MigrantoHong Kong Diaspora
1.2M Hong Kongers live abroad — 16% of the population of Hong Kong
Hong Kong diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 72% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| China | 421605 |
| USA | 268915 |
| Canada | 204515 |
| United Kingdom | 142011 |
| Australia | 116517 |
| Macao | 23816 |
| Taiwan | 20726 |
| New Zealand | 13920 |
| Japan | 13895 |
| Costa Rica | 4758 |
| Singapore | 3584 |
| Norway | 2972 |
| Brunei | 599 |
| South Africa | 576 |
| Panama | 514 |
| Venezuela | 514 |
| Curaçao | 180 |
| North Korea | 169 |
| Portugal | 168 |
| Cambodia | 130 |
| Belize | 86 |
| Bahamas | 28 |
| Mauritius | 22 |
| Micronesia | 20 |
| El Salvador | 8 |
| Bolivia | 2 |
| Denmark | 0 |
| Estonia | 0 |
| Greece | 0 |
By region
39% of the diaspora lives in Asia
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Key facts
The Hong Kong diaspora in numbers
Most Hong Kongers abroad live in China
34% of the diaspora lives in China, while the next country accounts for just 22%.
The community in Taiwan is growing fastest
The number of Hong Kongers living in Taiwan has grown 61% since 2015, from 12.8K to 20.7K.
1 in 6 people born in Hong Kong lives abroad
1.2M people born in Hong Kong now live in other countries — 16.5% of a population of 7.5M.
The share of the diaspora living in Asia has grown since 1990
23.5% of the diaspora lived in Asia in 1990, compared with 39.1% today.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 26% to 34%, and today that country is China.
Hong Kong diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 569282 |
| 1995 | 682700 |
| 2000 | 818107 |
| 2005 | 849440 |
| 2010 | 903793 |
| 2015 | 1031087 |
| 2020 | 1146271 |
| 2024 | 1240250 |
Largest communities over time
Hong Kongers living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | China | USA | Canada | United Kingdom | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 110881 | 150484 | 141567 | 72708 | 59104 |
| 1995 | 132434 | 121952 | 232339 | 80651 | 72273 |
| 2000 | 158117 | 210485 | 236559 | 89206 | 75247 |
| 2005 | 188659 | 214124 | 218674 | 98669 | 79854 |
| 2010 | 227011 | 215677 | 210571 | 109135 | 85347 |
| 2015 | 290906 | 244595 | 214832 | 120712 | 95107 |
| 2020 | 359011 | 258439 | 214132 | 133566 | 103398 |
| 2024 | 421605 | 268915 | 204515 | 142011 | 116517 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Hong Kongers in each country has changed since the selected year
Hong Kongers among immigrants in other countries
Where Hong Kongers make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Hong Kongers live outside Hong Kong?
Around 1.2M Hong Kongers live abroad, the world's #62 largest diaspora.
Where do most Hong Kongers abroad live?
Most Hong Kongers live in China, USA and Canada — these three countries account for about 72% of all Hong Kongers living abroad.
Which country has the largest Hong Kong population outside Hong Kong?
China is home to the largest Hong Kong community abroad — 421.6K people, about 34% of all Hong Kongers living abroad.
What share of the population of Hong Kong lives abroad?
About 16% of the population of Hong Kong lives abroad — that's 1.2M out of a total population of 7.5M.
Is the Hong Kong diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Hong Kongers living abroad has grown from 1M to 1.2M, about 20%.
Where does the data on the Hong Kong diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Hong Kong who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Hong Kong
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