Hong Kong: The Facts
Population: 6.617 million (estimate at end-1997)
Hong Kong Island
1.38 million
21.3%
Age structure
Kowloon
2.05 million
31.6%
Median age: 34.9
Under 15: 18.1%
Over 64: 10.4%
New Territories
3.05 million
46.9%
Sex ratio
Marine
0.02 million
0.2%
(As at July 1, 1997)
Overall: 1 013 males per 1 000 females
Under 15: 1 075
Overall density
Birth rate
Over 64: 816
Death rate
Kowloon
6 160 people per square kilometre.
Kwun Tong District has 54 030 people per square kilometre.
Housing
3.3 million people live in public housing, which includes 934 800 flats. In 1997,
Hong Kong had 1.92 million domestic households, 45.7% occupied by the owner, 49.6% by tenants, and 4.8% either rent-free or employer-provided.
Area: 1 095 square km
Hong Kong Island
80 square km 47 square km
9.1 per 1 000 popn
Life expectancy Male 76.4
Nationalities
Predominantly of Chinese descent
Largest foreign
passport-holder groups
4.8 per 1 000 popn
Female 81.9
Indonesia
34 300
Canada
33 600
95%
UK
31 400
Thailand
25 500
Japan
24 900
India
24 600
(mid-1997):
Australia
23 300
Philippines USA
146 400
41 000
Malaysia
15 000
Religion and custom
New Territories
794 square km
Outlying Islands
174 square km
Reclamation since 1851
60 square km
Buddhists and Taoists make up the vast majority. Christians 592 500; Muslims 80 000; Hindus 12000; Sikhs 1 200; Jews 1 000.
Weather
Average annual rainfall
2 124.3 mm
Wettest period
Hourly
daily
monthly
Driest
109.9 mm (May 8, 1992)
534.1 mm (July 19, 1926)
Highest temperature
36.1°C (August 19, 1900 and August 18, 1990)
Lowest temperature
0.0°C (January 16, 1893)
Highest wind speed
259 km/h at HK Observatory, 284 km/h at Tate's Cairn (Typhoon Wanda, September 1, 1962)
1 241.1 mm (May 1889)
10% humidity (January 16, 1959)
Transport
Roads
The 1831 km of roads carry 500 228 licensed vehicles, or about 273 vehicles per kilometre.
Bridges
Longest: Tsing Ma suspension bridge (main span 1 377 metres) and the 463-metre cable-stayed Kap Shui Mun bridge. A 280-metre viaduct links the two.
Air movements
1997–165 154 flights; 28.3 million passengers; 1.79 million tonnes of freight
Shipping movements
1997-43 557 ocean vessel arrivals; 43 620 departures;
total cargo 134.46 million tonnes
Container throughput
14.5 million TEUS.
Employment
Total number employed: 3.12 million in third quarter of 1997
Major Employment sectors
Wholesale, retail and import/export, trades, restaurants and hotels
Finance, insurance, real estate and business services
Community, social and personal services
Civil Service
Transport storage and communications
Unemployment rate
Average wages (Selected industries)
1.03 million
34% of workforce
386 940
13% of workforce
310 099
21% of workforce
183 110
5.8% of workforce
176 319
5.5% of workforce
2.9%
$11,113 per month