Как правильно пишется слово гонконг

• Взрослым: Skillbox, Хекслет, Eduson, XYZ, GB, Яндекс, Otus, SkillFactory.
• 8-11 класс: Умскул, Лектариум, Годограф, Знанио.
• До 7 класса: Алгоритмика, Кодланд, Реботика.
• Английский: Инглекс, Puzzle, Novakid.

Как пишется: «Гонконг» или «Гонконк»?

Правила

В соответствии с орфографическими правилами русского языка слово «Гонконг» пишут с буквой «о» в первом слоге и согласным «г» в конце.

Правописание первого слога объясняется этимологией. Дословно название означает «Благоухающая гавань». Изначально рассматриваемое наименование относилось к одной из бухт острова Гонконг. Когда англичане захватили остров, назвали его Hong Kong. Через них название перешло и в остальные языки, в том числе и в русский. Сохраняем нормы первоисточника и запоминаем написание.

Чтобы проверить труднопроизносимый согласный в конце слова, необходимо поставить лексическую единицу в форму родительного падежа, чтобы после согласного стоял гласный звук: Гонконга – Гонконг.

Значение слова

Гонконг – специальный административный район Китая. С точки зрения морфологии, слово является неодушевлённым существительным мужского рода второго склонения, обозначает название географического объекта.

Примеры

• Во время визита в Китай обязательно стоит посетить Гонконг.
• Директору сообщили, что ему срочно нужно лететь в Гонконг.
• Чтобы вместе полететь в Гонконг, мы решили встретиться в Нью-Йорке.

Морфемный разбор слова:

Однокоренные слова к слову:

Гонконг столица какой страны?

Специальный административный район КНР – Гонконг (Hong Kong, HK) является одним из крупнейших азиатских финансовых центров. Место, где находится Гонконг, весьма способствовало его экономическому росту, благодаря международной торговле. Однако долгое время он находился под оккупацией и лишь недавно был возвращен Китаю, что породило вопросы о статусе этой территории.

История

Нынешние гонконгские земли были присоединены к Китаю еще в третьем тысячелетии до н.э. Территория долгое время не заселялась. В VII веке н.э. рыбаки на берегах стали строить деревни.

Когда в XVI веке сюда начали приезжать португальцы, а в последующие века англичане, они устраивали рядом с Гонконгом торговые селения и склады. Первые — в районе Макао, вторые — в Гуанчжоу. Там были удобные порты для торговли с другими государствами. Китай импортировал фарфор, шелк, чай.

Британская оккупация

«В 1945 году Япония была вынуждена принять условия капитуляции. Гонконг вновь был присоединен к Великобритании»

Когда Гонконг был возвращен Китаю?

В 1949 году, вслед за становлением Китайской народной республики, опасаясь коммунистических угнетений, в Гонконг нахлынула масса переселенцев. Стала увеличиваться численность населения. Из всех колоний эта стала самой благополучной. Даже Китай, ставший коммунистической державой, здесь проигрывал.

Развитие промышленного производства повлекло развитие экспорта. Повысился уровень жизни. Лишь в конце XX века территория перешла к Китаю:

«1 июля 1997 года ознаменовалось возвращением всего гонконгского региона Китайской народной республике»

Гонконг столица какой страны

Еще в 1990 г. был принят Основной закон Гонконга. Он отличался демократичностью. Гонконг теперь имеет отдельное законодательство и широкую автономность, являясь административным районом Китая. Он сохранит их до 2047 г. И все же город с 1997 года относится к Китаю, находится под его обороной и контролируется его внешней политикой, хоть и имеет особый статус.

Гонконг не является чьей-то столицей. Однако, по всем признакам, он на нее похож, учитывая развитую инфраструктуру и экономику. Его официальный статус — специальный административный район Китая.

«Столица КНР – Пекин, а не Гонконг, как некоторые думают».

Как переводится название города

Китайцы разговаривают на множестве диалектов. Иероглифы, в основном, пишутся одинаково и смысл их один и тот же. Произносятся же они по-разному. На официальном языке КНР – «путунхуа» — название Гонконга звучит как «сянган». На кантонском диалекте «юэ» оно произносится как «хёнкон».

Переводятся оба слова как «благоухающая гавань». Это из-за того, что на побережье Сянгана торговали разными приправами и ароматическими веществами. Так называлась одна из бухт острова Гонконг. Слова «гонг» и «конг» — это уже английская версия «хёнкона». Так что словосочетание «Hong Kong» распространилось в мире по милости англичан.

«По-русски слова пишутся слитно – «Гонконг» (как и по-китайски), а не «Гонг Конг». Кто-то пишет раздельно, по аналогии с английским «Hong Kong», — это неправильно».

