January 2008 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics is now available
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    The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (January 21) the January 2008 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).

     In this issue, three feature articles entitled ¡§External Direct Investment Statistics¡¨, ¡§Hong Kong Domestic Household Projections for 2007 to 2036¡¨ and ¡§Trends of Infant Mortality in Hong Kong, 1946 to 2006¡¨ are included.

¡§External Direct Investment Statistics¡¨
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     Direct investment (DI) represents external investment which allows an investor in one economy to have a lasting interest and a significant degree of influence or effective voice in the management of an enterprise in another economy.

     At the end of 2006, the position of Hong Kong¡¦s inward DI and outward DI at market value continued to be substantial, amounting to $5,771.9 billion and $5,264.5 billion respectively.  Their ratios to GDP in that year were 391% and 357% respectively.

     In 2006, DI inflow and outflow were $350.0 billion and $349.4 billion respectively.  Taking DI inflow and outflow together, there was a net inflow of $0.6 billion.

     This feature article presents an analysis of inward and outward DI of Hong Kong in 2006, based on the findings of the Survey of External Claims, Liabilities and Income conducted by the C&SD, supplemented by data from other sources.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Branch (2), C&SD (Tel. : 2116 5101).

¡§Hong Kong Domestic Household Projections for 2007 to 2036¡¨
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     Following the release of the new set of population projections for 2007 to 2036 in July 2007, the C&SD has compiled a new set of projections on the number of domestic households and average household size for 2007 to 2036 as well as the domestic household size distribution for 2007 to 2016.  This feature article gives a brief account of the projection method and presents the projection results.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Demographic Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel. : 2716 8044).

¡§Trends of Infant Mortality in Hong Kong, 1946 to 2006¡¨
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     Infant mortality refers to death of those aged below 1 year old.  Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is the number of registered infant deaths in a year per 1 000 registered live births in that year.  IMR is a useful indicator of the health status not only of infants, but also of the whole population and of the socio-economic conditions under which they live.

     This feature article describes the trends of infant mortality in Hong Kong from 1946 to 2006 and analyses the sex differences in infant mortality as well as the major causes of infant deaths.

     In Hong Kong, there was a significant decline in IMR, from 89.1 per 1 000 registered live births in 1946 to 1.8 in 2006, which compares favourably with other developed countries.

     The difference in infant mortality between the two sexes was diminishing throughout the past five decades.  Between 2000 and 2006, the difference between male and female IMR was 0.3 only, in which the male average IMR was 2.6 whereas the female rate was 2.3.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Health Statistics Section, Department of Health (Tel. : 2961 8571).

     Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing 140 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.

     Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).

     Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$110 per issue.  Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address : 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel. : 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD¡¦s website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/ other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp).  Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).

     Enquiries about the contents of this publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel. : 2582 4738).

Ends/Monday, January 21, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:00

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