According to the statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department today (February 27), the provisional estimate of the Hong Kong Population was 7 374 900 at end-2016, representing an increase of 65 200 or 0.9% from 7 309 700 at end-2015 (Table 1).

     Population increase comprises natural increase (i.e. births less deaths) and net movement of Hong Kong residents (i.e. inflow less outflow). The natural increase of the population from end-2015 to end-2016 amounted to 13 900, with 60 800 births and 46 900 deaths. Over the same period, there was a net movement of 51 300 persons, of which 57 400 were inflow of One-way Permit holders and 6 100 were net outflow of other Hong Kong residents.

     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-2016, 7 147 200 (provisional) were Usual Residents and 227 700 (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 2016 was 7 336 600. The number of Usual Residents was revised to 7 116 800 and the number of Mobile Residents to 219 800. The population growth rate from mid-2015 to mid-2016 remained at 0.6%.

     Based on the population benchmark from the results of the 2016 Population By-census, the population figures for end-2011 to mid-2016 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 not more than 0.2% 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-2016 is released today, the corresponding revised figure will be released in August 2017.

Ends/Monday, February 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 16:30

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