Statistics available for sale
****************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (September 20) the September 2005 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Air Cargo Statistics", "Patent Statistics for Hong Kong, 1994 - 2004" and "Analysis of the Change in the Total Fertility Rate" are included.
"Air Cargo Statistics"
The Hong Kong International Airport is one of the busiest and most advanced airports. It firmly establishes Hong Kong's position as a hub of commerce and plays a very important role in the development of Hong Kong as a logistic centre. In terms of international air cargo throughput, the Hong Kong International Airport continued to rank first amongst all airports in the world in 2004. This feature article provides a detailed analysis of the air cargo statistics of Hong Kong from 1999 to 2004.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Trade Statistics Processing Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2582 5039).
"Patent statistics for Hong Kong, 1994 - 2004"
The rapid development in science and technology has changed our lives in many aspects. Along with other science and technology statistical indicators, data on patents could be regarded as a portrait of the inventive activity of an economy as well as the rate and direction of technical change. This feature article describes the key trend and phenomena of patent activities in Hong Kong during 1994 to 2004.
There are two types of patent in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, i.e. the standard patent and the short-term patent. Subject to payment of renewal fees, a standard patent in Hong Kong has a term of protection of up to 20 years, whereas a short-term patent has a maximum term of protection of 8 years. During 1994 to 2004, the number of patent applications (including standard and short-term patents) increased from 1 640 to 10 421, representing an average annual growth of 20%. Over half of Hong Kong's standard patent applications in 2004 were originated from the USA (40%) and Japan (19%).
On the other hand, the total number of patents granted (including standard and short-term patents) in Hong Kong increased at an average annual rate of 12% from 1 500 in 1994 to 4 571 in 2004. Analysed by place of origin of proprietors, the USA and Japan accounted for 33% and 22% of all standard patents granted in Hong Kong in 2004 respectively.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Science and Technology Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2887 5138).
"Analysis of the Change in the Total Fertility Rate"
The total fertility rate (TFR) is the most commonly used indicator to measure the fertility level of an economy. The TFR in Hong Kong has decreased significantly in the past 30 years and there have been many explanations for the decline. The delays in marriage and childbearing, which lead to increase in spinsterhood and curtailment of giving births, are believed to be the major reasons.
This feature article employs decomposition technique to split the change in the TFR in Hong Kong into two components : (i) change in proportion of now married females; and (ii) change in marital fertility rate, so as to arrive at a clearer picture on how the change in the TFR has evolved.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Demographic Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2716 8044).
The September 2005 issue of the HKMDS is now on sale at HK$77 per issue. Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing over 130 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population and vital events; labour; external trade; industrial production; land, housing, building and construction; transport, communications and tourism; public accounts, money and finance; prices; commerce; social conditions; energy; and national income and Balance of Payments. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available.
Both print version (full version only) and download version (in PDF format for the full version as well as selected sections and individual feature articles) of the HKMDS can be purchased online at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (http://www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk). Download version of the HKMDS can be purchased at 75% of its original price exclusively at the online Statistical Bookstore. Print versions if purchased online are also offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices at the Statistical Bookstore as well as the Government Bookstore (http://www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm).
For purchase of print version, this can be done through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (http://www.info.gov.hk/censtatd/eng/prod_serv/forms_index.html). Purchase can also be made in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address : 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025). Print version of the Digest is also put for sale at selected Post Offices (enquiry hotline: 2921 2222).
Selected sections of the HKMDS are available for purchase online. In order to better meet the needs of readers who are interested in official statistics of specific subject areas, the 13 sections of the Digest are grouped into four sections : (i) Population, Labour and Social Statistics; (ii) External Trade, Commerce and Industry and Energy Statistics; (iii) Housing, Transport, Communications and Tourism Statistics; and (iv) Money and Finance, National Income, Balance of Payments and Price Statistics. Besides, feature articles in each issue can be purchased separately. Selected sections and individual feature articles are only available in download versions, the feature articles are priced at HK$11 each and the selected sections from HK$16 to HK$20 each.
Enquiries about the contents of the HKMDS can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel.: 2582 4738).
Ends/Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:00
NNNN
