Hundreds of thousands of residents, including many foreigners and skilled professionals, left Hong Kong between 2020 and 2022 due to political changes (National Security Law) and strict COVID-19 policies, causing a significant brain drain, though recent data suggests a stabilization and influx of talent, especially from mainland China, as the city tries to reverse this trend. Specific numbers for foreigners are less precise than for overall residents, but estimates suggest significant departures, with some sources noting 15-20% of expats leaving, while others highlight a major drop in the workforce overall (around 140,000 people).
There has been an exodus of expats leaving the city since 2020, both due to the NSL and harsh Covid lockdowns. However, Hong Kong remains a global financial powerhouse, and a regional hub for foreign banks.
More than 177,000 residents left Hong Kong between mid-2020 and mid-2022 following anti-government protests in 2019 that prompted Beijing to impose a sweeping national security law. In contrast to the former British colony, the Chinese mainland recorded a population decline for the third straight year in 2024.
After 2047, Hong Kong will likely see increasing integration with mainland China, potentially shifting from its current "one country, two systems" model towards full integration as an ordinary Chinese city, with changes affecting its legal system, currency (HKD to RMB), freedoms, and political autonomy, though Beijing officials claim the system will continue, possibly indefinitely, while property lease issues also need resolution. The core tension lies between Beijing's desire for full control and maintaining Hong Kong's unique economic role, with recent crackdowns on dissent suggesting a move towards "one country, one system" (1C1S).
Hong Kong is a largely homogenous society, with about 91.6% of its people being Chinese (ethnically speaking, Han Chinese). The 2021 Population Census found (by way of self-identification) that there were about 619,568 non-Chinese people in Hong Kong, or about 8.4% of the population.
Reasons for emigration from Hong Kong range from livelihood hardships, such as the high cost of living and educational pressures, to economic opportunities elsewhere, such as expanded opportunities in mainland China following the Reform and Opening-Up, to various political events, such as the Japanese invasion of Hong ...
The largest ethnic groups: The Han and Zhuang
Han Chinese represent more than 90% of China's population and roughly 20% of the world's population, around 1.1 billion people. Han Chinese derive from the Han Dynasty, which ruled for 400 years, making it the longest-ruling empire in China's history.
Yes, approximately 90% of people in China own their homes, making it one of the highest homeownership rates globally, a result of significant housing reforms starting in 1998 that privatized public housing, alongside strong cultural emphasis on owning property as a marker of stability and a prerequisite for marriage, though it's important to note ownership is of the building, not the land, which remains state-owned. Urban rates hover around 87%, while rural rates are over 95%, with many families owning multiple properties.
Legality: Article 1 of the Hong Kong Basic Law states that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China. Any advocacy for Hong Kong separating from China has no legal basis. Same cultural origin and close connection: Hong Kong has been part of China for most of its history.
Recent data suggest that Hong Kong's economy is gaining momentum. The Hang Seng Index, led by a rebound in technology firms, has posted its sharpest recovery since late 2024, surging more than 30% from the start of 2025.
To be in Hong Kong's top 1%, an income of $3.4 million is required, contributing to China's total income share of 13.9%.
Hong Kong has business friendly immigration policies. As such, visitors from over 170 countries/territories can enjoy visa‐free entries to Hong Kong and stay for between seven to 180 days.
Ethnicity. Among the 33,733 citizens of the United Kingdom living in Hong Kong, 19,405 are of some European ethnicity, 6,893 are Chinese, 2,337 are Indian, 1,047 are Pakistani, 829 are Nepalese, 273 are other Asians, 227 are Filipino, 98 are Thai, 40 are Japanese, and 40 are Indonesian.
HK's mid-2025 population remains unchanged from last year. HONG KONG - Hong Kong's population was 7,527,500 in the middle of the year, remaining virtually unchanged from a year earlier, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced on Thursday.
A monthly salary of HKD 20,000–30,000 (USD 2,550–3,830) can support a comfortable lifestyle in Hong Kong. While HKD 50,000 (USD 6,380) is considered a high income, it's well above the city's average salary of HKD 20,000 (USD 2,550), offering greater financial flexibility.
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. Expatriate French voters queue in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the first round of the presidential election of 2007. The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country.
After 2047, Hong Kong will likely see increasing integration with mainland China, potentially shifting from its current "one country, two systems" model towards full integration as an ordinary Chinese city, with changes affecting its legal system, currency (HKD to RMB), freedoms, and political autonomy, though Beijing officials claim the system will continue, possibly indefinitely, while property lease issues also need resolution. The core tension lies between Beijing's desire for full control and maintaining Hong Kong's unique economic role, with recent crackdowns on dissent suggesting a move towards "one country, one system" (1C1S).
More than 150,000 Hong Kongers have moved to Britain since the British Nation (Overseas) visa (BN(O)) was launched in 2021 in response to restrictions on democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.
As a Hong Kong Tourism Board report showed, tourist spending in the city in 2024 declined 22.5 percent year-on-year, not because total numbers had fallen, but because economic pressures had suppressed consumption and people were spending less.
A society where problems are hidden rather than solved can appear “orderly,” but that order is often achieved through coercion and silence, not care and dignity. Homelessness exists, but it is made largely invisible through a mix of short-term containment, forced removal, and strict control over reporting.
It really depends on what you're going to do with that $100. If you're living a western style of life with food, $100 US in the cities would be like $120 US maybe? It'll stretch out a little. But if you're eating like the locals, buying groceries and the like, this can be a small fortune.
With the exception of individuals with hunting permits and some ethnic minorities, civilian firearm ownership is restricted to non-individual entities. Law enforcement, military, paramilitary, and security personnel are allowed to use firearms. Police are to use issued pistols only to stop serious or dangerous crimes.
Asian – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Han dynasty's prestige and prominence led many of the ancient Huaxia to identify themselves as 'Han people'. Similarly, the Chinese language also came to be named and alluded to as the "Han language" (漢語; 汉语; Hànyǔ) ever since and the Chinese script is referred to as "Han characters".
The population of China is 1.4 billion, and pre-pandemic black people made up about 500,000 or 0.04% of the population.