The New Territories Have a Very High Population Density

Stretching from Kowloon to the Sham Chun River, and from Lantau Island to Sai Kung, the New Territories is by far the most populated region of Hong Kong. Its approximately 4,280,000 inhabitants as of 2026 account for about 56% of the city's total population.

Yet, with a total land area 7.6 times larger than Kowloon and Hong Kong Island combined—accounting for 88% of Hong Kong’s total land mass—the New Territories is also the least densely populated region, with only 4,337 inhabitants per square kilometre (11,232 inhabitants per square mile).

However, as is often the case in Hong Kong, numbers can be deceiving. While the New Territories has the lowest overall population density, one must bear in mind that most of the region consists of natural landscapes and protected areas where construction is forbidden.

In fact, the population is concentrated in highly dense urban pockets such as Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, Sha Tin, Ma On Shan, Sheung Shui, and Tai Po. The remainder of the New Territories consists mainly of protected country parks characterized by mountains and forests.