"HK" redirects here. For other uses, see HK (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 22°16′42″N 114°09′32″E﻿ / ﻿22.27833°N 114.15889°E﻿ / 22.27833; 114.15889

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China[note 1] ??????????????
Flag | Emblem
Anthem: March of the Volunteers ????????
View at night from Victoria Peak (2007)
Official languages | English Chinese[note 2]
Spoken languages | English, Cantonese
Writing systems | English alphabet, Traditional Chinese
Demonym | Hong Konger
Government | Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
- | Chief Executive | CY Leung
- | Chief Secretary for Administration | Carrie Lam
- | Financial Secretary | John Tsang
- | Secretary for Justice | Rimsky Yuen
Legislature | Legislative Council
Establishment
- | Treaty of Nanking | 29 August 1842
- | Japanese occupation | 25 December 1941 ? 15 August 1945
- | Conveyance from British sovereignty to Chinese sovereignty | 1 July 1997
Area
- | Total | 1,104 km2 (179th) 426 sq mi
- | Water (%) | 4.58 (50?km?; 19?mi?)[3]
Population
- | 2010 census | 7,061,200[4]
- | Density | 6,480[5]/km2 (4th) 16,576/sq mi
GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate
- | Total | $351.119 billion[6]
- | Per capita | $49,137[6]
GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate
- | Total | $243.302 billion[6]
- | Per capita | $34,049[6]
Gini (2007) | 43.4[7] Error: Invalid Gini value
HDI (2011) | 0.898[8] Error: Invalid HDI value · 13th
Currency | Hong Kong dollar (`HKD`)
Time zone | HKT (UTC8)
Date format | yyyy?m?d? (Chinese) dd-mm-yyyy (English)
Drives on the | left
Calling code | 852
ISO 3166 code | HK
Internet TLD | .hk and .??

API
Chinese | ??
Cantonese Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2
Cantonese Yale | H?ungg?ng
Hanyu Pinyin | Xi?ngg?ng
Literal meaning | Fragrant harbour
Transcriptions
Hakka
Romanization | Hi?ng-k?ng
Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin | Xi?ngg?ng
Wade–Giles | Hsiang1-kang3
IPA | [?j??k??]
Min
Hokkien POJ | Hiong-kang
Wu
Romanization | shian?kaon?
Cantonese
Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2
IPA | [h????k????]
Yale Romanization | H?ungg?ng
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Simplified Chinese | ??????? (or ????)
Traditional Chinese | ??????? (or ????)
Cantonese Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3 Keoi1
Hanyu Pinyin | Xi?ngg?ng T?bi? X?ngzh?ngq?
Transcriptions
Hakka
Romanization | Hi?ng-k?ng Thi?t-phe?t H?ng-ts?n-kh?
Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin | Xi?ngg?ng T?bi? X?ngzh?ngq?
Min
Hokkien POJ | Hiong-kang Te?k-pia?t H?ng-ch?ng-khu
Wu
Romanization | shian?kaon? deh?bih? ghan?tsen?chiu?
Cantonese
Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3 Keoi1

| This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Full view of Kowloon and Hong Kong. The old Kai Tak Airport can be seen on the left.
The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum located in northwest Kowloon was built in 1969 after the tomb's discovery in 1955.

Hong Kong[note 3] (Chinese: ??) is a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China (PRC). It is situated on China's south coast and, enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea,[9] it is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.[10] Hong Kong's population is 95?percent ethnic Chinese and 5?percent from other groups.[11] Hong Kong's Han Chinese majority originate mainly from the cities of Guangzhou and Taishan in the neighbouring Guangdong province.[12]

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839?42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898. It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty.[13][14] The region espoused minimum government intervention under the ethos of positive non-interventionism during the colonial era.[15] The time period greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong, often described as "East meets West",[16] and the educational system, which used to loosely follow the system in England[17] until reforms implemented in 2009.[18]

Under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China.[19] Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under the common law framework.[20][21] Hong Kong Basic Law, its constitutional document, which stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign relations and military defence, governs its political system.[22][23] Although it has a burgeoning multi-party system, a small-circle electorate controls half of its legislature. That is, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the head of government, is chosen by an Election Committee of 400 to 1,200 members, a situation that will be in effect during the first 20 years of Chinese rule.[24][25][26][27]

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.[28] The lack of space caused demand for denser constructions, which developed the city to a centre for modern architecture and the world's most vertical city.[29][30] Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.[6] The dense space also led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport travelling rate exceeding 90?percent,[31] the highest in the world.[32] Hong Kong has numerous high international rankings in various aspects. For instance, its economic freedom, financial and economic competitiveness, quality of life, corruption perception, Human Development Index, etc., are all ranked highly.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39] According to both UN and WHO estimates, Hong Kong has the longest life expectancy of any country in the world from 2012.[40]

## Etymology[edit]

The name "Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka name "??", meaning "fragrant harbour".[41] Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet ? now Aberdeen Harbour or ??? hoeng1 gong2 zai2 "Little Hong Kong" ? between the Aberdeen Island and the south side of Hong Kong Island, which was one of the first points of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.[42]

The reference to fragrance may refer to the harbour waters sweetened by the fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River, or to the incense from factories lining the coast to the north of Kowloon, which was stored around Aberdeen Harbour for export before the development of Victoria Harbour.[41] In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking was signed, and the name Hong Kong was first recorded on official documents to encompass the entirety of the island.[43]

## History[edit]

Main article: History of Hong Kong

### Pre-colonial[edit]

Main articles: Prehistoric Hong Kong and History of Hong Kong under Imperial China

Archaeological studies support a human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago, and in Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.[44][45][46] Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the two earliest sites of human habitation in the Paleolithic period. It is believed the Three Fathom Cove was a river valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artifacts suggest cultural differences from the Longshan culture in northern China and settlement by the Che people prior to the migration of the Baiyue.[47][48] Eight petroglyphs were discovered on surrounding islands, which dated to the Shang Dynasty in China.[49]

In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern Liangguang region) and incorporated the territory into imperial China for the first time. Modern Hong Kong is located in Nanhai commandery (modern Nanhai District) and near the ancient capital city Panyu.[50][51][52] The area was consolidated under the kingdom of Nanyue, founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC after the Qin Dynasty collapsed.[53] When the kingdom was conquered by Emperor Wu of Han in 111 BC, the land was assigned to the Jiaozhi commandery under the Han Dynasty. Archaeological evidence indicates the population increased and early salt production flourished in this time period. Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb in the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built during the Han Dynasty.[54]

During the Tang Dynasty period, the Guangdong region flourished as a regional trading center. In 736, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established a military town in Tuen Mun to defend the coastal area in the region.[55] The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 in the New Territories under the Northern Song Dynasty.[56] During the Mongol invasion in 1276, the Southern Song Dynasty court moved to Fujian, then to Lantau Island and later to Sung Wong Toi (modern Kowloon City), but the child Emperor Bing of Song committed suicide by drowning with his officials after being defeated in the Battle of Yamen. Hau Wong, an official of the emperor is still worshipped in Hong Kong today.[57]

The earliest recorded European visitor was Jorge ?lvares, a Portuguese explorer who arrived in 1513.[58][59] After establishing settlements in the region, Portuguese merchants began trading in southern China. At the same time, they invaded and built up military fortifications in Tuen Mun. Military clashes between China and Portugal led to the expulsion of the Portuguese. In the mid-16th century, the Haijin order banned maritime activities and prevented contact with foreigners; it also restricted local sea activity.[57] In 1661?69, the territory was affected by the Great Clearance ordered by Kangxi Emperor, which required the evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong. It is recorded that about 16,000 persons from Xin'an County were driven inland, and 1,648 of those who left are said to have returned when the evacuation was rescinded in 1669.[60] What is now the territory of Hong Kong became largely wasteland during the ban.[61] In 1685, Kangxi became the first emperor to open limited trading with foreigners, which started with the Canton territory. He also imposed strict terms for trades such as requiring foreign traders to live in restricted areas, staying only for the trading seasons, banning firearms, and trading with silver only.[62] The East India Company made the first sea venture to China in 1699, and the region's trade with British merchants developed rapidly soon after. In 1711, the company established its first trading post in Canton. By 1773, the British reached a landmark 1,000 chests of opium in Canton with China consuming 2,000 chests annually by 1799.[62]

### British colonial era[edit]

Main articles: British Hong Kong, History of Hong Kong (1800s?1930s)

- Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong (used between 1870 and 1876)

- Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong (used between 1876 and 1910)

- Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong (used between 1910 and 1959)

- Flag of the British colony of Hong Kong (Unofficial Red ensign for Hong Kong used between 1959 and the handover of Hong Kong to the PRC in 1997)

Victoria City in the 1890s.
General Post Office in Central, City of Victoria, 1911

In 1839 the refusal by Qing Dynasty authorities to import opium resulted in the First Opium War between China and Britain. Hong Kong Island was occupied by British forces on 20 January 1841 and was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpee as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan, but the agreement was never ratified due to a dispute between high-ranking officials in both governments.[63] It was not until 29 August 1842 that the island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom under the Treaty of Nanking. The British established a crown colony with the founding of Victoria City the following year.[64]

Under British rule, the population of Hong Kong island had increased from 7,450 Chinese residents, mostly fishermen, in 1841 to over 115,000 Chinese and 8,754 Europeans in Hong Kong (including Kowloon) in 1870.[65]

In 1860 after China's defeat in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutter's Island were ceded in perpetuity to Britain under the Convention of Peking.

In 1894 the deadly Third Pandemic of bubonic plague spread from China to Hong Kong, causing 50,000?100,000 deaths.[66]

In 1898 under the terms of the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the New Territories.[67] Hong Kong's territory has remained unchanged to the present.[68][69]

During the first half of the 20th century, Hong Kong was a free port, serving as an entrep?t of the British Empire. The British introduced an education system based on their own model, while the local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy tai-pans settled near Victoria Peak.[67]

### Japanese invasion[edit]

In conjunction with its military campaign, the Empire of Japan invaded Hong Kong on 8 December 1941.[70] The Battle of Hong Kong ended with British and Canadian defenders surrendering control of the colony to Japan on 25 December.[71] During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, civilians suffered widespread food shortages, rationing, and hyper-inflation due to forced exchange of currency for military notes. Through a policy of enforced repatriation of the unemployed to the mainland throughout the period, because of the scarcity of food, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6?million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony.[72]

### Cold war era[edit]

Main articles: British Hong Kong, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s

Hong Kong's population recovered quickly as a wave of migrants from China arrived for refuge from the ongoing Chinese Civil War. When the PRC was proclaimed in 1949, more migrants fled to Hong Kong for fear of persecution by the Communist Party.[67] Many corporations in Shanghai and Guangzhou shifted their operations to Hong Kong.[67]

In the 1950s Hong Kong's rapid industrialization was driven by textile exports and other expanded manufacturing industries. As the population grew and labour costs remained low, living standards rose steadily.[73] The construction of Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 followed a massive slum fire, and marked the beginning of the public housing estate programme designed to cope with the huge influx of immigrants. Trade in Hong Kong accelerated even further when Shenzhen, immediately north of Hong Kong, became a special economic zone of the PRC, and Hong Kong was established as the main source of foreign investment in China.[74] The manufacturing competitiveness gradually declined in Hong Kong due to the development of the manufacturing industry in southern China beginning in the early 1980s. By contrast, the service industry in Hong Kong experienced high rates of growth in the 1980s and 1990s after absorbing workers released from the manufacturing industry.[75]

