According to the statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department today (August 15), the provisional estimate of the Hong Kong population was 7 531 800 at mid-2024, representing an increase of 0.1% from end-2023 and a decrease of 0.1% from mid-2023.
A natural decrease (i.e. deaths surpassing births) of 18 100 was recorded during the period from mid-2023 to mid-2024, with 34 400 births and 52 400 deaths. Over the same period, a net inflow of 13 800 Hong Kong residents (i.e. inflow more than outflow) was recorded, with an inflow of 44 000 One-way Permit holders and a net outflow of 30 200 other Hong Kong residents.
Among the total population at mid-2024, 7 287 400 were Usual Residents and 244 400 were Mobile Residents. The revised figure for the year-end population for 2023 was 7 527 900. The number of Usual Residents was revised to 7 246 400 and the number of Mobile Residents to 281 500. The rate of change in population from end-2022 to end-2023 was also revised to +0.7%.
Table 1 presents estimated total population as at mid-2024, while Table 2 presents population figures from mid-2013 to mid-2024.
Commentary
A government spokesperson pointed out that, benefiting from various measures on talent attraction and labour importation, there was sizable inflow of persons from the Mainland and other places around the world to Hong Kong in the first half of 2024, resulting in an increase in the population as at mid-2024 as compared to end-2023.
On the other hand, following the full resumption of normal travel in early 2023, quite a number of Hong Kong residents who were used to live abroad had successively returned to Hong Kong for short durations. As a result, the population recorded a notable increase as at mid-2023 as compared to a year earlier. This situation then restored to normalcy gradually in the later part of 2023, resulting in a slight decline in the population as at end-2023 and mid-2024 as compared to mid-2023.
Further information
"Usual Residents" refer to 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.
For those Hong Kong Permanent Residents who are not "Usual Residents", they are classified as "Mobile Residents" if they 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.
Under the current practice, the latest population estimate is released on a provisional basis in each round. The revised estimate will be released six months later. In other words, while the provisional population estimate for mid-2024 is released today, the corresponding revised estimate will be released in February 2025.
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