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Population
THE total population at the end of 1984 was 5 397 500, comprising 2 794 300 males and 2 603 200 females. This represents an increase of 23 per cent on the 1974 population estimate of 4 374 800.
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The average annual rate of increase over the 10-year period was 2.1 per cent, with the rate fluctuating from year to year because of changes in migration flows. During the years 1978-80, in particular, there was a large inflow of immigrants from China - both legal and illegal - and an influx of boat refugees from Vietnam. The average annual growth rate increased from 1.6 per cent over the period 1974-7 to 3.9 per cent over the period 1978–80. The average annual growth rate for the period 1981-4 was 1.3 per cent due to a reduction in the inflow of immigrants as a result of revisions in immigration policy at the end of the years 1980 and 1982.
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Meanwhile, the rate of natural increase dropped steadily over the period from 14 to 10 thousand. This was the result of the birth rate declining from 19 per thousand in 1974 to 14 per thousand in 1984, and the death rate remaining stable at about five per thousand.
Hong Kong, with a land area of only 1 067 square kilometres, is one of the most densely populated places in the world. The overall density per square kilometre at the end of 1984 was 5012. But this figure conceals wide variations in density between different areas. According to the 1981 Census, the density for the metropolitan areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Kowloon and Tsuen Wan was 28 479 people per square kilometre; but for the New Territories it was 792 per square kilometre. The most densely populated district was Sham Shui Po in New Kowloon, with 165 445 people per square kilometre. This situation will, of course, change with the continuation of the new town development programme in the New Territories, designed to alleviate the high density in the urban areas and to help provide an increasing population with better housing and an improved living environment.
The age distribution of the population of Hong Kong has changed considerably during the 10-year period. In 1974, 32.5 per cent of the population was under 15; in 1984 the figure was 23.5 per cent. The proportion of those aged 65 and above has risen from 5.3 per cent to 7.4 per cent. As a result of these changes, the proportion of the population of working age (those aged between 15 and 64) has increased from 62.2 per cent to 69.1 per cent, indicating that there is a greater potentially productive population available. The dependency ratio - the ratio of the young and the aged to those in the 15 to 64 age group – has dropped from 607 per thousand in 1974 to 450 per thousand in 1984.
The sex ratio of the population has also changed. In 1984, the ratio was 1 073 males to every 1 000 females, compared with 1 041 in 1974. The increase in the proportion of males over females during the 10-year period can largely be explained by the substantial inflow of immigrants, who were predominantly male.
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