HK to See 1.2% Annual Population Growth in Next Decade

According to the latest statistics of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, the population of Hong Kong in the next 10 years will increase at an average annual rate of 1.2 percent, of which the natural growth will account for 30 percent, the difference between those coming into and those going out of Hong Kong, for 70 percent.

The statistics show that in the past 10 years, the average growth rate of Hong Kong's population was 2 percent and the main factors for the population growth lie in the natural growth and the greater number of people coming into than those leaving Hong Kong.

The responsible person said that population growth would inevitably bring pressure on the demand for natural resources, especially land, and the long-term city plan of the SAR Government is to formulate various tactics for land development in light of different population forecasting and evaluate its influence on natural recourses and environment. At the same time, the increase of population will raise more demand for medical care, welfare, education and various social services. However, approached from another angle, the growth of population will also bring more human resources, exerting positive effect on society's entire economy. Hence, the Government hasn't drafted a policy to limit its population to a certain extent.



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