Development of Hong Kong Island in 1986

Throughout the British colonial era, Hong Kong was industrialized and developed in all aspects from its economy to its health care system. Many health facilities were built for its citizens, such as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, the Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, the Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong and the Prince of Wales Hospital. In 1983, when the United Kingdom reclassified Hong Kong from a British crown colony to a dependent territory, the governments of the United Kingdom and China were already discussing the issue of Hong Kong's sovereignty due to the impending expiration (within two decades) of the lease of the New Territories. In 1984 the Sino-British Joint Declaration ? an agreement to transfer sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997 ? was signed.[67] It stipulated that Hong Kong would be governed as a special administrative region, retaining its laws and a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the transfer. The Hong Kong Basic Law, which is based on the English law would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer, was ratified in 1990.[67]

### Since 1997[edit]

Main articles: Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and 2000s in Hong Kong

On 1 July 1997 the transfer of sovereignty from United Kingdom to the PRC occurred, officially ending 156 years of British colonial rule. Hong Kong became China's first special administrative region, and Tung Chee Hwa took office as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong. That same year, Hong Kong suffered an economic double blow from the Asian financial crisis and the H5N1 avian influenza.[67] In 2003 Hong Kong was gravely affected by the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).[76][77] The World Health Organization reported 1,755 infected and 299 deaths in Hong Kong.[78] An estimated 380?million Hong Kong dollars (US$48.9?million) in contracts were lost as a result of the epidemic.[79]

On 10 March 2005 Tung Chee Hwa announced his resignation as Chief Executive due to "health problems".[80] Donald Tsang, the Chief Secretary for Administration at the time, entered the 2005 election unopposed and became the second Chief Executive of Hong Kong on 21 June 2005.[81] In 2007 Tsang won the Chief Executive election and continued his second term in office.[82]

In 2009 Hong Kong hosted the fifth East Asian Games, in which nine national teams competed. It was the first and largest international multi-sport event ever held in the territory.[83] Today, Hong Kong continues to serve as an important global financial centre, but faces uncertainty over its future due to the growing mainland China economy, and its relationship with the PRC government in areas such as democratic reform and universal suffrage.[84]

## Governance[edit]

Main articles: Politics of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Government, and Elections in Hong Kong
The Legislative Council Building in Central became the home to Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1985.

Owing to its long history as a colony of the British Empire, Hong Kong is a city-state which continues to enjoy a high degree of autonomy even after its return to China.[85] In accordance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and the underlying principle of one country, two systems, Hong Kong has a "high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region in all areas except defence and foreign affairs."[note 4] The declaration stipulates that the region maintain its capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of its people for at least 50 years beyond the 1997 handover.[note 5] The guarantees over the territory's autonomy and the individual rights and freedoms are enshrined in a constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law (formed based on the Common law of England), which outlines the system of governance of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, but which is subject to the interpretation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).[86][87]

The primary pillars of government are the Executive Council, the civil service, the Legislative Council, and the Judiciary. The Executive Council is headed by the Chief Executive who is elected by the Election Committee and then appointed by the Central People's Government.[88][89] The civil service is a politically neutral body that implements policies and provides government services, where public servants are appointed based on meritocracy.[25][90] The Legislative Council has 60 members, half of whom are directly elected by universal suffrage by permanent residents of Hong Kong according to five geographical constituencies. The other half, known as functional constituencies, are directly elected by a smaller electorate, which consists of corporate bodies and persons from various stipulated functional sectors. The entire council is headed by the President of the Legislative Council who serves as the speaker.[91][92] Judges are appointed by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of an independent commission.[20][93]

Government House is the official residence of the Chief Executive.

The implementation of the Basic Law, including how and when the universal suffrage promised therein is to be achieved, has been a major issue of political debate since the transfer of sovereignty. In 2002, the government's proposed anti-subversion bill pursuant to Article 23 of the Basic Law, which required the enactment of laws prohibiting acts of treason and subversion against the Chinese government, was met with fierce opposition, and eventually shelved.[22][94][95] Debate between pro-Beijing groups, which tend to support the Executive branch, and the Pan-democracy camp characterises Hong Kong's political scene, with the latter supporting a faster pace of democratisation, and the principle of one man, one vote.[96]

In 2004 the government failed to gain pan-democrat support to pass its so-called "district council model" for political reform.[97] In 2009, the government reissued the proposals as the "Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012". The document proposed the enlargement of the Election Committee, Hong Kong's electoral college, from 800 members to 1,200 in 2012 and expansion of the legislature from 60 to 70 seats. The ten new legislative seats would consist of five geographical constituency seats and five functional constituency seats, to be voted in by elected district council members from among themselves.[98] The proposals were destined for rejection by pan-democrats once again, but a significant breakthrough occurred after the Central People's Government accepted a counter-proposal by the Democratic Party. In particular, the Pan-democracy camp was split when the proposal to directly elect five newly created functional seats was not acceptable to two constituent parties. The Democratic Party sided with the government for the first time since the handover and passed the proposals with a vote of 46?12.[99]

### Legal system and judiciary[edit]

Main articles: Law of Hong Kong and Judiciary of Hong Kong

- Statue of Themis on the Legislative Council Building.

- The Court of Final Appeal in Central is the supreme court of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's legal system is completely independent from the legal system of Mainland China. In contrast to mainland China's civil law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the English Common Law tradition established under British rule.[100] Hong Kong's courts may refer to decisions rendered by courts of other common law jurisdictions as precedents,[20][101] and judges from other common law jurisdictions are allowed to sit as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal.[20][101]

Structurally, the court system consists of the Court of Final Appeal, the High Court, which is made up of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance, and the District Court, which includes the Family Court.[102] Other adjudicative bodies include the Lands Tribunal, the Magistrates' Courts, the Juvenile Court, the Coroner's Court, the Labour Tribunal, the Small Claims Tribunal, and the Obscene Articles Tribunal.[102] Justices of the Court of Final Appeal are appointed by Hong Kong's Chief Executive.[20][101]

The Department of Justice is responsible for handling legal matters for the government. Its responsibilities include providing legal advice, criminal prosecution, civil representation, legal and policy drafting and reform, and international legal cooperation between different jurisdictions.[100] Apart from prosecuting criminal cases, lawyers of the Department of Justice act on behalf of the government in all civil and administrative lawsuits against the government.[100] As protector of the public interest, the department may apply for judicial reviews and may intervene in any cases involving the greater public interest.[103] The Basic Law protects the Department of Justice from any interference by the government when exercising its control over criminal prosecution.[104][105]

### Human rights[edit]

Main article: Human rights in Hong Kong
Hong Kong 1 July march with British Hong Kong flag.

Hong Kong's Basic law is based on the English law and so in general, Hong Kong is perceived to enjoy a high level of civil liberties.[106] The Hong Kong government generally respect the human rights of the citizens, although core issues remain.[107] There are concerns over the freedom of assembly which is restricted by the Public Order Ordinance. The police has been occasionally accused of using heavy-handed tactics towards protestors[108] and questions are asked towards the extensive powers of the police.[109] As to the right of privacy, covert surveillance remains the major concern.[110] There is a lack of protection for gay men and lesbians due to the absence of a sexual orientation discrimination law, though there are currently no laws that criminalize homosexuality per se.[111] There are also comments regarding a lack of protection for labour rights.[107]

Internet censorship in Hong Kong operates under different principles and regulations than under the rest of China.[112]

### Administrative districts[edit]

Statistics

New Territories
No. | District | Population[113] | Area[114]
1. | Islands | 138,900 | 175.03 km2 (67.58 sq mi)
2. | Kwai Tsing | 510,300 | 21.82 km2 (8.42 sq mi)
3. | North | 287,700 | 137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi)
4. | Sai Kung | 407,300 | 136.39 km2 (52.66 sq mi)
5. | Sha Tin | 606,700 | 69.46 km2 (26.82 sq mi)
6. | Tai Po | 292,700 | 147.42 km2 (56.92 sq mi)
7. | Tsuen Wan | 292,300 | 60.7 km2 (23.44 sq mi)
8. | Tuen Mun | 493,800 | 84.45 km2 (32.61 sq mi)
9. | Yuen Long | 533,300 | 138.43 km2 (53.45 sq mi)
Kowloon
No. | District | Population | Area
10. | Kowloon City | 359,400 | 9.97 km2 (3.85 sq mi)
11. | Kwun Tong | 579,400 | 11.05 km2 (4.27 sq mi)
12. | Sham Shui Po | 365,600 | 9.48 km2 (3.66 sq mi)
13. | Wong Tai Sin | 421,900 | 9.36 km2 (3.61 sq mi)
14. | Yau Tsim Mong | 285,300 | 6.85 km2 (2.64 sq mi)
Hong Kong Island
No. | District | Population | Area
15. | Central and Western | 253,100 | 12.52 km2 (4.83 sq mi)
16. | Eastern | 588,700 | 18.81 km2 (7.26 sq mi)
17. | Southern | 275,700 | 38.95 km2 (15.04 sq mi)
18. | Wan Chai | 155,700 | 10.02 km2 (3.87 sq mi)

Main article: Districts of Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a unitary system of government; no local government has existed since the two municipal councils were abolished in 2000. As such there is no formal definition for its cities and towns. Administratively, Hong Kong is subdivided into 18 geographic districts, each represented by a district council which advises the government on local matters such as public facilities, community programmes, cultural activities, and environmental improvements.[115]

There are a total of 534 district council seats, 405 of which are elected; the rest are appointed by the Chief Executive and 27 ex officio chairmen of rural committees.[115] The Home Affairs Department communicates government policies and plans to the public through the district offices.[116]

### Military[edit]

Coat of Arms of the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (UK)
Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force (UK)
Hong Kong Military Service Corps (UK)
The Cenotaph of Hong Kong. Constructed in 1923, it commemorates the dead in the First and Second World War that served in Hong Kong in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
Main articles: Royal Hong Kong Regiment, Hong Kong Military Service Corps, and British Forces Overseas Hong Kong

When Hong Kong was a British colony and later, a dependent territory, defence was provided by the British military under the command of the Governor of Hong Kong who was ex officio Commander-in-chief.[117] Most of the members of the British Forces in Hong Kong were from Britain but there were locally enlisted personnel (LEP) who served as regular British Forces members in the Hong Kong Squadron of the Royal Navy as well as the Hong Kong Military Service Corps. The Royal Hong Kong Regiment a military unit part of the Hong Kong Government, trained and organised along timelines of British Territorial Army and supported by British Army personnel holding key positions. These British Army personnel, for their duration of service to the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, are seconded to the Hong Kong Government. In the post-WWII era, the majority of the regiment's members have been local citizens of Chinese descent.[citation needed]

The Hong Kong Military Service Corps maintained its reputation for loyalty and military skill at the highest level, often outshining British and Gurkha troops based in Hong Kong. The HKMSC Shooting Team won the Team and Individual champion pistol shot a number of times at RASAAM (the Regular Army Skill at Arms Meeting) at Bisley, in the UK, and in 1992 a Training Company team representing the HQ and Depot HKMSC won the Dragon Cup for military skills (outperforming the Queen's Gurkha Signals in signalling and the British Military Hospital team in first aid); the competition was not held again.[citation needed]

