In recent decades Hong Kong has experienced remarkable demographic and social changes. The trend towards late marriage and less marriage has gained great attention because they have profound demographic, economic and social consequences. The demographic perspective of "marriage squeeze" explores the effect on marriage of an imbalance between the numbers of males and females in marriageable ages, and its impact on human marriage behaviors. The present research examines the marriage squeeze in the past decades in Hong Kong by several quantitative measurements and presents the transformations of the local marriage market during the corresponding years. Results show that the great number of male immigrants from Mainland China into Hong Kong in later 1970s caused a severe marriage squeeze ag...[ Read more ]

In recent decades Hong Kong has experienced remarkable demographic and social changes. The trend towards late marriage and less marriage has gained great attention because they have profound demographic, economic and social consequences. The demographic perspective of "marriage squeeze" explores the effect on marriage of an imbalance between the numbers of males and females in marriageable ages, and its impact on human marriage behaviors. The present research examines the marriage squeeze in the past decades in Hong Kong by several quantitative measurements and presents the transformations of the local marriage market during the corresponding years. Results show that the great number of male immigrants from Mainland China into Hong Kong in later 1970s caused a severe marriage squeeze against males due to the extremely imbalanced sex ratio in the marriage market. This male marriage squeeze was gradually relieved and the marriage market was balanced in later 1990s by the physiological fading out of the excess males from the marriage market, as well as the large number of introduction of "Mainland brides" during the years. A new trend toward a female marriage squeeze emerged from the beginning of 21st century which yet needs further observation. This research provides demographic interpretations to some changes in the marriage behaviors like late and less marriage of Hong Kong females, as well as the variations of age difference between spouses in recent decades. Sociological and economic factors are also considered in the analysis of these changes in order to provide a comprehensive illustration.