Hong Kong's population has swelled to 7,008,300 by mid-2009, according to Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department's provisional figures released on Thursday.

The figure represents a 0.4 percent increase, or 30,600 more people than in mid-2008.

The department said births and an influx of one-way permit holders were important constituents of the overall population increase.

From mid-2008 to mid-2009 there were 81,200 babies born in HongKong. There were 39,900 deaths.

The inflow of one-way permit holders were 41,400. Not accounting for the arrival of one-way permit holders, there was a net outflow of 52,100 people, bearing a ratio of 171 percent to the overall population increase, the department said.

Of the total population, 6,797,300 were usual residents and 211,000 were mobile residents, the department said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2009)