Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong

Hong Kong: Urban area over the long-term was 305.85 km² per grid cell in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
305.85 km² per grid cell
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
148th
of 202 countries
All-time high
305.85 km² per grid cell
in 2025
All-time low
0.0001 km² per grid cell
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025

Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong, 1000–2025

0100200300100015122025

Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in km² per grid cell.

Analysis

The most recent figure for urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong is 305.85 km² per grid cell, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong peaked at 305.85 km² per grid cell in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0001 km² per grid cell, in 1000.

Hong Kong ranks 148th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong, year by year

Annual values for Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong, 1000 to 2025.
Year km² per grid cell Change
1000 0.0001 km² per grid cell
1100 0.0007 km² per grid cell +639.4%
1200 0.0023 km² per grid cell +242.9%
1300 0.0002 km² per grid cell -92.0%
1400 0.0005 km² per grid cell +193.0%
1500 0.0016 km² per grid cell +193.0%
1600 0.0046 km² per grid cell +193.0%
1700 0.0136 km² per grid cell +193.0%
1710 0.062 km² per grid cell +355.0%
1720 0.1143 km² per grid cell +84.5%
1730 0.1709 km² per grid cell +49.5%
1740 0.232 km² per grid cell +35.8%
1750 0.2979 km² per grid cell +28.4%
1760 0.3689 km² per grid cell +23.8%
1770 0.4453 km² per grid cell +20.7%
1780 0.5274 km² per grid cell +18.4%
1790 0.6156 km² per grid cell +16.7%
1800 0.7102 km² per grid cell +15.4%
1810 0.8114 km² per grid cell +14.3%
1820 0.9192 km² per grid cell +13.3%
1830 1.19 km² per grid cell +29.4%
1840 1.54 km² per grid cell +29.1%
1850 1.84 km² per grid cell +19.9%
1860 4.49 km² per grid cell +143.6%
1870 7.05 km² per grid cell +57.2%
1880 9.21 km² per grid cell +30.6%
1890 10.64 km² per grid cell +15.5%
1900 13.35 km² per grid cell +25.5%
1910 18.3 km² per grid cell +37.1%
1920 21.39 km² per grid cell +16.9%
1930 24.5 km² per grid cell +14.5%
1940 50.56 km² per grid cell +106.3%
1950 43.94 km² per grid cell -13.1%
1951 78.67 km² per grid cell +79.0%
1952 80.62 km² per grid cell +2.5%
1953 82.61 km² per grid cell +2.5%
1954 84.44 km² per grid cell +2.2%
1955 86.02 km² per grid cell +1.9%
1956 87.4 km² per grid cell +1.6%
1957 88.7 km² per grid cell +1.5%
1958 90.12 km² per grid cell +1.6%
1959 91.87 km² per grid cell +1.9%
1960 94.11 km² per grid cell +2.4%
1961 97.09 km² per grid cell +3.2%
1962 100.81 km² per grid cell +3.8%
1963 104.81 km² per grid cell +4.0%
1964 108.74 km² per grid cell +3.7%
1965 112.35 km² per grid cell +3.3%
1966 115.51 km² per grid cell +2.8%
1967 118.31 km² per grid cell +2.4%
1968 120.98 km² per grid cell +2.3%
1969 123.89 km² per grid cell +2.4%
1970 127.31 km² per grid cell +2.8%
1971 130 km² per grid cell +2.1%
1972 133.33 km² per grid cell +2.6%
1973 137.09 km² per grid cell +2.8%
1974 141.26 km² per grid cell +3.0%
1975 145.8 km² per grid cell +3.2%
1976 148.57 km² per grid cell +1.9%
1977 151.7 km² per grid cell +2.1%
1978 154.96 km² per grid cell +2.2%
1979 158.08 km² per grid cell +2.0%
1980 160.87 km² per grid cell +1.8%
1981 165.64 km² per grid cell +3.0%
1982 170.05 km² per grid cell +2.7%
1983 174.13 km² per grid cell +2.4%
1984 177.89 km² per grid cell +2.2%
1985 181.37 km² per grid cell +2.0%
1986 187.04 km² per grid cell +3.1%
1987 195.09 km² per grid cell +4.3%
1988 200.87 km² per grid cell +3.0%
1989 205.69 km² per grid cell +2.4%
1990 210.4 km² per grid cell +2.3%
1991 215.57 km² per grid cell +2.5%
1992 221.03 km² per grid cell +2.5%
1993 226.67 km² per grid cell +2.6%
1994 231.22 km² per grid cell +2.0%
1995 235.44 km² per grid cell +1.8%
1996 239.16 km² per grid cell +1.6%
1997 242.93 km² per grid cell +1.6%
1998 246.06 km² per grid cell +1.3%
1999 248.24 km² per grid cell +0.9%
2000 249.99 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2001 253.01 km² per grid cell +1.2%
2002 256.03 km² per grid cell +1.2%
2003 259.07 km² per grid cell +1.2%
2004 262.14 km² per grid cell +1.2%
2005 265.24 km² per grid cell +1.2%
2006 268.18 km² per grid cell +1.1%
2007 271.14 km² per grid cell +1.1%
2008 274.12 km² per grid cell +1.1%
2009 277.13 km² per grid cell +1.1%
2010 280.17 km² per grid cell +1.1%
2011 282.12 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2012 284.07 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2013 286.04 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2014 288.01 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2015 289.99 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2016 291.97 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2017 293.95 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2018 295.94 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2019 297.94 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2020 299.93 km² per grid cell +0.7%
2021 301.13 km² per grid cell +0.4%
2022 302.32 km² per grid cell +0.4%
2023 303.51 km² per grid cell +0.4%
2024 304.68 km² per grid cell +0.4%
2025 305.85 km² per grid cell +0.4%