The HKMSC reached a peak strength of 1,200 men, providing the British garrison in Hong Kong with supporting personnel. All HKMSC soldiers were basically trained in Hong Kong and from time to time attended upgrading and trade courses in the United Kingdom. HKMSC soldiers who were posted to and served with other non-HKMSC units, wore the other units' cap badge. Unit personnel were enlisted as officers and drivers in 29 Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) based in Gun Club Hill Barracks. It provided crews for 415 Maritime Troop based on Stonecutters' Island, dog handlers in the Defence Animal Support Unit (DASU) of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC) based in Sek Kong, officer instructors in the Royal Army Educational Corps (RAEC), officers and clerks in the Royal Army Pay Corps (RAPC), technicians in the Royal Signals (R Sigs) of the Queen's Gurkha Signals (QGS) and engineers and armourers in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). The HKMC trained physical training instructors (PTI) in the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC), medics in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) based in the British Military Hospital (BMH), military police in the Royal Military Police (RMP), helicopter support crews in 660 Squadron Army Air Corps (AAC) based at Sek Kong Airfield, cooks in the Army Catering Corps (ACC), Weapons and Supplies Storekeepers in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) and intelligence staff in the Intelligence Corps. They also provided interpreters, clerks, Regimental Police and light-infantry personnel in Dragon Company of the General Service Corps (GSC) headquartered in Osborn Baracks, Kowloon Tong. The HKMSC offered Hong Kong Chinese soldiers the opportunity to pursue a full career in the British Regular Army up to and including a Queen's Commissioned officer rank of the General List (HKMSC). As all members of the HKMSC were British Regular Army soldiers, they received a Regular Army Service Record Book when they left the army. Many of them had also been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (LSGC) after 15 years of good and loyal service. British gallantry awards, Orders, Decorations and Medal Ribbons had also been presented to some HKMSC soldiers; such as the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM), the British Empire Medal (BEM), Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and the Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[citation needed]

When the PRC assumed sovereignty in 1997 the British barracks were replaced by a garrison of the People's Liberation Army, comprising ground, naval, and air forces, and under the command of the Chinese Central Military Commission.

The Hong Kong Basic Law is formed based on the Common law of England and it protects local civil affairs against interference by the garrison, and members of the garrison are subject to Hong Kong laws. The Hong Kong Government remains responsible for the maintenance of public order; however, it may ask the PRC government for help from the garrison in maintaining public order and in disaster relief. The PRC government is responsible for the costs of maintaining the garrison.[22][118]

## Geography and climate[edit]

Main articles: Geography of Hong Kong, Ecology of Hong Kong, and Climate of Hong Kong
Areas of urban development and vegetation are visible in this false-colour satellite image.

Hong Kong is located on China's south coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on the east, south, and west, and borders the Guangdong city of Shenzhen to the north over the Shenzhen River. The territory's 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi) area consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 200 offshore islands, of which the largest is Lantau Island. Of the total area, 1,054 km2 (407 sq mi) is land and 50 km2 (19 sq mi) is inland water. Hong Kong claims territorial waters to a distance of 3 nautical miles (5.6 km). Its land area makes Hong Kong the 179th largest inhabited territory in the world.[3][9]

As much of Hong Kong's terrain is hilly to mountainous with steep slopes, less than 25% of the territory's landmass is developed, and about 40% of the remaining land area is reserved as country parks and nature reserves.[119] Most of the territory's urban development exists on Kowloon peninsula, along the northern edge of Hong Kong Island, and in scattered settlements throughout the New Territories.[120] The highest elevation in the territory is at Tai Mo Shan, 957 metres (3,140 ft) above sea level.[121] Hong Kong's long and irregular coast provides it with many bays, rivers and beaches.[122] On 18 September 2011, UNESCO listed the Hong Kong National Geopark as part of its Global Geoparks Network. Hong Kong Geopark is made up of eight Geo-Areas distributed across the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region.[123]

Despite Hong Kong's reputation of being intensely urbanised, the territory has tried to promote a green environment,[124] and recent growing public concern has prompted the severe restriction of further land reclamation from Victoria Harbour.[125] Awareness of the environment is growing as Hong Kong suffers from increasing pollution compounded by its geography and tall buildings. Approximately 80% of the city's smog originates from other parts of the Pearl River Delta.[126]

Though it is situated just south of the Tropic of Cancer, Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate (K?ppen Cwa). Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms, and warm air coming from the southwest. Summer is when typhoons are most likely, sometimes resulting in flooding or landslides. Winters are mild and usually start sunny, becoming cloudier towards February; the occasional cold front brings strong, cooling winds from the north. The most temperate seasons are spring, which can be changeable, and autumn, which is generally sunny and dry.[127] Hong Kong averages 1,948 hours of sunshine per year,[128] while the highest and lowest ever recorded temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory are 36.1 ?C[Convert: Unknown unit] and 0.0 ?C[Convert: Unknown unit], respectively.[129]

Climate data for Hong Kong (Hong Kong Observatory)
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Record high °C (°F) | 26.9 (80.4) | 28.3 (82.9) | 30.1 (86.2) | 33.4 (92.1) | 35.5 (95.9) | 35.6 (96.1) | 35.7 (96.3) | 36.1 (97) | 35.2 (95.4) | 34.3 (93.7) | 31.8 (89.2) | 28.7 (83.7) | 36.1 (97)
Average high °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.9 (66) | 21.4 (70.5) | 25.0 (77) | 28.4 (83.1) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.1 (88) | 30.1 (86.2) | 27.8 (82) | 24.1 (75.4) | 20.2 (68.4) | 25.6 (78.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.8 (62.2) | 19.1 (66.4) | 22.6 (72.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 27.9 (82.2) | 28.8 (83.8) | 28.6 (83.5) | 27.7 (81.9) | 25.5 (77.9) | 21.8 (71.2) | 17.9 (64.2) | 23.24 (73.83)
Average low °C (°F) | 14.5 (58.1) | 15.0 (59) | 17.2 (63) | 20.8 (69.4) | 24.1 (75.4) | 26.2 (79.2) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.6 (79.9) | 25.8 (78.4) | 23.7 (74.7) | 19.8 (67.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 21.4 (70.5)
Record low °C (°F) | 0.0 (32) | 2.4 (36.3) | 4.8 (40.6) | 9.9 (49.8) | 15.4 (59.7) | 19.2 (66.6) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.6 (70.9) | 18.4 (65.1) | 13.5 (56.3) | 6.5 (43.7) | 4.3 (39.7) | 0.0 (32)
Rainfall mm (inches) | 24.7 (0.972) | 54.4 (2.142) | 82.2 (3.236) | 174.7 (6.878) | 304.7 (11.996) | 456.1 (17.957) | 376.5 (14.823) | 432.2 (17.016) | 327.6 (12.898) | 100.9 (3.972) | 37.6 (1.48) | 26.8 (1.055) | 2,398.4 (94.425)
Avg. rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 5.37 | 9.07 | 10.90 | 12.00 | 14.67 | 19.07 | 17.60 | 16.93 | 14.67 | 7.43 | 5.47 | 4.47 | 137.65
% humidity | 74 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 78 | 73 | 71 | 69 | 78.0
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 143.0 | 94.2 | 90.8 | 101.7 | 140.4 | 146.1 | 212.0 | 188.9 | 172.3 | 193.9 | 180.1 | 172.2 | 1,835.6
Source: Hong Kong Observatory (normals 1981–2010, extremes 1884–1939 and 1947–present)[130][131]

## Economy[edit]

Main article: Economy of Hong Kong
The International Finance Centre in Central

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade. The currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world as of 2010.[28] Hong Kong was once described by Milton Friedman as the world?s greatest experiment in laissez-faire capitalism, but has since instituted a regime of regulations including a minimum wage.[132] It maintains a highly developed capitalist economy, ranked the freest in the world by the Index of Economic Freedom every year since 1995.[133][134][135] It is an important centre for international finance and trade, with one of the greatest concentrations of corporate headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region,[136] and is known as one of the Four Asian Tigers for its high growth rates and rapid development from the 1960s to the 1990s. Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross domestic product grew 180 times while per-capita GDP increased 87 times over.[137][138][139]

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the seventh largest in the world, with a market capitalisation of US$2.3?trillion as of December 2009.[140] In that year, Hong Kong raised 22 percent of worldwide initial public offering (IPO) capital, making it the largest centre of IPOs in the world [141] and the easiest place to raise capital.[142] The Hong Kong dollar has been pegged to the U.S. dollar since 1983.[143]

The Hong Kong Government has traditionally played a mostly passive role in the economy, with little by way of industrial policy and almost no import or export controls. Market forces and the private sector were allowed to determine practical development. Under the official policy of "positive non-interventionism", Hong Kong is often cited as an example of laissez-faire capitalism. Following the Second World War, Hong Kong industrialised rapidly as a manufacturing centre driven by exports, and then underwent a rapid transition to a service-based economy in the 1980s.[144] Since then, it has grown to become a leading center for management, financial, IT, business consultation and professional services.[142]

Hong Kong matured to become a financial centre in the 1990s, but was greatly affected by the Asian financial crisis in 1998, and again in 2003 by the SARS outbreak. A revival of external and domestic demand has led to a strong recovery, as cost decreases strengthened the competitiveness of Hong Kong exports and a long deflationary period ended.[145][146] Government intervention, initiated by the later colonial governments and continued since 1997, has steadily increased, with the introduction of export credit guarantees, a compulsory pension scheme, a minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws, and a state mortgage backer.[132]

The territory has little arable land and few natural resources, so it imports most of its food and raw materials. Agricultural activity?relatively unimportant to Hong Kong?s economy and contributing just 0.1% of its GDP?primarily consists of growing premium food and flower varieties.[142] Hong Kong is the world's eleventh largest trading entity,[147] with the total value of imports and exports exceeding its gross domestic product. It is the world's largest re-export centre.[148] Much of Hong Kong's exports consist of re-exports,[149] which are products made outside of the territory, especially in mainland China, and distributed via Hong Kong. Its physical location has allowed the city to establish a transportation and logistics infrastructure that includes the world?s second busiest container port and the world?s busiest airport for international cargo.[142] Even before the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong had established extensive trade and investment ties with the mainland, which now enable it to serve as a point of entry for investment flowing into the mainland. At the end of 2007, there were 3.46?million people employed full-time, with the unemployment rate averaging 4.1% for the fourth straight year of decline.[150] Hong Kong's economy is dominated by the service sector, which accounts for over 90% of its GDP, while industry constitutes 9%. Inflation was at 2.5% in 2007.[151] Hong Kong's largest export markets are mainland China, the United States, and Japan.[3]

As of 2010 Hong Kong is the eighth most expensive city for expatriates, falling from fifth position in the previous year.[152] Hong Kong is ranked fourth in terms of the highest percentage of millionaire households, behind Switzerland, Qatar, and Singapore with 8.5 percent of all households owning at least one million US dollars.[153] In 2011, Hong Kong was ranked second in the Ease of Doing Business Index, behind Singapore.[154] General principle No. 5 of the Basic Law of the SAR suggests that the CPC expects that it shall have brought the economic system of the Mainland and Hong Kong into harmony by 2047, by which time the Chinese economy is predicted by Businessweek to have been the largest by any measure of GDP for decades.[155]

## Demographics[edit]

The territory's population is 7.03?million. In 2009 Hong Kong had a birth rate of 11.7 per 1,000 population and a fertility rate of 1,032 children per 1,000 women.[156] Residents from mainland China do not have the right of abode in Hong Kong, nor are they allowed to enter the territory freely.[94] However, the influx of immigrants from mainland China, approximating 45,000 per year, is a significant contributor to its population growth ? a daily quota of 150 Mainland Chinese with family ties in Hong Kong are granted a "one way permit".[157] Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 79.16 years for males and 84.79 years for females as of 2009, making it one of the highest life expectancies in the world.[3]

