There are many different factors that have influenced the culture in Hong Kong. There are influences from the Cantonese culture, which is in the neighboring province of Guangdong. There is also a blend of the western influences from the British and the Asian characteristics from the southern Chinese. Hong Kong is also home to the communities of Hakka, Fukien, and Teochiu people, which has an impact on its culture. All of these influences combine to make up a wonderfully diverse people.
Approximately 96% of the people in Hong Kong are Chinese, and the majority of these people are Cantonese. Cantonese is the language most often spoken by these people, but English is also widely understood and is spoken by 1/3 of the population. The remaining 4% of the population is non-Chinese, but these people are a highly visible group. A significant number of them are South Asian and are among Hong Kong’s wealthiest families.
Immigration to Hong Kong comes largely from the following sources: Philippines (132,770), Indonesia (95,460), and the United States (31,330). There are many Nepalis who decided to stay on after their service to Britain. There are also more than 15,000 Vietnamese former refugees who stayed in Hong Kong. In addition, about 140,000 Filipinos live in Hong Kong working as domestic helpers and housekeepers. A large number of Europeans, North Americans, Japanese, and Koreans also live in Hong Kong, working in the financial sector.
Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has more than 6,200 people per square kilometer and has the fifth most populated metropolitan area in the world. Although the fertility rate in Hong Kong is just .94 children per woman, well below the 2.1 children per women required to maintain an even population, the population in Hong Kong is growing at a rate of 45,000 people per year due to immigration from China.