Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with more than 7 million people packed into just 1,106 square kilometers. This makes it one of the most populous cities in the world. That equates to around 6,500 people per square kilometer, which is more than twice as densely populated as New York City.
However, even within Hong Kong, there are significant variations in the population density of different areas. The neighborhood of Mong Kok has an incredible 130,000 people living in just one square kilometer, making it the most densely populated location in all of Hong Kong. On the other hand, Lantau Island has only 200 people per square kilometer, making it the region with the lowest population density.
However, the fact that more than 3.5 million people in Hong Kong reside above the 14th level is possibly the most shocking aspect of the city's population. That's more people than live in Chicago, which is the third largest city in the United States, so it's safe to say that's a lot.
Public housing, which was initially constructed in the 1950s to accommodate the city's fast rising population, is home to the great majority of those who call Hong Kong's high-rises their place of residence. More over 5 million people currently call public housing their home, which is almost 70% of the total population of the city as of today.The restricted amount of land in Hong Kong, in addition to the city's consistently high birth rate, contribute to the city's extremely dense population.
As a result of this combination of variables, Hong Kong has an extremely high population density. Recent years have seen a significant drop in the birth rate, which can in part be attributed to the city's fast increasing elderly population. As a direct consequence of this, it is anticipated that the population density would decrease over the course of the next few years.