Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas was 34,765 people in 2020. ▼ Falling
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2020, number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China stood at 34,765 people.
That represents a change of up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China peaked at 52,185 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 34,080 people, in 2015.
Hong Kong, China ranks 188th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 52,185 people | — |
| 1955 | 50,657 people | -2.9% |
| 1960 | 48,850 people | -3.6% |
| 1965 | 48,053 people | -1.6% |
| 1970 | 47,987 people | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 44,803 people | -6.6% |
| 1980 | 41,903 people | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 43,414 people | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 42,408 people | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 41,696 people | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 35,470 people | -14.9% |
| 2005 | 34,775 people | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 34,137 people | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 34,080 people | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 34,765 people | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 51,421 people | 50,657 people | 52,185 people | 2 |
| 1960s | 48,452 people | 48,053 people | 48,850 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 46,395 people | 44,803 people | 47,987 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 42,659 people | 41,903 people | 43,414 people | 2 |
| 1990s | 42,052 people | 41,696 people | 42,408 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 35,123 people | 34,775 people | 35,470 people | 2 |
| 2010s | 34,108 people | 34,080 people | 34,137 people | 2 |
| 2020s | 34,765 people | 34,765 people | 34,765 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
- 185 Dominica 38,586 people compare
- 186 Barbados 38,450 people compare
- 187 Sao Tome and Principe 36,000 people compare
- 189 Faroe Islands 32,696 people compare
- 190 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 32,284 people compare
- 191 Greenland 32,222 people compare
More population data for Hong Kong, China
- 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)
- World population growth -2.5% (2100)
- Population density 1,981 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 30,373 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -2.5% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.2539 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China?
- Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas in Hong Kong, China was 34,765 people in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 52,185 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 34,080 people in 2015.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 188th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in cities, towns and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of people living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.