Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Population growth (annual %) (World Population) was -0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Hong Kong, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in Hong Kong is -0.3%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 110.5% on the previous year and down 139.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Hong Kong peaked at 5.5% in 1979 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2021.
Hong Kong ranks 192nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3% | — |
| 1962 | 4.2% | +81.1% |
| 1963 | 3.4% | -18.8% |
| 1964 | 2.4% | -29.7% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | +8.7% |
| 1966 | 0.9% | -66.3% |
| 1967 | 2.5% | +185.4% |
| 1968 | 2.1% | -16.0% |
| 1969 | 1.6% | -24.8% |
| 1970 | 2.4% | +52.3% |
| 1971 | 2.2% | -11.3% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -11.1% |
| 1973 | 2.8% | +47.2% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | +12.0% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -40.0% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -33.7% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | +14.9% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +25.5% |
| 1979 | 5.5% | +201.7% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -51.1% |
| 1981 | 2.3% | -12.1% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | -33.9% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 1.0% | -35.3% |
| 1985 | 1.1% | +9.3% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | +16.0% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | -19.2% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | -16.5% |
| 1989 | 1.0% | +23.3% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -69.0% |
| 1991 | 0.8% | +158.1% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | +104.6% |
| 1994 | 2.3% | +31.1% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -12.1% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | +124.2% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -81.2% |
| 1998 | 0.8% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +14.4% |
| 2000 | 0.9% | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | -16.4% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | -39.9% |
| 2003 | -0.2% | -144.6% |
| 2004 | 0.8% | -495.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -44.0% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | +47.0% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | +33.8% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | -30.4% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -64.0% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | +241.0% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -8.4% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | +64.1% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | -63.6% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +74.7% |
| 2015 | 0.9% | +21.2% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | -27.2% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +24.1% |
| 2018 | 0.8% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | -7.6% |
| 2020 | -0.4% | -148.6% |
| 2021 | -0.9% | +154.0% |
| 2022 | -0.9% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 2.6% | -381.3% |
| 2024 | -0.2% | -106.2% |
| 2025 | -0.3% | +110.5% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's -0.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4%. (85 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's -0.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.6%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Hong Kong changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +495.1% | -0.2% | 0.8% |
| 2023 | +381.3% | -0.9% | 2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.5% | 0.9% | 4.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.5% | 0.3% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | -0.2% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7% | 0.4% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0% | -0.9% | 2.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More climate change data for Hong Kong
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.0% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.3349 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 1 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -76.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 7.50 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.3% (2025)
- Population, total 7.50 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Hong Kong?
- Population growth in Hong Kong was -0.3% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1979.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2021.
- How does Hong Kong rank for population growth?
- Hong Kong ranks 192nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 139.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.