Hong Kong Island Has an Extremely High Population Density

When the Qing Dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island to the British, an estimated 7,500 people lived on the island. This corresponded to a population density of about 95.43 inhabitants per square kilometre (247.2 inhabitants per square mile), without taking into account the land reclamation that later increased the island's total area.

Since then, the population of Hong Kong Island has increased 159-fold. As of 2026, the island was home to an estimated 1,195,500 people, representing a population density of 15,200 inhabitants per square kilometre (39,370 inhabitants per square mile).

While this number is already exceptionally high, the true population density experienced by residents is significantly greater. The vast majority of the population is concentrated along a narrow strip of land crammed between Victoria Harbour and the mountains—including Mount Austin (The Peak), Mount Parker, and Mount Kellett—in the northern part of the island, as well as in Aberdeen. The remainder of the island consists of protected country parks and natural landscapes.