Note Under the provisions on the application of the Chinese nationality law, which entered into force in 1997, residents of Hong Kong or mainland China with Chinese descent, even if holders of a British (or Portuguese) passport after the transfer of sovereignty Of Macao), were, as a rule, considered Chinese citizens. For purposes of comparability, the Census and Statistics Department estimated the numbers for 1991 and 1996, if these provisions were in force at the time, and recorded the amounts of 282,707 and 529,372 foreigners (i.e. non-Chinese), respectively. This revision was not carried out for residents of Portuguese nationality, so that the significant drop in their number between 1996 and 2001 could be explained, in large part, by the change of status before the law of Chinese nationality of a large number of bearers of a Portuguese Passport.
Although Hong Kong is not considered a country, it is currently a "Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China" (under British administration until June 30th, 1997); for the variable born abroad, we considered who was born outside the territory of Hong Kong; the number of foreigners corresponds, in pre-1997 years, to the number of non-British citizens, according to the status they had at that time; after 1997, the number of foreigners submitted refers to the number of non-Chinese citizens. The data from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 were revised by the UN and amended by OEm on 05/02/2025.

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Census and Statistics Department – The Government of Hong Kong Administrative Region (nascidos em Portugal e nacionalidade portuguesa, informação concedida mediante pedido), Hong Kong 1991 population census: main report (1991), Hong Kong 2011 main tables, demographic carecteristics, Population by Place of Birth, 2001, 2006 and 2011 (A106) and Population by Nationality, 2001, 2006 and 2011 (A105); 2021 Census (population with Portuguese nationality granted upon request); United Nations Statistics Division (2017), United Nations Statistics Division (2019) and United Nations Statistics Division (other data) (the UN figures are estimates).

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from United Nations Statistics Division (2017), United Nations Statistics Division (2019) and United Nations Statistics Division (other data) (the UN figures are estimates).

Note Under the provisions on the application of the Chinese nationality law, which entered into force in 1997, residents of Hong Kong or mainland China with Chinese descent, even if holders of a British (or Portuguese) passport after the transfer of sovereignty Of Macao), were, as a rule, considered Chinese citizens. For purposes of comparability, the Census and Statistics Department estimated the numbers for 1991 and 1996, if these provisions were in force at the time, and recorded the amounts of 282,707 and 529,372 foreigners (i.e. non-Chinese), respectively. This revision was not carried out for residents of Portuguese nationality, so that the significant drop in their number between 1996 and 2001 could be explained, in large part, by the change of status before the law of Chinese nationality of a large number of bearers of a Portuguese Passport.
Although Hong Kong is not considered a country, it is currently a "Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China" (under British administration until June 30th, 1997); for the variable born abroad, we considered who was born outside the territory of Hong Kong; the number of foreigners corresponds, in pre-1997 years, to the number of non-British citizens, according to the status they had at that time; after 1997, the number of foreigners submitted refers to the number of non-Chinese citizens. The data from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 were revised by the UN and amended by OEm on 05/02/2025.

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Census and Statistics Department – The Government of Hong Kong Administrative Region (nascidos em Portugal e nacionalidade portuguesa, informação concedida mediante pedido), Hong Kong 1991 population census: main report (1991), Hong Kong 2011 main tables, demographic carecteristics, Population by Place of Birth, 2001, 2006 and 2011 (A106) and Population by Nationality, 2001, 2006 and 2011 (A105); 2021 Census (population with Portuguese nationality granted upon request); United Nations Statistics Division (2017), United Nations Statistics Division (2019) and United Nations Statistics Division (other data) (the UN figures are estimates).

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Census and Statistics Department – The Government of Hong Kong Administrative Region, data granted upon request.

Note Data correspondent to the number of working visas granted to foreigners by the Immigration Department during the fiscal year ended on March 31st of the (civil) year, indicated and inniciated on April 1st of the precious year. 

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Annual Report 2007-2008 (data from 2006, 2007 and 2008),  Annual Report 2008-09 (data from 2009), (accessed in 13/10/2011). From 2010 onwards information granted upor request.

Note Data correspondent to the number of applications for naturalization and (Chinese) nationality received (not necessarily granted) by the Immigration Department during the fiscal year ending on March 31st of the (civil) year indicated and inniciated on April 1st of the precious year.

Source Table by Observatório da Emigração [Emigration Observatory], data from Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; "Naturalisation, Renunciation or Restoration of Chinese Nationality" in Annual Report 2007-2008 (data from 2008), in  Annual Report 2008-09 (data from 2009) and in  Annual Report 2009-2010 (data from 2010) (accessed in 13/10/2011).