About 95% of the people of Hong Kong are of Chinese descent,[11] the majority of whom are Taishanese, Chiu Chow, other Cantonese people, and Hakka. Hong Kong's Han majority originate mainly from the Guangzhou and Taishan regions in Guangdong province.[12] The remaining 5% of the population is composed of non-ethnic Chinese.[11] There is a South Asian population of Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese; some Vietnamese refugees have become permanent residents of Hong Kong. There are also Europeans (mostly British), Americans, Canadians, Japanese, and Koreans working in the city's commercial and financial sector.[note 6] In 2008, there were an estimate of 252,500 foreign domestic helpers from Indonesia and the Philippines working in Hong Kong.[159]

Hong Kong's de facto official language is Cantonese, a Chinese language originating from Guangdong province to the north of Hong Kong.[160] English is also an official language, and according to a 1996 by-census is spoken by 3.1?percent of the population as an everyday language and by 34.9?percent of the population as a second language.[161] Signs displaying both Chinese and English are common throughout the territory. Since the 1997 handover, an increase in immigrants from mainland China and greater integration with the mainland economy have brought an increasing number of Mandarin speakers to Hong Kong.[162]

The Roman Catholic Cathedral on Hong Kong Island

A majority of residents of Hong Kong would claim no religious affiliation, professing a form of agnosticism or atheism.[163] According to the U.S Department of State only 43 percent of the population practices some form of religion.[164] Some figures put it higher, according to a Gallup poll, 64% of Hong Kong residents do not believe in any religion,[165][166] and possibly 80% of Hong Kong claim no religion.[167] In Hong Kong teaching evolution won out in curriculum dispute about whether to teach other explanations, and that creationism and intelligent design will form no part of the senior secondary biology curriculum.[168][169]

Bell tower of St. John's Cathedral in Central, Hong Kong (22 May 2007)

Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of religious freedom, guaranteed by the Basic Law. Hong Kong's main religions are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism; a local religious scholar in contact with major denominations estimates there are approximately 1.5 million Buddhists and Taoists.[164] A Christian community of around 833,000 forms about 11.7% of the total population;[170] Protestants forms a larger number than Catholics at a rate of 4:3, although smaller Christian communities exist, including the Latter-Day Saints[171] and Jehovah's Witnesses.[172] The Anglican and Roman Catholic churches each freely appoint their own bishops, unlike in mainland China. There are also Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bah?'? communities.[173] The practice of Falun Gong is tolerated.[174]

Statistically Hong Kong's income gap is the greatest in Asia Pacific. According to a report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 2008, Hong Kong's Gini coefficient, at 0.53, was the highest in Asia and "relatively high by international standards".[175][176] However, the government has stressed that income disparity does not equate to worsening of the poverty situation, and that the Gini coefficient is not strictly comparable between regions. The government has named economic restructuring, changes in household sizes, and the increase of high-income jobs as factors that have skewed the Gini coefficient.[177][178][179]

## Education[edit]

Main article: Education in Hong Kong
A view over the University of Hong Kong
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine held by HKU is among the oldest western medicine schools in Far East.

Hong Kong's education system used to roughly follow the system in England,[17] although international systems exist. The government maintains a policy of "mother tongue instruction" (Chinese: ????) in which the medium of instruction is Cantonese,[180] with written Chinese and English. In secondary schools, 'biliterate and trilingual' proficiency is emphasised, and Mandarin-language education has been increasing.[181] The Programme for International Student Assessment ranked Hong Kong's education system as the second best in the world.[182] Hong Kong's public schools are operated by the Education Bureau. The system features a non-compulsory three-year kindergarten, followed by a compulsory six-year primary education, a compulsory three-year junior secondary education, a non-compulsory two-year senior secondary education leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations and a two-year matriculation course leading to the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examinations.[183] The New Senior Secondary academic structure and curriculum was implemented in September 2009, which provides for all students to receive three years of compulsory junior and three years of compulsory senior secondary education.[18][184] Under the new curriculum, there is only one public examination, namely the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education.[185]

Most comprehensive schools in Hong Kong fall under three categories: the rarer public schools; the more common subsidised schools, including government aids-and-grant schools; and private schools, often run by Christian organisations and having admissions based on academic merit rather than on financial resources. Outside this system are the schools under the Direct Subsidy Scheme and private international schools.[184]

There are nine public universities in Hong Kong, and a number of private higher institutions, offering various bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas, and associate degree courses.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is the oldest institution of tertiary education in the territory with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) comes second. The "top three" universities in Hong Kong include HKU, CUHK and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), for which the three tertiary institutions enjoy a high evaluation in various university rankings, many of which have consistently placed them to be among the best higher education institutes in Asia.[186][187][188] For example, HKU has been particularly considered by the QS World University Rankings to be the best university in Asia for three consecutive years (2010,2011 and 2012).[189][190][186]

## Healthcare[edit]

| This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2012)

There are 13 private hospitals and more than 50 public hospitals in Hong Kong. Among the widest range of healthcare services throughout the globe are on offer, and some of the SAR's private hospitals are rightly considered to be among the very best of their type in the world.

There are two medical schools in the SAR, one based at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the other at Hong Kong University. Both have strong links with public sector hospitals.

With respect to postgraduate education, traditionally many doctors in Hong Kong have looked overseas for further training, and many took British Royal College exams such as the MRCP(UK) and the MRCS(UK). However, Hong Kong has been developing its own postgraduate medical institutions, in particular the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, and this is gradually taking over the responsibility for all postgraduate medical training in the SAR.

There are also strong public health systems in Hong Kong, and the Centre for Health Protection, founded after the SARS outbreak of 2003, is particularly worthy of mention.

By 2011, however, there have been growing concerns that mothers-to-be from Mainland China, in a bid to obtain the right of abode in Hong Kong and the benefits that come with it, have saturated the neonatal wards of the city's hospitals, both public and private sectors, which has led to outcries and protests from local pregnant women for the government to remedy the issue, as they have found difficulty securing a bed space for giving birth and arrange routine check-ups. Other concerns in the decade of 2001?2010 relate to the workload medical staff experience; and medical errors and mishaps, which are frequently highlighted in local news.

## Culture[edit]

Main article: Culture of Hong Kong
City lights of Kowloon: Mong Kok, Sai Yeung Choi Street South, at the corner with Nelson Street. (2011)

Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where "East meets West", reflecting the culture's mix of the territory's Chinese roots with influences from its time as a British colony.[16] Hong Kong balances a modernised way of life with traditional Chinese practices. Concepts like feng shui are taken very seriously, with expensive construction projects often hiring expert consultants, and are often believed to make or break a business.[191] Other objects like Ba gua mirrors are still regularly used to deflect evil spirits,[192] and buildings often lack any floor number that has a 4 in it,[193] due to its similarity to the word for "die" in Cantonese.[194] The fusion of east and west also characterises Hong Kong's cuisine, where dim sum, hot pot, and fast food restaurants coexist with haute cuisine.[195]

Hong Kong is a recognised global centre of trade, and calls itself an "entertainment hub".[196] Its martial arts film genre gained a high level of popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s. Several Hollywood performers, notable actors and martial artists have originated from Hong Kong cinema, notably Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung and Jet Li. A number of Hong Kong film-makers have achieved widespread fame in Hollywood, such as John Woo, Wong Kar-wai, and Stephen Chow.[196] Homegrown films such as Chungking Express, Infernal Affairs, Shaolin Soccer, Rumble in the Bronx, In the Mood for Love and Echoes of the Rainbow have gained international recognition. Hong Kong is the centre for Cantopop music, which draws its influence from other forms of Chinese music and Western genres, and has a multinational fanbase.[197]

A statue of Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars, a tribute to the city's martial arts

The Hong Kong government supports cultural institutions such as the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department subsidises and sponsors international performers brought to Hong Kong. Many international cultural activities are organised by the government, consulates, and privately.[198][199]

Hong Kong has two licensed terrestrial broadcasters ? ATV and TVB. There are three local and a number of foreign suppliers of cable and satellite services.[200] The production of Hong Kong's soap dramas, comedy series, and variety shows reach audiences throughout the Chinese-speaking world. Magazine and newspaper publishers in Hong Kong distribute and print in both Chinese and English, with a focus on sensationalism and celebrity gossip.[201] The media in Hong Kong is relatively free from official interference compared to mainland China, although the Far Eastern Economic Review points to signs of self-censorship by journals whose owners have close ties to or business interests in the People's Republic of China and states that even Western media outlets are not immune to growing Chinese economic power.[202]

Hong Kong offers wide recreational and competitive sport opportunities despite its limited land area. It sends delegates to international competitions such as the Olympic Games and Asian Games, and played host to the equestrian events during the 2008 Summer Olympics.[203] There are major multipurpose venues like Hong Kong Coliseum and MacPherson Stadium. Hong Kong's steep terrain and extensive trail network with expansive views attracts hikers, and its rugged coastline provides many beaches for swimming.[204]

### Cityscape[edit]

A view from Victoria Peak, looking north over Central, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon (2011). | A view from Victoria Peak, looking north over Central, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon at night (2011).

## Architecture[edit]

Main article: Architecture of Hong Kong
See also: List of tallest buildings in Hong Kong

According to Emporis, there are 1,223 skyscrapers in Hong Kong, which puts the city at the top of world rankings.[205] It has more buildings higher than 500?ft (or 150m) than any other city. The high density and tall skyline of Hong Kong's urban area is due to a lack of available sprawl space, with the average distance from the harbour front to the steep hills of Hong Kong Island at 1.3 km (0.81 mi),[206] much of it reclaimed land. This lack of space causes demand for dense, high-rise offices and housing. Thirty-six of the world's 100 tallest residential buildings are in Hong Kong.[207] More people in Hong Kong live or work above the 14th floor than anywhere else on Earth, making it the world's most vertical city.[29][30]

As a result of the lack of space and demand for construction, few older buildings remain, and the city is becoming a centre for modern architecture. The International Commerce Centre (ICC), at 484 m (1,588 ft) high, is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the third tallest in the world, by height to roof measurement.[208] The tallest building prior to the ICC is Two International Finance Centre, at 415 m (1,362 ft) high.[209] Other recognisable skyline features include the HSBC Headquarters Building, the triangular-topped Central Plaza with its pyramid-shaped spire, The Center with its night-time multi-coloured neon light show; A Symphony of Lights and I. M. Pei's Bank of China Tower with its sharp, angular fa?ade. According to the Emporis website, the city skyline has the biggest visual impact of all world cities.[210] Also, Hong Kong's skyline is often regarded to be the best in the world,[211] with the surrounding mountains and Victoria Harbour complementing the skyscrapers.[212][213] Most of the oldest remaining historic structures, including the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower, the Central Police Station, and the remains of Kowloon Walled City were constructed during the 19th and early 20th centuries.[214][215][216]

There are many development plans in place, including the construction of new government buildings,[217] waterfront redevelopment in Central,[218] and a series of projects in West Kowloon.[219] More high-rise development is set to take place on the other side of Victoria Harbour in Kowloon, as the 1998 closure of the nearby Kai Tak Airport lifted strict height restrictions.[220]

A panoramic view of the Hong Kong Island skyline at night

## Transport[edit]

Main article: Transport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's transportation network is highly developed. Over 90% of daily travels (11?million) are on public transport,[31] the highest such percentage in the world.[32] Payment can be made using the Octopus card, a stored value system introduced by the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), which is widely accepted on railways, buses and ferries, and accepted like cash at other outlets.[221][222]

The city's main railway company (KCRC) was merged with MTR in 2007, creating a comprehensive rail network for the whole territory (also called MTR).[223] This MTR rapid transit system has 152 stations, which serve 3.4 million people a day.[224] Hong Kong Tramways, which has served the territory since 1904, covers the northern parts of Hong Kong Island.[225]

A train at Tai Wai Station of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) East Rail Line. | The Mass Transit Railway has more than 150 stations in its network. | Ship-Star-Cruises-Star-Pisces-Hong-Kong

CityBus Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 10.5m-A double-decker in Hong Kong heading to Stanley.

