HK's population expected to reach 8.38 mln in 30 years

Hong Kong's population is expected to reach 8.38 million in 30 years under an updated set of population projections released by the Census and Statistics Department on Wednesday.

In the updated set of projections, the Hong Kong Resident Population is projected to increase at an average annual rate of 0.7 percent, from 6.80 million in mid-2003 to 8.38 million in mid-2033.

"Population projections provide a common basis for the government in planning public services and facilities. They are constantly rolled forward and updated to take advantage of information on latest developments of the population," said Frederick Ho, commissioner for Census and Statistics.

Over the entire period from mid-2003 to mid-2033, the overall population is projected to increase by 1.58 million. There is a negative natural increase of 0.16 million (indicating 0.16 million more deaths than births) and a net in-movement of 1.74 million.

Within the Hong Kong Resident Population, the number of Usual Residents is projected to increase at an average annual rate of 0.6 percent from 6.62 million in mid-2003 to 8.02 million in mid-2033, and the number of Mobile Residents at a faster rate of 2.3 percent from 185,000 to 365,000.

This is mainly related to the increasing trend of Hong Kong residents working and staying for more of their time in the Chinese mainland, along with closer economic ties between the two places.

The population is expected to remain on an aging trend. The proportion of the population aged 65 and over is projected to rise markedly, from 11.7 percent in 2003 to 27 percent in 2033, though the rise would be gradual up to around 2015 (when the proportion would reach 14.3 percent) and would be at a much faster pace thereafter, he said.

Meanwhile, the proportion of the population aged under 15 would decrease gradually from 16 percent in 2003 to 11 percent by the end of the projection period.