TNAG-0485-FCO40-550-UK-publications-on-labour-and-social-conditions-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 115

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Some Basic Statistics

(in Hong Kong dollars,* except where stated otherwise)

Area: 400 square miles (13.5% arable; 8.0% urban; 78.5% uncultivable)

Population: 4,159,000 (June 1973); annual average rate of increase: 2.3%;

98% of the population are Chinese

Gross Domestic Product 1972: $23,657 (preliminary estimate)

1973: $28,335 (forecast)

Inflation: in October 1973 the consumer price index stood at 185 (100=

1964), up from 144 in October 1972; the cost of living rose by 27.6% between February 1973 and February 1974 (unofficial estimate)

Foreign exchange reserves: (official): US$900 million (1973)

Bank deposits (January 1974): $26,959 million

Bank loans and advances (end 1973): $23,236 million (up 100% over 2 years)

Currency in circulation (January 1974): $4,146 million

Average monthly turnover on stock market (1973): $4,018,1 million

Average monthly imports (1973): $2,417 million

Main sources of imports (1973): China (21.4%), Japan (20.2%), USA (12.3%)

**Average monthly domestic exports (1973): USA (35%), Britain (14.5%)

W. Germany (9.8%), Japan (5.5%)

Workers employed in industry (September 1973): 619,237 (official) Trade Unions: the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, with 66 unions affiliated to it, has 126,408 members (1973); this Federation sup- ports the People's Republic of China. A much smaller pro-Taiwan group, which is affiliated to the ICFTU, claims total membership of 36,005 (1973)

*

Rate of exchange (end June 1974): HK$12.10 = £1 (British)

HK$5.05 = US$1.00

**Domestic exports accounted for about 75% of total exports (the rest being re-

exports).