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According to the statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department today (February 21), the provisional estimate of the Hong Kong Population was 7 103 700 at end-2011, representing an increase of 51 600 or 0.7% from 7 052 100 in end-2010 (Table 1) .
The compilation of the above population figures has incorporated the results of the 2011 Population Census conducted from June to August 2011.
Obtained by subtracting the number of deaths of 41 500 from the number of births of 95 500, the natural increase of the population in 2011 amounted to 54 000. Over the same period, there was a negative net movement (i.e. inflow less outflow) of 2 400 Hong Kong residents.
Births and inflow of One-way Permit holders (OWPHs) were important constituents of the overall population increase. The number of births, which comprised births born to Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents, in 2011 was 95 500 and its ratio to the overall population increase was 185%. As for the inflow of OWPHs in the same period, the ratio of the number, at 43 400, to the overall population increase was 84%.
Deaths during the period offset part of the increase. The ratio of the number of deaths, at 41 500, to the overall population increase was 80%. Besides, if OWPHs were excluded, there was a net outflow of 45 700 persons, bearing a ratio of 89% to the overall population increase.
The Hong Kong Population is measured on the definition of Resident Population, which comprises Usual Residents and Mobile Residents. Among the total population at end-2011, 6 889 700 (provisional) were Usual Residents and 214 000 (provisional) were Mobile Residents.
"Usual Residents" include two categories of people: (1) Hong Kong Permanent Residents who have stayed in Hong Kong for at least three months during the six months before or for at least three months during the six months after the reference time-point, regardless of whether they are in Hong Kong or not at the reference time-point; and (2) Hong Kong Non-permanent Residents who are in Hong Kong at the reference time-point.
"Mobile Residents" are Hong Kong Permanent Residents who have stayed in Hong Kong for at least one month but less than three months during the six months before or for at least one month but less than three months during the six months after the reference time-point, regardless of whether they are in Hong Kong or not at the reference time-point.
The revised figure for the mid-year population for 2011 was 7 071 600. The number of Usual Residents was revised to 6 859 400 and the number of Mobile Residents to 212 200. The population growth rate from mid-2010 to mid-2011 was also revised to 0.7%.
Based on the population benchmark from the results of the 2011 Population Census, the population figures for end-2006 to mid-2011 have been revised (Table 2). The revision has also incorporated more accurate estimates of population changes that were not yet available at the time when the previous population figures were prepared. A downward adjustment of the population of less than 1% was observed.
Under the current practice, the latest population figure is released on a provisional basis in each round. The revised figure will be released six months later. In other words, while the provisional population figure for end-2011 is released today, the corresponding revised figure will be released in August 2012.
Ends/Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:35
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