Hong Kong's rapidly growing population, especially in the North West New Territories, requires a new, high-capacity rail system to cater for the expected level of demand. According to the Government's 1998 projections, Hong Kong's population is forecast to grow from 6.2 million in 1996 to 8.1 million by the year 2011. The population of the North West New Territories alone is projected to grow by about 70% during this period, from around 800,000 to about 1.35 million.