There is a moderate
ethnic minority population of
Nepalese people in Hong Kong (referred to as '
Hong Kong Nepalese'), forming roughly 0.5% of the total population (approximately 40,000 Hong Kong Nepalese citizens). They primarily came to the territory as part of the
Gurkha brigade of the
British Army. After the handover in 1997, they were permitted to stay in Hong Kong. Majority of the Nepali population of Hong Kong are the children and grandchildren of Gurkha soldiers who were fierce fighters serving the British Army from 1814.