Hong Kong population to hit 8.22m in 2043

It wil then drop to 7.72m by 2066.

Hong Kong's population is expected to peak at 8.22 million in 2043, then decline to 7.72 million by 2066, according to the Census & Statistics Department.

Due to an ageing trend, Deputy Commissioner for Census & Statistics Marion Chan said the number of elderly people aged 65 or above will more than double in the coming 20 years, with these elderly accounting for 36.6% of the population in 2066.

"Due to the increase in the elderly population and shrinking of the working age population, the overall dependency ratio is projected to rise from 397 in 2016 to 844 in 2066."

By 2066, average life expectancy is projected to rise to 87.1 years for men and 93.1 for women.

The population’s median age will rise to 54.5 in 2066.

The number of males per 1,000 females is projected to fall significantly from the mid-2016 ratio of 925 to 862 in 2036 before falling even further to 800 in 2066.

The statistics will be submitted to the Steering Committee on Population Policy so measures can be devised to tackle the problem of ageing population, Chan added.