Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -0.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Hong Kong, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Hong Kong stood at -0.2%.
That represents a change of down 106.2% on the previous year and down 122.7% 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.
That places Hong Kong 188th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.4% | — |
| 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% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's -0.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (85 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's -0.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More population data for Hong Kong
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -2.46 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (2044)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -2.46 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3992 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -3.24 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -2.49 (2100)
- Population density 1,981 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 30,373 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -2.49 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Hong Kong?
- Population growth in Hong Kong was -0.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- 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 188th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is down 122.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release