Hong Kong’s uncertain future 25 years on

Twenty-five years after the handover of Hong Kong from British rule back to China, Beijing’s crackdown on freedoms has helped trigger a sharp increase in emigration from the territory


HONG KONG POPULATION: Annual growth rate (%)*

1990: 0.3%

1995: 4.4%
Hundreds of thousands of people quit Hong Kong prior to handover for new life overseas

July 1, 1997 
Territory handed back to China after 156 years of British rule

2003: -0.2%
Population decline following SARS† outbreak

2019: 0.8%
Hong Kong protests begin over plans to allow extradition of suspects to mainland China

2020: -0.3%
China imposes national security law, meant to stamp out opposition to its rule in Hong Kong

2021: -1.2%
Record drop sees population shrink by more than 87,000

4 
3 
2 
1
-1 
-2  
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
        
*Based on mid-year periods

† Severe acute respiratory syndrome


Sources: AFP, Hong Kong Government, Reuters, World Bank 
Picture: Newscom 
© GRAPHIC NEWS