Illuminated buildings are seen from Victoria Peak at night in Hong Kong on Aug 28, 2019. (PAUL YEUNG / BLOOMBERG)

HONG KONG - The Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Wednesday released an updated set of population projections covering the next 50 years, saying the population in Hong Kong will peak at 8.11 million in 2041.

From mid-2019 to mid-2041, the population is projected to grow at a rate of 0.4 percent per annum

The Hong Kong resident population is projected to increase from 7.51 million in mid-2019 to a peak of 8.11 million in mid-2041, and then decline to 7.35 million by mid-2069, according to the official report. Hong Kong residents include both usual and mobile residents.

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From mid-2019 to mid-2041, the population is projected to grow at a rate of 0.4 percent per annum. Yet, with a significant increase in the number of deaths due to an aging population, coupled with a decrease in the number of births, the population is projected to decrease at a rate of 0.3 percent per annum from mid-2041 to mid-2069.

Over the entire period from mid-2019 to mid-2069, the overall population is projected to decrease by 160,000, the report said.

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Population aging is expected to continue, the report pointed out. The number of elderly persons aged 65 and over is projected to nearly double in the coming 20 years to 2.52 million in 2039.

It is also worth noting that the elderly population will remain at over 2.5 million for at least 30 years, it said, adding that in 2069, the number of elderly persons is projected to reach 2.58 million.

The aging trend is also revealed by the increasing median age of the population, which will rise from 45.5 in 2019 to 52.5 in 2039, and further to 57.4 in 2069, the report noted. 

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