Hong Kong's bus service is franchised and run by private operators. Five privately owned companies provide franchised bus service across the territory, together operating more than 700 routes. The two largest, Kowloon Motor Bus provides 402 routes in Kowloon and New Territories; Citybus operates 154 routes on Hong Kong Island; both run cross-harbour services. Double-decker buses were introduced to Hong Kong in 1949, and are now almost exclusively used; single-decker buses remain in use for routes with lower demand or roads with lower load capacity. Public light buses serve most parts of Hong Kong, particularly areas where standard bus lines cannot reach or do not reach as frequently, quickly, or directly.[226]

The Hong Kong-Kowloon Ferry

The Star Ferry service, founded in 1888, operates four lines across Victoria Harbour and provides scenic views of Hong Kong's skyline for its 53,000 daily passengers.[227] It acquired iconic status following its use as a setting on The World of Suzie Wong. Travel writer Ryan Levitt considered the main Tsim Sha Tsui to Central crossing one of the most picturesque in the world.[228] Other ferry services are provided by operators serving outlying islands, new towns, Macau, and cities in mainland China. Hong Kong is famous for its junks traversing the harbour, and small kai-to ferries that serve remote coastal settlements.[229][230] The Port of Hong Kong is a busy deepwater port, specialising in container shipping.[231]

The Peak Tram of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Island's steep, hilly terrain was initially served by sedan chairs.[232] The Peak Tram, the first public transport system in Hong Kong, has provided vertical rail transport between Central and Victoria Peak since 1888.[233] In Central and Western district, there is an extensive system of escalators and moving pavements, including the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, the Mid-Levels escalator.[234]

Hong Kong International Airport is a leading air passenger gateway and logistics hub in Asia and one of the world's busiest airports in terms of international passenger and cargo movement, serving more than 47?million passengers and handling 3.74?million tonnes (4.12?million tons) of cargo in 2007.[235] It replaced the overcrowded Kai Tak Airport in Kowloon in 1998, and has been rated as the world's best airport in a number of surveys.[236] Over 85 airlines operate at the two-terminal airport and it is the primary hub of Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Air Hong Kong, Hong Kong Airlines, and Hong Kong Express.[235][237]

## Gallery[edit]

- The Old Central Police Station. The letters "G" and "R" above the entrance to the police station is a symbol of George V of the United Kingdom. The compound is bordered on the North by Hollywood Road, on the South by Chancery Lane, on the East by Arbuthnot Road and on the West byOld Bailey Street in the city of Victoria.

- Statue Square fa?ade of theLegislative Council Building. The statue square was built entirely on reclaimed land at the end of the 19th century, Statue Square consists of two parts separated by Chater Road into a northern and a southern sections. It is bordered by Connaught Road Central in the north and by Des Voeux Road Central in the south.

- The British National (Overseas) passport issued to residents of Hong Kong prior 1997, holders are British nationals and Commonwealth citizens, but not British Citizens.

- Old British passports issued to Hong Kong citizens.

- Statue of Queen Victoria in Victoria Park

- Statue of the Duke of Connaught at the end of Pedder Street in 1919.

- Statue of Queen Alexandra in the 1930s.

- The coat of arms of Hong Kong was used by British Hong Kong during 1959?1997.

- Flag of British Hong Kong Immigration Department,1988?1997.

- Flag of British Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department before 1997.

- Ngong Ping 360 short view

- Linong Tea House and Souvenir Shops at Ngong Ping 360 of Hong Kong

- View of Tian Tan Buddha from near the Ngong Ping 360 station.

- View of Hong Kong Island

## See also[edit]

| Geography portal
| Asia portal
| China portal
| People's Republic of China portal
| Hong Kong portal

- Outline of Hong Kong
- Index of Hong Kong-related articles
- List of cities with most skyscrapers
- Public holidays in Hong Kong
- Gibraltar - a city with a similar history to Hong Kong

