.2 per cent to six per cent. As a result of the changing numbers of the young and the aged, the proportion of the working age population (those aged 15 to 64 years) has increased from 57.4 per cent to 67.5 per cent. This shows that there is a greater potentially productive population available to support children or those who have retired. The dependency ratio - the ratio of the young and the aged to those in the 15 to 64 age group - dropped from 742 per thousand in 1969 to 481 per thousand in 1979.