Hong Kong compared with similar countries

  • Hong Kong's 305.85 km² per grid cell is below the median for high income countries, which is 1,007 km² per grid cell, 30% of the median. (68 countries reporting)
  • Hong Kong's 305.85 km² per grid cell is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 954.94 km² per grid cell, 32% of the median. (27 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1100 +639.4% 0.0001 km² per grid cell 0.0007 km² per grid cell
1710 +355.0% 0.0136 km² per grid cell 0.062 km² per grid cell
1200 +242.9% 0.0007 km² per grid cell 0.0023 km² per grid cell
1400 +193.0% 0.0002 km² per grid cell 0.0005 km² per grid cell
1500 +193.0% 0.0005 km² per grid cell 0.0016 km² per grid cell
1600 +193.0% 0.0016 km² per grid cell 0.0046 km² per grid cell

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1000s 0.0001 km² per grid cell 0.0001 km² per grid cell 0.0001 km² per grid cell 1
1100s 0.0007 km² per grid cell 0.0007 km² per grid cell 0.0007 km² per grid cell 1
1200s 0.0023 km² per grid cell 0.0023 km² per grid cell 0.0023 km² per grid cell 1
1300s 0.0002 km² per grid cell 0.0002 km² per grid cell 0.0002 km² per grid cell 1
1400s 0.0005 km² per grid cell 0.0005 km² per grid cell 0.0005 km² per grid cell 1
1500s 0.0016 km² per grid cell 0.0016 km² per grid cell 0.0016 km² per grid cell 1
1600s 0.0046 km² per grid cell 0.0046 km² per grid cell 0.0046 km² per grid cell 1
1700s 0.0136 km² per grid cell 0.0136 km² per grid cell 0.0136 km² per grid cell 1
1710s 0.062 km² per grid cell 0.062 km² per grid cell 0.062 km² per grid cell 1
1720s 0.1143 km² per grid cell 0.1143 km² per grid cell 0.1143 km² per grid cell 1
1730s 0.1709 km² per grid cell 0.1709 km² per grid cell 0.1709 km² per grid cell 1
1740s 0.232 km² per grid cell 0.232 km² per grid cell 0.232 km² per grid cell 1
1750s 0.2979 km² per grid cell 0.2979 km² per grid cell 0.2979 km² per grid cell 1
1760s 0.3689 km² per grid cell 0.3689 km² per grid cell 0.3689 km² per grid cell 1
1770s 0.4453 km² per grid cell 0.4453 km² per grid cell 0.4453 km² per grid cell 1
1780s 0.5274 km² per grid cell 0.5274 km² per grid cell 0.5274 km² per grid cell 1
1790s 0.6156 km² per grid cell 0.6156 km² per grid cell 0.6156 km² per grid cell 1
1800s 0.7102 km² per grid cell 0.7102 km² per grid cell 0.7102 km² per grid cell 1
1810s 0.8114 km² per grid cell 0.8114 km² per grid cell 0.8114 km² per grid cell 1
1820s 0.9192 km² per grid cell 0.9192 km² per grid cell 0.9192 km² per grid cell 1
1830s 1.19 km² per grid cell 1.19 km² per grid cell 1.19 km² per grid cell 1
1840s 1.54 km² per grid cell 1.54 km² per grid cell 1.54 km² per grid cell 1
1850s 1.84 km² per grid cell 1.84 km² per grid cell 1.84 km² per grid cell 1
1860s 4.49 km² per grid cell 4.49 km² per grid cell 4.49 km² per grid cell 1
1870s 7.05 km² per grid cell 7.05 km² per grid cell 7.05 km² per grid cell 1
1880s 9.21 km² per grid cell 9.21 km² per grid cell 9.21 km² per grid cell 1
