Urban population growth (annual %) in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Urban population growth (annual %) was -0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Hong Kong, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded -0.3% for urban population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 110.5% on the previous year and down 139.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Hong Kong peaked at 5.9% in 1979 and was at its lowest, -0.9%, in 2021.
Hong Kong ranks 202nd 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.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.3% | — |
| 1962 | 4.3% | +84.2% |
| 1963 | 3.6% | -16.2% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | -26.1% |
| 1965 | 3.0% | +10.2% |
| 1966 | 1.3% | -57.4% |
| 1967 | 2.9% | +133.1% |
| 1968 | 2.5% | -13.3% |
| 1969 | 2.0% | -20.8% |
| 1970 | 2.8% | +40.7% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | -10.6% |
| 1972 | 2.3% | -9.0% |
| 1973 | 3.2% | +40.7% |
| 1974 | 3.6% | +11.1% |
| 1975 | 2.4% | -34.7% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | -27.0% |
| 1977 | 1.9% | +10.7% |
| 1978 | 2.3% | +18.7% |
| 1979 | 5.9% | +161.2% |
| 1980 | 3.1% | -48.0% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -12.0% |
| 1982 | 1.8% | -32.0% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | -4.1% |
| 1984 | 1.2% | -29.4% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | +13.5% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | +27.1% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | +26.6% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +17.3% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 1.6% | -42.4% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | -23.6% |
| 1992 | 0.9% | -26.0% |
| 1993 | 1.8% | +93.4% |
| 1994 | 2.3% | +28.4% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | -12.9% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | +121.0% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -81.3% |
| 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 0.6%. (85 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's -0.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.9%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) 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 | 2.7% | 1.3% | 4.3% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.9% | 1.7% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.2% | 1.2% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 0.8% | 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)
- Population, total 7.50 million (2025)
- Population growth -0.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Hong Kong?
- Urban population growth in Hong Kong was -0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 1979.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.9% in 2021.
- How does Hong Kong rank for urban population growth?
- Hong Kong ranks 202nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban 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 Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.