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POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION
364
At the end of 1991, there were 5 822 500 people in Hong Kong, comprising 2 968 300 males and 2 854 200 females. This represents an increase of 11.1 per cent on the 1981 population estimate of 5 238 500.
The annual growth rate of the population averaged 1.1 per cent over the 10-year period. The average annual growth of the population was 1.2 per cent during 1982-6, and 0.9 per cent during 1987-91. The slower growth in population during the second half of the decade _was partly due to a decrease in the number of births. There was also a net outflow of local
residents in recent years.
The rate of natural increase in the population dropped steadily over the 10-year period from 12 to seven per 1 000. This was the result of a declining birth rate, down from 17
per
1 000 in 1981 to 12 per 1 000 in 1991, and a stable death rate, at about five per 1 000. With its land area of only 1 075 square kilometres, and 5 822 500 people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely-populated places in the world. The overall population density per square kilometre was 5 390 in 1991. The figure conceals wide variations between different areas in the territory. According to the 1991 Census, the density in the areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon was 26 950 people per square kilometre, while that in the New Territories was 2 560 per square kilometre. As a result of the continuing development of the new towns, there has been a substantial redistribution of the population from Kowloon and New Kowloon to the New Territories during the past decade. The share of the population on Hong Kong island, however, showed no significant change. Twenty-two per cent of the resident population were on Hong Kong island, 35.8 per cent in Kowloon and New Kowloon, and 41.9 per cent in the New Territories.
(A study of the changes and movements of Hong Kong's population in recent years is presented in the end-paper map at the end of this book.)
The age distribution of the population has changed considerably over the past 10 years. In 1981, 24.6 per cent of the population were under 15; in 1991 the figure was 20.9 per cent. On the other hand, the proportion of people aged 65 and above has risen from 6.6 per cent to 8.7 per cent over the same period. As a result of these changes, the population of working age (those between 15 and 64) increased from 68.7 per cent in 1981 to 70.4 per cent in 1991. Meanwhile, the dependency ratio – the ratio of the young and the aged to people in the 15 to 64 age group - has dropped from 455 per 1 000 in 1981 to 421 per 1 000 in 1991.
Compared with 10 years ago, the ratio of males to females in the population has declined. In 1991, there were 1 040 males per 1 000 females; in 1981 the figure was 1 084.