People point: Hong Kong's provisional population reached 6,841,900 in mid-2004, representing an increase of 38,800 or 0.6% over a year ago.

Hong Kong's provisional population reached 6,841,900 in mid-2004, representing an increase of 38,800 or 0.6% over a year ago, the Census & Statistics Department says.

Subtracting the 36,400 deaths from the 44,500 births over the last year, the natural population rise amounted to 8,100. This combined with the net movement of 30,700 residents saw the overall increase of 38,800.

Births and permit holders push up population

Births and inflow of one-way permit holders were important constituents of the overall rise. The ratio of births to the overall population increase was 115%, while the ratio of the 41,500 permit holders to the overall rise was 107%. The ratio of the number of deaths to the overall rise was 94%.

Not counting the arrival of permit holders, there was a net outflow of 10,700 people, bearing a ratio of 28% to the overall population increase.

Among the total population, 6,655,500 people were usual residents and 186,400 were mobile residents.

The previously released provisional figure for the end-2003 population was revised to 6,845,400. The number of usual residents was revised to 6,639,000 and the number of mobile residents to 206,400. The population growth rate from end-2002 to end-2003 was 0.9%.

The population figure does not include visitors. The number of visitors present in Hong Kong at mid-2004 was 282,600.

The figures released today will be revised in six months.