Less than 25% of Hong Kong's Total Land Area Is Used for Human Activities

When one thinks of Hong Kong, the first image that comes to mind is that of a concrete jungle. With over 550 skyscrapers taller than 150 meters, it is true that Hong Kong stands head and shoulders above its closest competitor, its nearby neighbor Shenzhen, in terms of the number of skyscrapers.

However, it may come as a surprise that most of Hong Kong is not buried under concrete but still consists of pristine mountains and forests. Indeed, as of 2026, 40% of Hong Kong’s total land area is designated as protected country parks. When combined with the 35% of natural landscape, this means that 75% of Hong Kong’s land is effectively protected by law.

In other words, all residential, commercial, and industrial activity in Hong Kong is concentrated on just 25% of its total land area. Put differently, 7.5 million people live and work on only 25% of a territory that spans just 1,089.71 square kilometers (420.74 square miles).

So much so that, excluding protected country parks and natural landscapes, the true population density of Hong Kong reaches an astonishing 27,530 inhabitants per square kilometer (71,302 inhabitants per square mile).