HK
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
China–Hong Kong
Summary
Official Name
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
Population
7,501,000
Principal Languages
Mandarin Chinese
Literacy Rate
94% (Roser and Ortiz-Ospina 2018)
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for China–Hong Kong is 7. All are living languages. Of these, 3 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 1 is developing, 1 is vigorous, 1 is in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed are 4 unestablished languages.
Languages
- Chinese, Hakka hak
- New Territories. Users: 289,300 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 42,300 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 247,000 (2016 census). Status: 6b (Threatened). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chinese, Mandarin cmn
- Users: 3,421,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 131,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,290,000 (2016 census). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chinese, Min Nan nan
- Scattered. Users: 493,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 106,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). 70,500 Fukien and 35,200 Chiu Chau (2016 census). L2 users: 387,000 (2016 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Banlamgi Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chinese, Wu wuu
- Users: 77,500 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 14,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 63,400 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Shanghainese Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- Chinese, Yue yue
- Widespread. Users: 6,662,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 6,260,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 402,000 (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Alternate Names: Cantonese, Hong Kong Cantonese, Shatou, Shiqi, Wancheng Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
- English eng
- Widespread. Users: 3,750,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 300,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,450,000 (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
- Hong Kong Sign Language hks
- Scattered. Users: 8,000 in China–Hong Kong (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated based on 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 3,900 (2014 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR). Total users in all countries: 8,200. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: HKSL, Heung Kong Sau Yue Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
- Indonesian ind
- Users: 190,100 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 21,100 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 169,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay
- Japanese jpn
- Users: 127,050 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 7,050 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 120,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic
- Macanese mzs
- Scattered. Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Classification: Creole, Portuguese based
- Tagalog tgl
- Users: 190,200 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 28,200 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 162,000 (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog
Languages by Status
Chinese, Mandarin
[cmn] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 3,421,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 131,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,290,000 (2016 census).
Chinese, Yue
[yue] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 6,662,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 6,260,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 402,000 (2016 census).
English
[eng] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (1997, Basic Law, Article 9). 3,750,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 300,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census), increasing. L2 users: 3,450,000 (2016 census).
Chinese, Min Nan
[nan] 5* (Dispersed). 493,000 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 106,000 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). 70,500 Fukien and 35,200 Chiu Chau (2016 census). L2 users: 387,000 (2016 census).
Hong Kong Sign Language
[hks] 6a (Vigorous). 8,000 in China–Hong Kong (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated based on 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 3,900 (2014 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, HKSAR). Total users in all countries: 8,200.
Chinese, Hakka
[hak] 6b (Threatened). 289,300 in China–Hong Kong, all users. L1 users: 42,300 in China–Hong Kong (2016 census). L2 users: 247,000 (2016 census).
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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