ENG-2019 — Page 345

Chapter 18

Population and Immigration

Hong Kong's population was more than 7.5 million in 2019. The territory processed over 300 million entries and departures, a year-on-year decrease of 4.3 per cent.

Hong Kong's provisional population at the end of 2019 was 7,500,700, or 0.2 per cent up on the previous year, due to 4,300 more births than deaths and a net inflow of 9,900 residents. Over the period 2014-19, the average population annual growth rate was 0.7 per cent. The birth rate' in 2019 was about seven per 1,000, same as in 2018. The death rate2 also remained unchanged at about six per 1,000.

Between mid-2014 and mid-2019, the under-15 age group grew slightly from 11 per cent to 12 per cent, while the 65 and over age group grew from 15 per cent to 18 per cent. The population's median age rose from 43 years to 45 years. The overall dependency ratio3 increased from 348 per 1,000 to 414 per 1,000.

Immigration Department

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is a separate travel area with autonomy over its immigration policy. In accordance with the Basic Law, the HKSAR Government exercises immigration control on entry into, stay in and departure from the HKSAR by people from foreign states and regions. The Basic Law also contains provisions regulating the entry of people from the Mainland.

Besides exercising immigration control, the Immigration Department issues HKSAR identity cards, passports and other travel documents; handles nationality and residency matters; and registers births, deaths and marriages. It strives to enhance its services using advanced

1

The birth rate refers to the number of known live births occurring in a calendar year per thousand mid-year population.

The death rate refers to the number of known deaths occurring in a calendar year per thousand mid-year population. 3. The overall dependency ratio is the ratio of the number of persons aged under 15 and 65 and over, to the number of

persons aged between 15 and 64.

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