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ^ This is the official convention employed on the Chinese text of the Hong Kong regional emblem, the text of the Hong Kong Basic Law, and the Hong Kong Government website,[1] although "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are also accepted.
2. ^ The Hong Kong Basic Law states that the official languages are "English and Chinese".[2]See: Bilingualism in Hong Kong. Under the Hong Kong Basic Law (Article 9) and the Official Languages Ordinance (Chapter 5), "English and Chinese" are, of equal status, the official languages of the territory. While Mandarin written in Simplified Chinese characters are the standards in mainland China, Cantonese and Traditional Chinese characters are the de facto standards in Hong Kong.
3. ^ The name was often written as Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926 (Hongkong Government Gazette, Notification 479, 3 September 1926). Nevertheless, some century-old organisations still use the name, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. While the names of most Chinese place names are romanised into English using Pinyin, the official English name is Hong Kong rather than the pinyin Xianggang.
4. ^ Section 3(2) of the Sino-British Joint Declaration states in part, "The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, except in foreign and defence affairs which, are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government."
5. ^ Section 3(5) of the Sino-British Joint Declaration states that the social and economic systems and lifestyle in Hong Kong will remain unchanged, and mentions rights and freedoms ensured by law. Section 3(12) states in part, "The above-stated basic policies of the People's Republic of China ... will remain unchanged for 50 years."
6. ^ The results of the 2006 census showed that the "white" population had declined from 46,584 in 2001 to 36,384, a decline of 22?percent.[158]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "GovHK: Residents". Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
2. ^ [dead link] "Official Languages". Hong Kong Government. 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
3. ^ a b c d "Hong Kong". The World Factbook. CIA. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
4. ^ "Population and Vital Events". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
5. ^ "Population Density by Area". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
6. ^ a b c d e "Hong Kong". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
7. ^ "Human Development Report 2009 ? Gini Index". United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
8. ^ "Human Development Report 2011". United Nations. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
9. ^ a b "Geography and Climate, Hong Kong". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 10 January 2007.
10. ^ Ash, Russell (2006). The Top 10 of Everything 2007. Hamlyn. p. 78. ISBN 0-600-61532-4.
11. ^ a b c "Population by Ethnicity, 2001 and 2006". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
12. ^ a b Fan Shuh Ching (1974). "The Population of Hong Kong". World Population Year (Committee for International Coordination of National Research in Demography): 18?20. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
13. ^ "Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong". Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong Government. 19 December 1984. Retrieved 4 October 2010. "The Government of the People's Republic of China declares that to recover the Hong Kong area (including Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, hereinafter referred to as Hong Kong) is the common aspiration of the entire Chinese people, and that it has decided to resume the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong with effect from 1 July 1997."
14. ^ "On This Day: 1997: Hong Kong handed over to Chinese control". BBC News. 1 July 1997. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
15. ^ "The World's Most Competitive Financial Centers". CNBC. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
16. ^ a b "24 hours in Hong Kong: Urban thrills where East meets West". CNN. 8 March 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
17. ^ a b Chan, Shun-hing; Leung, Beatrice (2003). Changing Church and State Relations in Hong Kong, 1950?2000. Hong Kong University Press. p. 24. ISBN 962-209-612-3.
18. ^ a b "Programme Highlights". Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
19. ^ So, Dudley L.; Lin, Nan; Poston (2001). The Chinese Triangle of Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Greenwood Publishing. pp. 13?29. ISBN 0-313-30869-1.
20. ^ a b c d e "Basic Law, Chapter IV, Section 4". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
21. ^ Russell, Peter H.; O'Brien, David M. (2001). Judicial Independence in the Age of Democracy: Critical Perspectives from around the World. University of Virginia Press. p. 306. ISBN 978-0-8139-2016-0.
22. ^ a b c "Basic Law, Chapter II". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
23. ^ Ghai, Yash P. (2000). Autonomy and Ethnicity: Negotiating Competing Claims in Multi-ethnic States. Cambridge University Press. pp. 92?97. ISBN 978-0-521-78642-3.
24. ^ "Decision of the National People's Congress on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and the First Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Retrieved 21 February 2012.
25. ^ a b "Basic Law, Chapter IV, Section 1". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
26. ^ "Amendment to Annex I to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region".
27. ^ Rioni, S. G. (2002). Hong Kong in Focus: Political and Economic Issues. Nova Publishers. pp. 9?10. ISBN 978-1-59033-237-5.
28. ^ a b "Triennial Central Bank Survey: Report on global foreign exchange market activity in 2010". Monetary and Economic Department (Bank for International Settlements): 12. December 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
29. ^ a b "Vertical Cities: Hong Kong/New York.". Time Out. 3 August 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2010. [dead link]
30. ^ a b "Home page". Skyscraper Museum. 14 July 2008. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
31. ^ a b "Public Transport Introduction". Transport Department, Hong Kong Government. Archived from the original on 7 July 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2008.
32. ^ a b Lam, William H. K.; Bell, Michael G. H. (2003). Advanced Modeling for Transit Operations and Service Planning. Emerald Group Publishing. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-08-044206-8.
33. ^ 2006.pdf "World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006". Imd.ch. Archived from 2006.pdf the original on 7 March 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
34. ^ "Global Competitiveness Report ? Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2011.
35. ^ "Business Competitiveness Index ? BCI" (PDF). Retrieved 17 April 2011.
36. ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index". Transparency.org. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
37. ^ "World's Best Airports". Worldairportawards.com. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
38. ^ "Index of Economic Freedom". Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
39. ^ Global Financial Centre Index[dead link]
40. ^ "WHO: Japan report finds Hong Kong women have overtaken Japanese as longest living". Haaretz. July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
41. ^ a b Room, Adrian (2005). kong etymology fragrant harbor Placenames of the World. McFarland Company. p. 168. ISBN 0-7864-2248-3. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
42. ^ Bishop, Kevin; Roberts, Annabel (1997). "Heung Gong Tsai" China's Imperial Way. China Books and Periodicals. p. 218. ISBN 962-217-511-2. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
43. ^ Fairbank, John King (1953). Trade and Diplomacy on the China Coast: The Opening of the Treaty Ports, 1842?1854 (2nd ed.). Harvard University Press. pp. 123?128. ISBN 978-0-8047-0648-3.
44. ^ "The Trial Excavation at the Archaeological Site of Wong Tei Tung, Sham Chung, Hong Kong SAR". Hong Kong Archaeological Society. January 2006. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
45. ^ "???????? ????????" [Paleolithic site appears in Hong Kong, Lingnan perhaps discovered our birthplace]. People's Daily (in Chinese). 17 February 2006. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
46. ^ Tang, Chung (2005). "???????" [Archaeologist help find Hong Kong's Roots]. New Asia Monthly (in Chinese) (New Asia College) 32 (6): 6?8. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
47. ^ Li, Hui (2002). "?????????????" [The genetic structure of Baiyue divide in half]. Guangxi Ethnic Group Research (in Chinese) 70 (4): 26?31. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
48. ^ "2005 Field Archaeology on Sham Chung Site". Hong Kong Archaeological Society. January 2006. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
49. ^ "Declared Monuments in Hong Kong ? New Territories". Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Government. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
50. ^ "Characteristic Culture". Invest Nanhai. Retrieved 26 August 2010. [dead link]
51. ^ Ban Biao; Ban Gu; Ban Zhao. "???" [Treatise on geography]. Book of Han (in Chinese). Volume 28. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
52. ^ Peng, Quanmin (2001). "????????????" [Archaeological material from the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Society of Han]. Relics From South (in Chinese). Retrieved 26 August 2010.
53. ^ Keat, Gin Ooi (2004). Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 932. ISBN 1-57607-770-5. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
54. ^ "Archaeological Background". Hong Kong Yearbook (Hong Kong Government) 21. 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
55. ^ Siu Kwok-kin. "??????????????????????" [The importance of Tuen Mun during Tang and Five Dynasties period for foreign traffic and military]. From Sui to Ming (in Chinese) (Education Bureau, Hong Kong Government): 40?45. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
56. ^ Sweeting, Anthony (1990). Education in Hong Kong, Pre-1841 to 1941: Fact and Opinion. Hong Kong University Press. p. 93. ISBN 962-209-258-6.
57. ^ a b Barber, Nicola (2004). Hong Kong. Gareth Stevens. p. 48. ISBN 978-0-8368-5198-4.
58. ^ Porter, Jonathan (1996). Macau, the Imaginary City: Culture and Society, 1557 to the Present. Westview Press. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-8133-2836-2.
59. ^ Edmonds, Richard L. (2002). China and Europe Since 1978: A European Perspective. Cambridge University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-521-52403-2.
60. ^ Hayes, James (1974). "The Hong Kong Region: Its Place in Traditional Chinese Historiography and Principal Events Since the Establishment of Hsin-an County in 1573". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch 14: 108?135. Retrieved 31 August 2010. [dead link]
61. ^ "Hong Kong Museum of History: "The Hong Kong Story" Exhibition Materials". Hong Kong Museum of History. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
62. ^ a b Discovery Channel guide. Insight Guide Hong Kong. American Psychological Association Publications. 2005 [1980]. p. 18. ISBN 981-258-246-0.
63. ^ Courtauld, Caroline; Holdsworth, May; Vickers, Simon (1997). The Hong Kong Story. Oxford University Press. pp. 38?58. ISBN 978-0-19-590353-9.
64. ^ Hoe, Susanna; Roebuck, Derek (1999). The Taking of Hong Kong: Charles and Clara Elliot in China Waters. Routledge. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-7007-1145-1.
65. ^ Linda Pomerantz-Zhang (1992). "Wu Tingfang (1842?1922): reform and modernization in modern Chinese history". Hong Kong University Press. p.8. ISBN 962-209-287-X
66. ^ Byrne, Joseph Patrick (2008). Encyclopedia of Pestilence, Pandemics, and Plagues: A-M. ABC-CLIO. p. 499. ISBN 0-313-34102-8.
67. ^ a b c d e f g Wiltshire, Trea (1997). Old Hong Kong. Volume II: 1901?1945 (5th ed.). FormAsia Books. p. 148. ISBN 962-7283-13-4.
68. ^ "History of Hong Kong". Global Times. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010. [dead link]
69. ^ Scott, Ian (1989). Political change and the crisis of legitimacy in Hong Kong. University of Hawaii Press. p. 6. ISBN 978-0-8248-1269-0.
70. ^ L, Klemen (1999?2000). "Chronology of the Dutch East Indies, 7 December 1941 ? 11 December 1941". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941?1942. Check date values in: `|date=` (help)
71. ^ L, Klemen (1999?2000). "Chronology of the Dutch East Indies, 25 December 1941 ? 31 December 1941". Forgotten Campaign: The Dutch East Indies Campaign 1941?1942. Check date values in: `|date=` (help)
72. ^ Bradsher, Keith (17 April 2005). "Thousands March in Anti-Japan Protest in Hong Kong". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
73. ^ Moore, Lynden (1985). growth hong kongq=textiles growth hong kong The growth and structure of international trade since the Second World War. Cambridge University Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-0-521-46979-1. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
74. ^ Wei, Shang-Jin (January 2000). "Why Does China Attract So Little Foreign Direct Investment?" (PDF). National Bureau of Economic Research. pp. 6?8. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
75. ^ Dodsworth, John; Mihaljek, Dubravko (1997). Hong Kong, China: Growth, Structural Change, and Economic Stability During the Transition (International Monetary Fund). p. 54. ISBN 1-55775-672-4.
76. ^ "Links between SARS, human genes discovered". People's Daily. 16 January 2004. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
77. ^ Lee, S. H. (2006). SARS in China and Hong Kong. Nova Publishers. pp. 63?70. ISBN 978-1-59454-678-5.
78. ^ "Summary of probable SARS cases with onset of illness from 1?November?2002 to 31?July 2003". World Health Organization. 31 December 2003. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
79. ^ "????????????" [The impact of economic losses in the great epidemic] (in Chinese). BBC News. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
80. ^ Yau, Cannix (11 March 2005). "Tung's gone. What next?". The Standard. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
81. ^ "Appointment of Chief Executive". GN(E) (Hong Kong Government). 21 June 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
82. ^ "Donald Tsang wins Chief Executive election". Hong Kong Government. 25 March 2007. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
83. ^ "Chinese Taipei Wins God Medal in Men?s 400-Meter Relay". Kuomintang. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
84. ^ The Economist Intelligence Unit (2 January 2008). "Hong Kong politics: China sets reform timetable". The Economist. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
85. ^ "Specials: Hong Kong". New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
86. ^ "Basic Law, Chapter VIII". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
87. ^ Chen, Wenmin; Fu, H. L.; Ghai, Yash P. (2000). Hong Kong's Constitutional Debate: Conflict Over Interpretation. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 235?236. ISBN 978-962-209-509-0.
88. ^ "Basic Law, Chapter IV, Section 6". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
89. ^ "Civil Service". Information Services Department, Hong Kong Government. June 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
90. ^ Burns, John P. (2004). Government Capacity and the Hong Kong Civil Service. Oxford University Press. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-19-590597-7.
91. ^ "Basic Law, Chapter IV, Section 3". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
92. ^ Madden, Frederick (2000). The End of Empire: Dependencies since 1948. Pt. 1: The West Indies, British Honduras, Hong Kong, Fiji, Cyprus, Gibralter, and the Falklands. Volume VIII: Select Documents on the Constitutional History of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Greenwood Publishing. pp. 188?196. ISBN 978-0-313-29072-5.
93. ^ Gaylord, Mark S.; Gittings, Danny; Traver, Harold (2009). Introduction to Crime, Law and Justice in Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. p. 153. ISBN 978-962-209-978-4.
94. ^ a b "Right of Abode in HKSAR?Verification of Eligibility for Permanent Identity Card". Immigration Department, Hong Kong Government. 5 June 2007. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
95. ^ "Presentation to Legislative Council on Right of Abode Issue". Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor. 10 May 1999. Retrieved 20 January 2007.
96. ^ Cohen, Warren I.; Li, Zhao (1997). Hong Kong Under Chinese Rule: The Economic and Political Implications of Reversion. Cambridge University Press. pp. 220?235. ISBN 978-0-521-62761-0.
97. ^ Ming, Sing (August 2006). "The Legitimacy Problem and Democratic Reform in Hong Kong". Journal of Contemporary China (Informa) 15 (48): 517?532. doi:10.1080/10670560600736558. More than one of `|work=` and `|journal=` specified (help)
98. ^ "Public Consultation on the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the Legislative Council in 2012". Hong Kong Government. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
99. ^ Balfour, Frederik; Lui, Marco (25 June 2010). "Hong Kong Lawmakers Approve Tsang?s Election Plan". Businessweek. Bloomberg. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
100. ^ a b c "The Legal System in Hong Kong". Department of Justice, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
101. ^ a b c Ash, Robert F. (2003). Hong Kong in Transition: One Country, Two Systems. Volume 11: RoutledgeCurzon Studies in the Modern History of Asia. Psychology Press. pp. 161?188. ISBN 978-0-415-29954-1.
102. ^ a b "Introduction". Hong Kong Judiciary. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
103. ^ "About Us: Organisation chart of the Secretary for Justice's Office". Department of Justice, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
104. ^ "Basic Law, Chapter IV, Section 2". Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
105. ^ Weisenhaus, Doreen; Cottrell, Jill; Yan, Mei Ning (2007). Hong Kong Media Law: A Guide for Journalists and Media Professionals. Hong Kong University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-962-209-808-4.
106. ^ "Country Report 2009". Freedom House. Retrieved 14 December 2009.
