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Hong Kong Travel Guide:Region Information |
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| History Geography People Economy Communications Transportation | ||
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Map of Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China
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| History | Top of Page | |
| Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. | ||
| Geography | Top of Page | |
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | |
| Geographic Coordinates | 22 15 N, 114 10 E | |
| Area |
Total: 1,092 sq km Water: 50 sq km Land: 1,042 sq km |
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| Area - Comparative | Six times the size of Washington, DC | |
| Land Boundaries |
Total: 30 km Border countries: China 30 km |
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| Coastline | 733 km | |
| Climate | Tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall | |
| Terrain | Hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north | |
| Elevation Extremes |
Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m Highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
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| Natural Resources | Outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar | |
| Geography Note | More than 200 islands | |
| Natural hazards | Occasional typhoons | |
| People | Top of Page | |
| Population | 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age Structure |
0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593) 15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 est.) |
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| Nationality |
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese |
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| Ethnic Groups | Chinese 95%, other 5% | |
| Religions | eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% | |
| Language | Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official | |
| Literacy |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% |
| Government | Top of Page | |
| Country Name |
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local short form: Xianggang local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu abbreviation: HK |
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| Government Type | special administrative region of China | |
| Flag Description | red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center | |
| Economy | Top of Page | |
| Overview | Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2005 | |
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)) | |
| Currency Code | HKD | |
| Communications | Top of Page | |
| Telephone System |
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
and international services |
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| Internet Country Code | .hk | |
| Transportation | Top of Page | |
| Railways |
total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked) note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border (2001) |
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| Roadways |
total: 1,955 km paved: 1,955 km (2005 |
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| Waterways | None | |
| Ports and Harbors | Hong Kong | |
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