ENG-1989 — Page 401

23

POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION

344

At the end of 1989, there were 5 812 300 people in Hong Kong, comprising 2 968 500 males and 2 843 800 females. Compared with the population 10 years ago, this represents an increase of 15.7 per cent. The population at the end of 1979 was estimated to be 5 024 700.

The growth rate of the population averaged 1.5 per cent over the 10-year period, with fluctuations from year to year, mainly because of changes in migration flows. Between 1979 and 1980, in particular, there was a large inflow of legal and illegal immigrants from China. Reflecting this, the average annual growth rate of the population was 3.9 per cent during -the period. The average annual growth rate recorded for the period 1981-9 was 1.4 per cent, largely because of a reduction in the inflow of immigrants following revisions in the immigration policy in 1980 and 1982.

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, from 17 per 1 000 in 1979 to 12.2 per 1 000 in 1989, and a stable death rate, at about five per 1 000.

With its land area of only 1 074 square kilometres, and 5 812 300 people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely-populated places in the world. The overall population density per square kilometre was 5 385 in 1989. The figure conceals wide variations between different areas in the territory. The density in the metropolitan areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Kowloon and Tsuen Wan was 20 600 people per square kilometre, while that in the New Territories was 1 800 per square kilometre. As a result of the continuing development of the new towns in the New Territories, designed to alleviate the high population density in the urban areas and to provide better housing and an improved living environment to more people, the population in the New Territories has almost tripled over the past decade.

The age distribution of the population has changed considerably in the last 10 In

years. 1979, 26.7 per cent of the population were under 15; in 1989 the figure was 21.8 per cent. The proportion of people aged 65 and above has risen from 6.2 per cent to 8.5 per cent. In line with these changes, the proportion of people of working age (those between 15 and 64) has increased from 67.1 per cent to 69.7 per cent. The dependency ratio – the ratio of the young and the aged to people in the 15 to 64 age group – has dropped from 490 per 1 000 in 1979 to 435 per 1 000 in 1989.

The ratio of males to females has also changed. It showed an increase between 1979 and 1981, and a decline thereafter. In 1979, there were 1 074 males to every 1 000 females; in 1981 the figure was 1 084, and in 1989 it was 1 044. The increase in the proportion of males over females during the period 1979-81 can largely be explained by the substantial inflow of immigrants, who were predominantly male.