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胃口
Population and Immigration
WITH its land area of only 1 071 square kilometres, and 5 658 800 people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world.
At the end of 1987, the overall population density per square kilometre was 5262, although this figure conceals wide variations between different areas in the territory.
According to the 1986 By-census, the density in the metropolitan areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Kowloon and Tsuen Wan was 20 811 people per square kilometre, while that in the New Territories was 1 449 per square kilometre. This situation will, of course, change with the continuing development of the new towns in the New Territories, designed to alleviate the high density in the urban areas and to provide better housing and an improved living environment to more people.
The total 1987 population
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comprising 2 904 300 males and 2754 500 females represents an increase of 22 per cent on the 1977 estimate of 4 631 500.
The growth rate of the population averaged two per cent over the 10-year period, with fluctuations from year to year because of changes in migration flows. During the period 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. Reflecting this, the average annual growth rate of the population was higher at 3.6 per cent during the period, compared with 1.8 per cent in 1977. The average annual growth rate recorded for the period 1981-7 was 1.4 per cent, largely because of a reduction in the inflow of immigrants following revisions in the immigration policy in 1980 and 1982.
Meanwhile, the rate of natural increase in the population dropped steadily over the 10-year period from 12 to eight per thousand. This was the result of a declining birth rate, from 18 per thousand in 1977 to 13 per thousand in 1987, and a stable death rate, at about five per thousand.
The age distribution of the population of Hong Kong has changed considerably during the 10-year period. In 1977, 29 per cent of the population were under 15; in 1987 the figure was 22.6 per cent. The proportion of people aged 65 and above has risen from 5.7 per cent to eight per cent. In line with these changes, the proportion of people of working age (those between 15 and 64) has increased from 65.3 per cent to 69.4 per cent. The dependency ratio the ratio of the young and the aged to people in the 15 to 64 age group has dropped from 531 per thousand in 1977 to 440 per
thousand in 1987.
The ratio of males to females has also changed. It showed an increase between 1977 and 1981, and a decline thereafter. In 1977, there were 1 052 males to every 1 000 females; in 1981 the figure was 1 084, and in 1987 it was 1 054. The increase in the proportion of males over females during the period 1977-81 can largely be explained by the substantial inflow of immigrants, who were predominantly male.