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POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION
Ar the end of 1992, there were 5 902 100 people in Hong Kong, comprising 3 003 900 males and 2 898 200 females. This represents an increase of 11.0 per cent on the 1982 population estimate of 5 319 500.
The annual growth rate of the population averaged 1.0 per cent over the 10-year period. The average annual growth of the population was 1.1 per cent during 1983-7, and 1.0 per cent during 1988-92. 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 16 per 1000 in 1982 to 12 per 1 000 in 1992, and a stable death rate, at about five per 1 000.
With its land area of only 1 076 square kilometres, and 5 902 100 people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely-populated places in the world. The overall population density per square kilometre was 5 590 in 1992. The figure conceals wide variations between different areas in the territory. The density in the areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Kowloon was 26 450 people per square kilometre, while that in the New Territories was 2 700 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, whereas the share of the population on Hong Kong Island showed no significant change. The proportion of the resident population on Hong Kong Island was 22.2 per cent, that in Kowloon and New Kowloon was 33.8 per cent and that in the New Territories was 43.6 per cent.
The age distribution of the population has changed considerably over the past 10 years. In 1982, 24.3 per cent of the population were under 15; in 1992 the figure was 20.5 per cent. On the other hand, the proportion of people aged 65 and above has risen from 6.8 per cent to 8.9 per cent over the same period. Along with these changes, the population aged between 15 and 64 increased from 68.9 per cent in 1982 to 70.6 per cent in 1992. Meanwhile, the dependency ratio the ratio of the young and the aged to people in the 15 to 64 age group has dropped from 453 per 1 000 in 1982 to 418 per 1 000 in 1992.
Compared with 10 years ago, the ratio of males to females in the population has declined. In 1992, there were 1 036 males per 1 000 females; in 1982 the figure was 1 079.
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