Расположение

Омываемый с юга, севера и запада Южно-Китайским морем, Гонконг расположен на п-ве Коулун и еще 262 островах с юго-восточной стороны Китая. К нему относятся: п-ов Коулун, о-в Гонконг, Новые территории. Самые крупные из них — острова Гонконг, Ланьтау и Ламма.

Если посмотреть на карту, Гонконг выглядит как маленькая точка по сравнению с Китаем, как один из его городов, таких как Шэньчжень, с которым он граничит. Площадь Гонконга равна 1104 км². На карте видно, что этот рельефный полуостров с множеством островов состоит из 18 отдельных округов

Климат

Температура воздуха в зависимости от времени года:

Правительство и политика

Законодательный совет Гонконга избирается на 4-летний срок. Большинством голосов принимаются законы. Здешнее законодательство отличается от китайского. Управляет государством исполнительный совет.

В восемнадцати округах свои местные администрации. Госслужащие либо избираются путем голосования, либо утверждаются Главным министром.

Главой Гонконга является Главный министр администрации. Приходит к власти путем выборов со стороны избирательного комитета. На 2019 г. это Керри Лам – первая женщина-лидер в Гонконге.

Упомянутый комитет включает более тысячи человек, в числе которых 70 представителей законодательного совета. Половина из них выбирается гражданами. Остальные члены комитета – это представители коммерческой элиты. Обычно выбирают тех кандидатов, которым покровительствует Пекин. У демократов на выборах мало шансов.

«Вместо Конституции здесь Основной закон. Он закрепляет за Сянганом независимую инфраструктуру, исключая внешнюю политику и защиту китайской армии»

Население

Численность населения Гонконга примерно 7 млн человек. Большая часть народа проживает в Коулуне и на о-ве Гонконг. Много людей переезжает в Шеньчжень – там свободнее, да и цены ниже. Перенаселенность региона вызвана не высоким уровнем рождаемости, а притоком большого числа мигрантов с материкового Китая.

Этнических китайцев здесь 95%, остальная же часть жителей – вьетнамцы, индонезийцы, индусы, пакистанцы и филиппинцы.

Из-за плотности населения, сосредоточенного на небольшой площади, город весь покрыт зданиями и дорогами, которые проходят где только можно и даже нависают над землей. Количество небоскребов здесь около 8000, что намного больше, чем в Нью-Йорке. В таких зданиях располагаются квартиры, офисы, школы, больницы и многие другие учреждения. Застроен город по правилам фэншуя.

Географическое место Гонконга имеет очень рельефную поверхность — с горами и холмами. По этой причине только четверть территории заселена, что еще больше усугубляет плотность улиц. На остальных пространствах располагаются парки, заповедники, песчаные пляжи и другие зоны для отдыха.

Транспорт

Общественный транспорт в Гонконге сделал большой шаг вперед. Эта инфраструктура очень хорошо развита:

Оплачивать уличный проезд можно наличными или транспортной картой. Касса обычно находится около водителя. Вносить следует сразу нужную сумму, т.к. сдача не предусмотрена.

Стоимость проезда запомнить сложно, потому что она зависит от ряда факторов, таких как вид транспорта, какому перевозчику он принадлежит, дальность поездки, характер маршрута. Схему и цену проезда можно посмотреть на любой остановке или станции.

«Наилучший способ оплаты – Octopus Card. В карточке предусмотрены скидки, к тому же ей можно расплачиваться в некоторых магазинах и кафе»

Культура

Гонконг — очень ухоженный и чистый город. Это вызывает восторг у приезжих иностранцев. Мужское население здесь одно из самых курящих, но плеваться или бросать мусор на улицах категорически нельзя, за это могут оштрафовать. На улицах и дорогах четко прорисована разметка. Правила соблюдаются неукоснительно.

Гонконгцы исповедуют несколько религий: буддизм, конфуцианство, даосизм. Страна принадлежит скорее к китайской цивилизации, но и западная культура тут плотно укоренилась. После колонизации Гонконг сохранил некоторые британские особенности.

Английский язык здесь является вторым официальным языком, им владеют около 30% жителей. Часто встречаются англоязычные надписи — названия дорог, вывески и т.п. Еще тут большое разнообразие заведений общепита с кухней самых разных народов.

Различные достопримечательности вокруг поражают красотой и уникальностью. Старинные здания колониального периода поразительным образом контрастируют с огромными небоскребами, а технологический прорыв с любовью к природе. Облик города везде разный.

«Создается как бы визуальный коллаж исторических улиц с китайской и европейской архитектурой, индустриальных достижений с намеками на футуризм, и зеленых садов-оазисов»

Достопримечательности

Туристу рекомендуется посетить:

Образование

Система образования в Гонконге унаследована от Великобритании.

