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The New Territories and Kowloon will be the main population growth areas over the next decade, according to the latest population distribution projections contained in a report published today (December 7) by the Planning Department.
The report projects that the population of the New Territories and Kowloon will increase by 11% and 10% over the next 10 years, reaching 3.96 million and 2.22 million respectively by 2016, while that of Hong Kong Island is expected to increase marginally from 1.27 million to 1.28 million during the same period.
The share of the population of the New Territories in the total population will increase slightly from 52% last year (2006) to 53% in 2016, while that of Hong Kong Island will show a slight fall from 19% to 17%. Kowloon's share in the total population is likely to remain stable at around 30%.
The report entitled "Projections of Population Distribution, 2007-2016", presents the projected population distribution in three geographical demarcation systems: District Council District, New Town and Tertiary Planning Unit. For each District Council District and New Town, the projected age structure is also presented.
The distribution projections are made with respect to the projected total population of Hong Kong as prepared and released by the Census and Statistics Department in July 2007.
Sha Tin is projected to remain the most populous District Council District over the next 10 years. Its population is projected to reach 687,300 in 2016, up from 607,100 in 2006. Yuen Long will, on the other hand, experience the greatest population growth, with 116,600 more people over the next 10 years to reach 650,200 in 2016.
On age structure, Yuen Long is projected to have the lowest median age of 38.7 years among all District Council Districts in 2016, while Wong Tai Sin is projected to have the highest median age of 45.8 years.
Users can download the full report in PDF format free of charge from the Planning Department's website (www.pland.gov.hk) or from the Census and Statistics Department's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk). The print version of the report is also available for public inspection at two planning enquiry counters of the Planning Department: 17/F, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong, and 14/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, No 1, Sheung Wo Che Road, Sha Tin, New Territories.
Ends/Friday, December 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:30
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