POPULATION
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People in Hong Kong live longer nowadays. Between 1969 and 1979, the expectation of life at birth increased by four per cent for males and by about five per cent for females. The life expectancy for males born in 1979 is 70 years and it is 76.7 years for females.
About 98 per cent of the population can be described as Chinese on the basis of language and place of origin. At the end of 1979, the provisional estimate of the number of non- Hong Kong Commonwealth citizens residing either permanently or temporarily in Hong Kong was 64,900. These comprised: British 23,400 (excluding members of the Armed Forces); Indian 13,900; Australian 7,800; Singaporean 4,200; Canadian 2,800; and other Commonwealth countries 12,800. The provisional estimate for non-Commonwealth alien permanent and temporary residents was 61,400. Of these, the largest groups were: American 10,600; Filipino 9,500; Pakistani 7,400; Japanese 7,400; Thai 6,200; Portuguese 6,000; Indonesian 2,700; German 2,100; Korean 1,600; French 1,400; and Dutch 1,000.
About 57 per cent of the population is of Hong Kong birth. Most of these people, and the greater part of the immigrant population, originated-from Guangdong (Kwangtung) Province in China. The Cantonese group forms the biggest community while the second biggest group is Sze Yap, followed by the Chiu Chow group. The remaining Chinese population have their origins in other places of Guangdong (Kwangtung), Shanghai and the coastal provinces of China.
Marriages
All marriages in Hong Kong are governed by the Marriage Ordinance and the Marriage Reform Ordinance. Under the Marriage Ordinance, at least 15 days' notice of an intended marriage must be given to the Registrar of Marriages. The Registrar has discretionary powers to reduce the period of notice in special circumstances or to grant a special licence dispensing with notice altogether. But this is done only in the most exceptional circum-
stances.
Marriages may take place either at places of public worship licensed for the celebration of marriages, or at any of the 12 full-time marriage registries and four part-time sub-registries located in the main urban districts and rural centres. During the year, 42,341 marriages were performed in the registries and 2,881 at licensed places of worship. The total of 45,222 was 4,822 more than in 1978. All records are maintained at the principal marriage registry at the City Hall.
The Marriage Reform Ordinance provides that all marriages entered into in Hong Kong on or after October 7, 1971, shall imply the voluntary union, for life, of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others and may be contracted only in accordance with the Marriage Ordinance. It declares valid certain customary marriages, and validates certain other marriages known as 'modern marriages' provided, in each case, they were entered into before October 7, 1971. The ordinance also makes provision for post-registration of these customary and modern marriages, and for dissolution of such marriages. During the year, 44 customary and 20 modern marriages were post-registered.
Births and Deaths
The registration of births and deaths is compulsory, and facilities for registration are provided throughout Hong Kong. The General Register Office in Central District keeps all records of births and deaths, and there are sub-registries in all main urban and rural districts. In the outlying areas and islands, births are registered at various rural committee offices by visiting district registrars, and deaths are registered at local police stations.
The statutory period during which a birth should be registered is 42 days from the date of birth. There is no registration fee. However, for registration between the end of the 42-day