<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> The Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulates that Chinese and English are the two official languages of Hong Kong . During the British colonial era, English was the sole official language until 1974 . As the majority of the population in Hong Kong are descendants of migrants from China's Canton Province, the vast majority speak standard Cantonese or other Yue Chinese varieties as a first language, with smaller numbers of speakers of Hakka Language or the Teochew dialect of Southern Min . In addition, immigrants and expatriates from the West and other Asian countries have contributed much to Hong Kong's linguistic and demographic diversity . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="5"> Languages of Hong Kong (2011) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Languages </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> percent </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Cantonese (official) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 87.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> English (official) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 4.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Native dialects </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 3.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Filipino </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 1.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Others </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 1.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Mandarin </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 1.3% </Td> </Tr> </Table>

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