107. ^ a b "2008 Human Rights Report: China (Hong Kong)". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
108. ^ "Protest against HK rail link". The Straits Times. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2010. [dead link]
109. ^ untitled
110. ^ Yahoo[dead link]
111. ^ "Sexual Orientation and Human Rights in Hong Kong". Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
112. ^ Barme, Geremie R.; Ye, Sang (1 February 1996). "The Great Firewall of China". Wired.com. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
113. ^ "The Profile of Hong Kong Population Analysed by District, 2007". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
114. ^ "Hong Kong: Population, Area & Density by District Board District: 1999". Demographia. 2000. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
115. ^ a b "Hong Kong ? The Facts: District Administration". Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
116. ^ "Mission". Home Affairs Department, Hong Kong Government. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
117. ^ Huque, Ahmed Shafiqul; Lee, Grace O. M.; Cheung, Anthony (1998). of hong kong is commander in chief The Civil Service in Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. p. 19. ISBN 962-209-458-9. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
118. ^ Rioni, S. G. (2002). Hong Kong in Focus: Political and Economic Issues. Nova Publishers. pp. 154?163. ISBN 978-1-59033-237-5.
119. ^ Morton, Brian; Harper, Elizabeth (1995). An Introduction to the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve, Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-962-209-388-1. Unknown parameter `|unused_data=` ignored (help)
120. ^ "2006 Population By-census". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
121. ^ "Tai Mo Shan Country Park". Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong Government. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
122. ^ "Hong Kong". Olympic Council of Asia. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
123. ^ Geopark leaflet
124. ^ "Chief Executive pledges a clean, green, world-class city". Hong Kong Trade Development Council. November 2001. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
125. ^ "HK harbour reclamation reprieve". BBC News. 9 January 2004. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
126. ^ Bradsher, Keith (5 November 2006). "Dirty Air Becomes Divisive Issue in Hong Kong Vote". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
127. ^ "Climate of Hong Kong". Hong Kong Observatory. 4 May 2003. Retrieved 2 August 2007.
128. ^ "Hong Kong in Figures 2008 Edition". Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
129. ^ "Extreme Values and Dates of Occurrence of Extremes of Meteorological Elements between 1884?1939 and 1947?2006 for Hong Kong". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
130. ^ "Monthly Meteorological Normals for Hong Kong". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
131. ^ "Extreme Values and Dates of Occurrence of Extremes of Meteorological Elements between 1884-1939 and 1947-2011 for Hong Kong". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 2012-8-12. Check date values in: `|accessdate=` (help)
132. ^ a b "End of an experiment". The Economist. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
133. ^ "Hong Kong ranked world's freest economy for 18th consecutive year". Government of Hong Kong. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
134. ^ "2008 Index of Economic Freedom". The Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
135. ^ "Top 10 Countries". The Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
136. ^ Bromma, Hubert (2007). How to Invest in Offshore Real Estate and Pay Little Or No Taxes. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-07-147009-4.
137. ^ Preston, Peter Wallace; Haacke, J?rgen (2003). Contemporary China: The Dynamics of Change at the Start of the New Millennium. Psychology Press. pp. 80?107. ISBN 978-0-7007-1637-1.
138. ^ Yeung, Rikkie (2008). Moving Millions: The Commercial Success and Political Controversies of Hong Kong's Railways. Hong Kong University Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-962-209-963-0.
139. ^ 1 March 2007 Executive Summary.pdf "The Global Financial Centres Index 1 Executive Summary". City of London. March 2007. p. 6. Archived from 1 March 2007 Executive Summary.pdf the original on 5 June 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
140. ^ "World Federation of Exchanges ? Statistics/Monthly". World Federation of Exchanges. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
141. ^ "Hong Kong IPOs May Raise Record $48?Billion in 2010, EY Says". Bloomberg. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
142. ^ a b c d "Hong Kong: A Symphony of Lights". Thomaswhite.com. 16 October 2009. Retrieved 28 November 2010. Text " Thomas White International " ignored (help)
143. ^ Hong Kong's Linked Exchange Rate System. Hong Kong Monetary Authority. p. 33. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
144. ^ Tsang, Donald (18 September 2006). "Big Market, Small Government" (Press release). Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
145. ^ "Hong Kong's Export Outlook for 2008: Maintaining Competitiveness through Supply Chain Management". Hong Kong Trade Development Council. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
146. ^ "HKDF ? Has Hong Kong Lost its Competitiveness?". Hong Kong Democratic Foundation. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
147. ^ "About Hong Kong". Hong Kong Government. April 2006. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
148. ^ "The Panama Canal: A plan to unlock prosperity". The Economist. 3 December 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
149. ^ Dhungana, Gita (29 December 2006). "Growth in exports defies predictions". The Standard. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
150. ^ Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics, Hong Kong Government, March 2008
151. ^ Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2009: Addressing Triple Threats to Development. United Nations Publications. 2009. pp. 94?99. ISBN 978-92-1-120577-0.
152. ^ "Worldwide Cost of Living survey 2009". Mercer. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
153. ^ "Global Wealth Continues Its Strong Recovery with $9?Trillion Gain, but Pressures on Wealth Managers Persist, Says Study by The Boston Consulting Group" (Press release). Finance Twitter. 31 May 2011.
154. ^ "Explore Economies". World Bank. 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
155. ^ Adam, Shamim (14 November 2010). "China to Exceed U.S. by 2020, Standard Chartered Says". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 27 November 2010. Check date values in: `|date=, |accessdate=` (help)
156. ^ "Hong Kong: The Facts ? Population". Hong Kong Government. October 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
157. ^ "Who is entitled to sponsor family members to come to live in Hong Kong? If I am a lawful resident of Hong Kong, can my family members in the Mainland (or elsewhere) apply to immigrate to Hong Kong?". Community Legal Information Centre. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
158. ^ "Counting Expat Numbers a Complex Task (Hong Kong)". Global Auto Industry. July 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
159. ^ International Labour Office (2009). Application of International Labour Standards 2009 (I). International Labour Organization. p. 640. ISBN 92-2-120634-3.
160. ^ Westra, Nick (5 June 2007). "Hong Kong as a Cantonese speaking city". Journalism and Media Studies Centre, University of Hong Kong. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
161. ^ "ICE Hong Kong". University College London. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
162. ^ Yum, Cherry (2007). Which Chinese? Dialect Choice in Philadelphia?s Chinatown. Haverford College. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
163. ^ "Hong Kong". Bmm.org. 1 July 1997. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
164. ^ a b "China (Includes Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau)". State.gov. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
165. ^ Carballo, Marita. RELIGION IN THE WORLD AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM. Gallup International Association. Archived from the original on 20. Retrieved 11 May 2012 Check date values in: `|archivedate=` (help)
166. ^ "Apostasy". Countdown.org. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
167. ^ "Do Hong Kong youth know how to practice safe sex?". Slidefinder.net. 14 January 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
168. ^ "Evolution wins out in Hong Kong curriculum dispute". Nature.com. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
169. ^ "Victory for Darwin ? Creationism rejected in new guidelines on the biology curriculum". Inmediahk.net. Retrieved 2 November 2011. Text " ?????? " ignored (help)
170. ^ Hong Kong Year Book (2010): Chapter 18 - Religion and Custom
171. ^ "Hong Kong China Temple". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
172. ^ "2007 Report of Jehovah's Witnesses Worldwide". The Watchtower. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
173. ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2007 ? Hong Kong". United States Department of State. 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2009.
174. ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2006 ? Hong Kong". United States Department of State. 2006. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
175. ^ Piboontanasawat, Nipa (23 October 2008). "Hong Kong Has Highest Income Disparity in Asia, UN Report Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
176. ^ 1.pdf "State of the World?s Cities 2008/2009" (Press release). United Nations Human Settlements Programme. 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
177. ^ Subcommittee to Study the Subject of Combating Poverty. Legislative Council of Hong Kong. 23 June 2005. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
178. ^ "gini coefficient"c=17,1i=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/hc/sub_com/hs51/papers/hs510125cb2-cop1-e.pdfj=5398v=n=link=http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr04-05/english/hc/sub_com/hs51/papers/hs510125cb2-cop1-e.pdf "Policies in Assisting Low-income Employees". Commission on Poverty (Legislative Council of Hong Kong). 23 January 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
179. ^ Kwok Kwok-chuen (12 February 2007). Distribution of HK and the Gini Coefficient.pdf Income Distribution of Hong Kong and the Gini Coefficient. Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 30 August 2010. More than one of `|author=` and `|last=` specified (help)
180. ^ "???????" [Mother Tongue Instruction Handbook] (in Chinese). Education Bureau, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
181. ^ "Policy for Secondary Schools -Medium of Instruction Policy for Secondary Schools". Education Bureau, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
182. ^ "PISA 2006 Science Competencies for Tomorrow's World". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 2006. Retrieved 14 December 2007.
183. ^ "Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary Education". Education Bureau, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
184. ^ a b Li, Arthur (18 May 2005). "Creating a better education system". Hong Kong Government. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
185. ^ "HKDSE". Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
186. ^ a b "QS World University Rankings (2012)".
187. ^ "Times Higher Education University Rankings (2012-13)".
188. ^ "ARWU 2012".
189. ^ "QS World University Rankings (2010)".
190. ^ "QS World University Rankings (2011)".
191. ^ "Feng shui used in 90% of RP businesses". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 17 February 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2009.
192. ^ Fowler, Jeaneane D.; Fowler, Merv (2008). Chinese Religions: Beliefs and Practices. Sussex Academic Press. p. 263. ISBN 978-1-84519-172-6.
193. ^ Xi, Xu; Ingham, Mike (2003). City Voices: Hong Kong writing in English, 1945?present. Hong Kong University Press. p. 181. ISBN 978-962-209-605-9.
194. ^ Chan, Cecilia; Chow, Amy (2006). Death, Dying and Bereavement: a Hong Kong Chinese Experience. Volume 1. Hong Kong University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-962-209-787-2.
195. ^ Stone, Andrew; Chow, Chung Wah; Ho, Reggie (15 January 2008). Hong Kong and Macau. Lonely Planet. p. 7. ISBN 978-1-74104-665-6.
196. ^ a b "Hong Kong calls itself Asia's entertainment hub". Monsters and Critics. 23 March 2007.
197. ^ Corliss, Richard (24 September 2001). "Hong Kong music circles the globe with its easy-listening hits and stars". Time. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
198. ^ "General Information". Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Government. 15 October 2009. Archived from the original on 16 November 2004. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
199. ^ "About the Museum". Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Government. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
200. ^ "Broadcasting: Licences". Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
201. ^ Li, Jinquan (2002). Global Media Spectacle: News War Over Hong Kong. State University of New York Press. pp. 69?74. ISBN 978-0-7914-5472-5.
202. ^ Walker, Christopher; Cook, Sarah (12 October 2009). "China's Export of Censorship". Far Eastern Economic Review. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
203. ^ "Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue (Beas River Shatin)". Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
204. ^ Macdonald, Phil (2006). National Geographic Traveler: Hong Kong (2nd ed.). National Geographic Society. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-7922-5369-3.
205. ^ "Cities with the most skyscrapers". Emporis. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
206. ^ Tong, C. O.; Wong, S. C. (August 1997). "The advantages of a high density, mixed land use, linear urban development". Transportation 24 (3): 295?307. doi:10.1023/A:1004987422746.
207. ^ "World's Tallest Residential Towers". Emporis. Retrieved 24 May 2009. [dead link]
208. ^ "International Commerce Centre". Emporis. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
209. ^ "Two International Finance Centre". Emporis. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
210. ^ "Emporis Skyline Ranking". Emporis. Retrieved 24 May 2009.
211. ^ "The world?s top 20 city skylines, CNNGo.com". Retrieved 1 March 2011.
212. ^ "Best Skyline Poll". Retrieved 8 February 2008.
213. ^ Gramsbergen, Egbert; Paul Kazmierczak. "The World's Best Skylines". Retrieved 8 February 2008.
214. ^ "Declared Monuments in Hong Kong ? Hong Kong Island". Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Government. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
215. ^ "Declared Monuments in Hong Kong ? Kowloon Island". Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong Government. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
216. ^ Sinn, Elizabeth (1990). "Kowloon Walled City: Its Origin and Early History". Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 27: 30?31. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
217. ^ "Tamar Development Project". Hong Kong Government. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2010.
218. ^ "Central Waterfront Design Competition". Designing Hong Kong. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
219. ^ "West Kowloon Cultural District Public Engagement Exercise". Home Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong Government. 26 August 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
220. ^ "Kai Tak building height restrictions lifted". Hong Kong Government. 10 July 1998. Retrieved 26 April 2008.
221. ^ "Octopus Card Information". Octopus Cards Limited. Retrieved 10 December 2008.
222. ^ Poon, Simpson; Chau, Patrick (February 2001). "Octopus: The Growing E-payment System in Hong Kong". Electronic Markets (Informa) 11 (2): 97?106. doi:10.1080/101967801300197016.
223. ^ "Press Release: Government has reached understanding with MTRCL on the terms for merging the MTR and KCR systems". Hong Kong Government. 11 April 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
224. ^ "Tourist Information". Mass Transit Railway. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
225. ^ "The Company". Hong Kong Tramways. Archived from the original on 10 April 2008. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
226. ^ Cullinane, S. (January 2002). "The relationship between car ownership and public transport provision: a case study of Hong Kong". Transport Policy 9 (1): 29?39. doi:10.1016/S0967-070X(01)00028-2. More than one of `|work=` and `|journal=` specified (help); Check date values in: `|year=` (help)
227. ^ Ng, Tze-wei (10 November 2006). "Not even HK's storied Star Ferry can face down developers". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
228. ^ "Ferry is amongst the world's best". BBC News. 19 October 2004. Retrieved 29 April 2008.
229. ^ Fitzpatrick, Liam. "Hong Kong: 10 Things to Do in 24 Hours". Time. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
230. ^ Cushman, Jennifer Wayne (1993). Fields from the sea: Chinese junk trade with Siam during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. SEAP Publications. p. 57. ISBN 0-87727-711-7.
231. ^ "HIT:: Hongkong International Terminals". Retrieved 22 February 2011.
232. ^ Thomson, John (1873). Illustrations of China and Its People. Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle. p. 96.
233. ^ Cavaliero, Eric (24 July 1997). "Grand old lady to turn 110". The Standard. Retrieved 1 September 2010.
234. ^ Gold, Anne (6 July 2001). kong escalator System Stairwayst=cse "Hong Kong's Mile-Long Escalator System Elevates the Senses : A Stairway to Urban Heaven". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
235. ^ a b "About Us". Hong Kong International Airport. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
236. ^ "International travellers have voted Hong Kong the best airport in the world". Skytrax. 8 August 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2008.
237. ^ "Air Cargo and Aviation Logistic Services". Hong Kong International Airport. p. 1. Retrieved 31 August 2010.

