Hong kong's population has passed the seven million mark.
The number of people living here was 7,008,900 at the end of 2008,up 56,100 or 0.8 percenton the previous year,according to the Cencus and Statistics Department.
The figure included 78,700births,41,300 deaths and 18,700 newcomers,mostly from the mainland.
Births and inflows of one-way permit holders were up to 74 percent year on year at 41,600.
The numbers of births and deaths increased last year.The 78,700births represented a 140 percent year-on-year increase,while the 41,300 deaths were 74 percent more than in 2007.
Hong kong has one of the world's lowest fertility rates,with less than one baby born for every woman of chlid-bearing age.
The population has grown by 211,200 over the pass five years,and the government says it could hit 8.38 million by 2033.
Hong kong university social work and social administration professor Joe Lung Cho-bun urged the government to formulate population policies.
He said most new mainland residents come from lower social strata,while more Hong kong people are moving across the border.
"The overall quality of Hong kong population is deteriorating and cannot cater to the needs of the economy.We need of the comprehensive population policy to maintain our competitiveness in asia,"he said.
POPULATION IN HONG KONG
BRITAIN STRUGGLES WITH TEENAGE PREGNANCY ISSUE
Britain's youngest father,13-year-old Alfie Patten,has reignited the debate about teenage pregnancyafter his 15-year-old girlfriend gave birth to a daughter .
Alfie,whose voice has not broken,became an unlikely celebrity after the sun revealed he had fathered Maisie Roxanne with Chantelle Steadman.
The boy was 12 and Chantelle 14 when they conceived after a bout of unprotected sex.
the shy Alfie told The sun that he and Chantelle decided against bortion when they found she was pregnant-by then three months-because "i thought it would be good to have a baby."
They kept it a secret for six weeks,fearing thier patrents' reaction.
"we didn't think we would needed help from our parents,"said Chantelle,who lives with unemployed parents Steve,43,and Penny,38and four younger brothers.
"You don't really think about that when you find out you are pregnant.you just think your parents will kill you."
Asked what he would do to support the child financially,Alfie ask in a high-pitchedvoice:"what's financially?"
Still,police and child services officers in Eastbourne,southeast England,said they were offering support to both young people.
The girl was taking birth controlpills but miss one,the sun reported.
Alfie father,Dannis,who has nine childrenand is separated from the boy's mother,Nicola,said his son did not really understand the enormity of his situation.
"When i spoke to him about the pregnancy he started crying.He said it was the first time he'd had sex,that he didn't know what he was doing and of the complications that could come."
Maisie's birth has been greeted by widespread criticisem.Former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith said it was a tragic example of Britain's social decline.
As for prime minister Gordon Brown,he said:"i don't know the individual details of the case,but of course I think all of us would want to avoid teenage pregnancies."
Britain has one of highest teen pregnancy rates in europe.about 39,000 girls under age 18 became pregnant in 2006.more than 7,000 were youger than 16.There were 27 birth per 1,000 girls age 15-19 between 2000 and 2005.
Comparable figures are 10 per 1,000for spain,eight in 1,000 in France,and five in 1,000for the Netherlands.
Britain's teens pregnancy rate,however,is far below that of the United States,with 44 births per 1,000 girls age 15-19.It is more in line with countries such as Australia and New Zealand,which respectively have 17 and 27 births per 1,000 girls age 15-19.
