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Appendix C.
REPORT OF THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF BIRTHS & DEATHS.
Brief mention has been made of demographic details in the main body of this report under the heading "II Public Health, Vital Statistics." For the sake of economy of space, therefore, the Registrar-General's Report is submitted this year in tabular form with the minimum of text.
Population.
The population figure for mid-year 1937 is obtained from an arithmetical estimate based upon the increase between the Census of 1921 and that of 1931, but adding a figure of 100,000 to the end result to represent the Chinese maritime population which was not accurately enumerated in 1931.
The number so obtained is believed to be from twenty-five to thirty per centum below the actual figure resulting from the influx of refugees during the second half of 1937. From the data available it is not possible to estimate with any degree of accuracy the sex and age distribution of the population in the territories as a whole differentiated according to nationality.
Table LXX.
Census 1921 Census 1931 Estimated at mid-year 1937 Island of Hong Kong Non-Chinese 9,454 9,693 9,847 Chinese 337,947 399,507 437,982 Kowloon Peninsula Non-Chinese 3,186 7,925 10,887 Chinese 120,262 255,095 339,366 New Territories Non-Chinese 216 376 476 Chinese 82,947 97,781 107,052 Maritime *Non-Chinese 1,942 1,372 1,372 †Chinese 100,000 Total Non-Chinese 14,798 19,369 22,582 Chinese 610,368 821,104 984,400 Totals 625,166 840,473 1,006,982* The decrease in Non-Chinese maritime population between the years 1921 and 1931 is considered to be due to the slump which Hong Kong was suffering from at that time and in the circumstances it is not considered that the decrease has been maintained. The 1931 figure has therefore been retained.
† It will be seen from the above figures that there was a slight decrease in the maritime population between the years 1921 and 1931. This was due to the fact that many were not counted in 1931, and a figure of 100,000 has been taken for some years past as a more accurate estimation of this section of the population.