1890s 10.64 km² per grid cell 10.64 km² per grid cell 10.64 km² per grid cell 1
1900s 13.35 km² per grid cell 13.35 km² per grid cell 13.35 km² per grid cell 1
1910s 18.3 km² per grid cell 18.3 km² per grid cell 18.3 km² per grid cell 1
1920s 21.39 km² per grid cell 21.39 km² per grid cell 21.39 km² per grid cell 1
1930s 24.5 km² per grid cell 24.5 km² per grid cell 24.5 km² per grid cell 1
1940s 50.56 km² per grid cell 50.56 km² per grid cell 50.56 km² per grid cell 1
1950s 81.44 km² per grid cell 43.94 km² per grid cell 91.87 km² per grid cell 10
1960s 109.66 km² per grid cell 94.11 km² per grid cell 123.89 km² per grid cell 10
1970s 142.81 km² per grid cell 127.31 km² per grid cell 158.08 km² per grid cell 10
1980s 181.87 km² per grid cell 160.87 km² per grid cell 205.69 km² per grid cell 10
1990s 231.67 km² per grid cell 210.4 km² per grid cell 248.24 km² per grid cell 10
2000s 263.61 km² per grid cell 249.99 km² per grid cell 277.13 km² per grid cell 10
2010s 289.02 km² per grid cell 280.17 km² per grid cell 297.94 km² per grid cell 10
2020s 302.9 km² per grid cell 299.93 km² per grid cell 305.85 km² per grid cell 6

Countries ranked near Hong Kong

  1. 145 Armenia 321.12 km² per grid cell compare
  2. 146 Albania 315.76 km² per grid cell compare
  3. 147 Lesotho 314.83 km² per grid cell compare
  4. 149 Cyprus 302.65 km² per grid cell compare
  5. 150 North Macedonia 299.33 km² per grid cell compare
  6. 151 Brunei 244.05 km² per grid cell compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More reference data data for Hong Kong

All data for Hong Kong →

Frequently asked questions

What is urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong?
Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong was 305.85 km² per grid cell in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest urban area over the long-term recorded in Hong Kong?
The highest recorded value was 305.85 km² per grid cell in 2025.
What is the lowest urban area over the long-term recorded in Hong Kong?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0001 km² per grid cell in 1000.
How does Hong Kong rank for urban area over the long-term?
Hong Kong ranks 148th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
Is urban area over the long-term rising or falling in Hong Kong?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Hong Kong data come from?
The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong. Statizoid, drawing on HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/urban-area-long-term/hong-kong-sar-china/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/urban-area-long-term/hong-kong-sar-china/">Urban area over the long-term in Hong Kong</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Urban area over the long-term
Unit
km² per grid cell
Source
HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
202 places, 21,816 data points, 1000–2025
Last refreshed

Total built-up area of a country over time.