## Further reading[edit]

- Endacott, G. B (1964). An Eastern Entrepot;: A Collection of Documents Illustrating the History of Hong Kong. Her Majesty's Stationary Office. p. 293. ASIN B0007J07G6.
- Fu, Poshek; Deser, David (2002). The Cinema of Hong Kong: History, Arts, Identity. Cambridge University Press. p. 346. ISBN 978-0-521-77602-8.
- Hanstedt, Paul (2012). Hong Konged: One Modern American Family's (Mis)adventures in the Gateway to China. Avon, MA: Adams Media. ISBN 9781440540738.
- Lui, Adam Yuen-chung (1990). Forts and Pirates ? A History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong History Society. p. 114. ISBN 962-7489-01-8.
- Liu, Shuyong; Wang, Wenjiong; Chang, Mingyu (1997). An Outline History of Hong Kong. Foreign Languages Press. p. 291. ISBN 978-7-119-01946-8.
- Ngo, Tak-Wing (1 August 1999). Hong Kong's History: State and Society Under Colonial Rule. Routledge. p. 205. ISBN 978-0-415-20868-0.
- Tsang, Steve (1995). Government and Politics: A Documentary History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press. p. 312. ISBN 962-209-392-2.
- Tsang, Steve (4 September 2007). A Modern History of Hong Kong. I. B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-419-0.
- Welsh, Frank (1993). A Borrowed place: the history of Hong Kong. Kodansha International. p. 624. ISBN 978-1-56836-002-7.

## External links[edit]

Find more about Hong Kong at Wikipedia's sister projects
| Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
| Media from Commons
| Learning resources from Wikiversity
| Quotations from Wikiquote
| Source texts from Wikisource
| Textbooks from Wikibooks
| Travel guide from Wikivoyage

- Hong Kong at Encyclop?dia Britannica
- HongKong at UCB Libraries GovPubs
- Hong Kong entry at The World Factbook
- API at the Open Directory Project
- Hong Kong from the BBC News
- Wikimedia Atlas of Hong Kong

- Key Development Forecasts for Hong Kong from International Futures

Government

- Discover Hong Kong ? Official site of the Hong Kong Tourism Board

Hong Kong topics
History | Prehistoric Imperial British colony 1800s–1930s Japanese occupation 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
Geography |
Administrative divisions Areas Bays Beaches Buildings and structures Channels Cities and towns Climate Country parks and conservation Ecology Harbours Islands and peninsulas Lakes Marine parks Mountains and peaks Public parks and gardens Reservoirs Rivers Villages
Politics |
Basic Law Districts Councils Elections Foreign relations Government departments and agencies Independence movement Judiciary Legal system Legislative Council Military One country, two systems Political parties Sino-British Joint Declaration
Public services | Education Fire services Food and Health Bureau Healthcare Police
Economy |
Banks Companies Dollar (currency) Employment Port Stock Exchange Telecommunications The Hongs
Tourism | Landmarks and tourist attractions Disneyland Ocean Park
Transport | Airlines Airport Buses light buses Ferries Major roads Rail Taxis
Culture |
Architecture Cinema Cuisine Demographics Honours system International rankings Languages Media Manhua Television Museums Music Cantonese opera Cantopop Public holidays Religion Shopping Sport National football team National rugby union team Hong Kong Sevens Women
Outline Index
Category Portal WikiProject

Geographic locale
Districts of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Island | Central and Western Eastern Southern Wan Chai
Kowloon and New Kowloon | Kowloon City Kwun Tong Sham Shui Po Wong Tai Sin Yau Tsim Mong
New Territories (excluding New Kowloon) | Islands Kwai Tsing North Sai Kung Sha Tin Tai Po Tsuen Wan Tuen Mun Yuen Long
Pearl River Delta Region
Pearl River Delta Economic Zone
Guangdong Province | Guangzhou Panyu Huadu Nansha Zengcheng Conghua Shenzhen Bao'an Zhuhai Hengqin Dongguan Zhongshan Foshan Jiangmen Enping Taishan Kaiping Heshan Huizhou Zhaoqing Sihui Gaoyao |
Special Administrative Region | Hong Kong Kowloon Macau Cotai
Provincial level divisions of the People's Republic of China
Provinces¹ | Anhui Fujian Gansu Guangdong Guizhou Hainan Hebei Heilongjiang Henan Hubei Hunan Jiangsu Jiangxi Jilin Liaoning Qinghai Shaanxi Shandong Shanxi Sichuan Yunnan Zhejiang |
Autonomous regions | Guangxi Inner Mongolia Ningxia Tibet Xinjiang
Municipalities | Beijing Chongqing Shanghai Tianjin
Special administrative regions | Hong Kong Macau
Note: 1. Taiwan is claimed as a province, but is administered by the Republic of China (see Political status of Taiwan).
Template:Countries and territories of East Asia
Countries and dependencies of Asia
Sovereign states | Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Burma (Myanmar) Cambodia China Cyprus Egypt Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand East Timor (Timor-Leste) Turkey Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen |
States with limited recognition | Abkhazia Nagorno-Karabakh Northern Cyprus South Ossetia Taiwan
Dependencies and special administrative regions | Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands China Hong Kong Macau United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia British Indian Ocean Territory

International membership
Template:Four Asian Tigers
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Australia Brunei Canada Chile China Chinese Taipei Hong Kong Indonesia Japan Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Papua New Guinea Peru Philippines Russia Singapore South Korea Thailand United States Vietnam * Officially the Republic of China, participate as Chinese Taipei
Meetings | 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
World Trade Organization
System | Accession and membership Appellate Body Dispute Settlement Body International Trade Centre Chronology of key events
Issues | Criticism Doha Development Round Singapore issues Quota Elimination Peace Clause
Agreements | General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Agriculture Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Technical Barriers to Trade Trade Related Investment Measures Trade in Services Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Government Procurement Information Technology Marrakech Agreement Doha Declaration Bali Package
Ministerial Conferences | 1st (1996) 2nd (1998) 3rd (1999) 4th (2001) 5th (2003) 6th (2005) 7th (2009) 8th (2011) 9th (2013)
People | Pascal Lamy (Director-General) Roberto Azevêdo (Elected Director-General) Supachai Panitchpakdi (Former Director-General) Deputy Directors-General: Alejandro Jara Valentine Rugwabiza Harsha Singh Rufus Yerxa
Members | Albania Algeria Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belize Benin Bolivia Botswana Brazil Brunei Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Cuba Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador European Union¹ Fiji Gabon The Gambia Georgia Ghana Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong² Iceland India Indonesia Israel Jamaica Japan Jordan Kenya South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lesotho Liechtenstein Macau² Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nepal New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Qatar Russia Rwanda St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Suriname Swaziland Switzerland Taiwan³ Tanzania Thailand Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Uruguay Venezuela Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe 1. All twenty-eight member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden United Kingdom 2. Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, participates as "Hong Kong, China" and "Macao China". 3. Officially the Republic of China, participates as "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu"

Languages
Template:Sino-Tibetan-speaking
English-speaking world
Lists | List of countries by English-speaking population List of countries where English is an official language
Articles | Anglosphere History of the English language British Empire English in the Commonwealth of Nations
Click on a coloured region to get related article:
Countries and territories where English is the national language or the native language of the majority
Africa | Saint Helena
Americas | Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda The Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Falkland Islands Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saba Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United States United States Virgin Islands
Europe | Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Jersey United Kingdom
Oceania | Australia New Zealand Norfolk Island Pitcairn Islands
Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority first language
Africa | Botswana Cameroon Ethiopia Eritrea The Gambia Ghana Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mauritius Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
Americas | Puerto Rico
Asia | Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Hong Kong India Malaysia Pakistan Philippines Singapore
Europe | Gibraltar Malta
Oceania | American Samoa Cook Islands Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tuvalu Vanuatu
Dependencies shown in italics.

Population
Metropolitan cities of China
Municipalities and National central cities | Beijing Chongqing Guangzhou Shanghai Tianjin
Regional central cities | Chengdu Nanjing Shenyang Shenzhen Wuhan Xi'an
Special administrative regions | Hong Kong Macau
Sub-provincial cities (not included above) | Changchun Hangzhou Harbin Jinan
Separate state-planning cities (not included above) | Dalian Ningbo Qingdao Xiamen
Provincial capitals (not included above) | Changsha Fuzhou Guiyang Haikou Hefei Kunming Lanzhou Nanchang Shijiazhuang Taiyuan Xining Zhengzhou
Autonomous regional capitals | Hohhot Lhasa Nanning Ürümqi Yinchuan
Comparatively large cities (not included above) | Anshan Baotou Benxi Datong Fushun Handan Huainan Jilin Luoyang Qiqihar Suzhou Tangshan Wuxi Xuzhou Zibo
Special economic zone cities (not included above) | Kashgar [ Kashi ] Shantou Zhuhai (Hainan Cities: Danzhou Dongfang Qionghai Sansha Sanya Wanning Wenchang Wuzhishan)
Coastal development cities (not included above) | Beihai Lianyungang Nantong Qinhuangdao Wenzhou Yantai Zhanjiang
XPCC / Bingtuan cities | Aral [ Ala'er ] Beitun Shihezi Tumxuk [ Tumushuke ] Wujiaqu
Most populous metropolises in China
Shanghai Beijing Chongqing Guangzhou Hong Kong Wuhan Tianjin Shantou Nanjing Chengdu Shenyang Foshan Jinan Xi'an Harbin Hangzhou Qingdao Dalian Shenzhen Changchun Shijiazhuang Suzhou Taiyuan Wuxi Zhengzhou Xuzhou
World's twenty most populous metropolitan areas
| 1 Tokyo-Yokohama 2 Seoul-Incheon 3 Mexico City 4 New York 5 Mumbai | 6 Jakarta 7 São Paulo 8 Delhi 9 Keihanshin 10 Shanghai | 11 Manila 12 Hong Kong-Shenzhen 13 Los Angeles 14 Kolkata 15 Moscow | 16 Cairo 17 Buenos Aires 18 London 19 Beijing 20 Karachi
World's fifty most-populous urban areas
Tokyo–Yokohama Jakarta Seoul–Incheon Delhi Shanghai Manila Karachi New York City São Paulo Mexico City | Cairo Beijing Osaka–Kobe–Kyoto Mumbai Guangzhou–Foshan Moscow Los Angeles Kolkata Dhaka Buenos Aires | Istanbul Rio de Janeiro Shenzhen Lagos Paris Nagoya Lima Chicago Kinshasa Tianjin | Chennai Bogotá Bangalore London Taipei Ho Chi Minh City Dongguan Hyderabad Chengdu Lahore | Johannesburg–East Rand Tehran Essen (Ruhr)–Düsseldorf Bangkok Hong Kong Wuhan Ahmedabad Chongqing Baghdad Hangzhou