Самое старое высшее учебное учреждение – Университет Гонконга (1911 – год основания). Он занимает лидирующие позиции в Азии и стоит на 21 месте в мире. Здесь обучаются студенты из десятков стран мира. Деятельность образовательных учреждений курирует Департамент образования.

Обучение во всех гонконгских учебных учреждениях проходит на английском языке. Преподаются десятки предметов, направленные на всестороннее развитие. Студенты университетов получают опыт реальной работы по своим специальностям. Обучение, стажировка и последующий перевод на разные должности имеют большие перспективы. Люди с дипломом здесь очень хорошо зарабатывают.

Режим отбора абитуриентов суровый. При успешной учебе студент-иностранец может получить годовую визу, чтобы за это время найти себе работу. Более 97% выпускников вузов в Гонконге благополучно трудоустраиваются.

«Стоимость обучения в гонконгских вузах довольно высокая – около 5-7 тыс. американских долларов за семестр»

Столица

Гонконг – это своеобразное маленькое государство в составе Китая. Его можно назвать и городом. Еще можно сказать, что это страна размером с город. Официальной столицы не имеет и, по сути, весь является таковой. Так что на вопрос «Гонконг — это город или страна» нет четкого ответа — оба варианта правильные.

Иногда говорят, что гонконгская столица — это Виктория. На самом деле это лишь район периода колонизации, где размещалось британское управление. В данный момент административный центр города – это остров, который также называется Гонконг, и часть п-ва Коулун.

На этом о-ве Гонконг сосредоточена большая часть административных зданий. Тут расположены два главных банка. Это одновременно исторический район, центр торговых комплексов и развлекательных заведений. Поэтому его вполне можно назвать неофициальной столицей Гонконга.

Остров и материковую часть разделяет пролив – бухта Виктория. Под ней проходят 3 тоннеля. По воде людей перевозят паромы.

«Самый крупный в городе паромный терминал в комплексе China Hong Kong City»

Флаг и герб

Свой флаг гонконгцы утвердили в феврале 1990 года. Официально его подняли спустя семь лет – в июле 1997. Тогда же был принят и герб. До сих пор они являются главными символами автономного государства:

Красный цвет и звезды символизируют принадлежность коммунистическому Китаю. Белый означает, что у города-государства своя, отличная от КНР, политическая и экономическая система. Цветок является образом гармонии.

Валюта

Местная валюта – гонконгский доллар, который равен 100 центам. С 1983 г. он зависит от доллара США. Курс приблизительно на уровне 7,7 – 7,8 американских долларов. Распространенная в мире аббревиатура – HKD (Hong Kong Dollar). Местное обозначение – HK$. В обиходе:

Контролирует выпуск денег Валютное управление Гонконга. Везде можно встретить пункты обмена – в отелях, торговых зданиях, аэропортах и даже банкоматах. Поэтому есть возможность сделать перевод в любую иностранную валюту. Банки Гонконга работают в понедельник-пятницу с 9:00 до 16:00 или 17:00, в субботу с 9:00 до 13:00. Воскресенье – выходной. «Магазины, кафе, гостиницы принимают пластиковые кредитки Master Card, Visa Diners Club, American Express».

Заключение

Маленькое государство Сянган входит в Top-10 мировых финансовых центров. Из всех азиатских стран здесь самый высокий уровень жизни. Это при том, что природных ресурсов здесь практически нет. Все благодаря эффективному законодательству, продуманной политике, развивающейся быстрыми темпами инфраструктуре и выгодному географическому расположению, способствующему широкой международной торговле. Здесь низкие налоги, легкий бизнес, эффективные социальные программы, высокое качество образования.

Источник

Варианты названия Гонконга

В Китае существует множество языков, большинство из которых пользуется общей иероглифической письменностью. То есть смысл слов, записанных иероглифами, ясен носителям разных языков, но звучат эти слова совершенно по-разному.

Одним из языков Китая является юэ, распространенный в юго-восточной провинции Гуандун. Он отличается от официального языка Китая — путунхуа и известен европейцам под названием «кантонского», именно его чаще других используют в Гонконге.

Название « Гонконг » происходит от чтения на языке юэ написания 「香港」 (хёнкон). Дословно название означает «Благоухающая гавань» и исторически применялось к одной из бухт острова Гонконг и селения в ней. Англичане, захватившие остров, назвали его Hong Kong, через англичан название перешло и в остальные языки, в том числе и в русский.

То же название, прочтенное на официальном китайском (путунхуа), звучит, как Сянган, поэтому при обозначении Гонконга, именно как китайского региона, его зачастую именуют Сянганом.

Полное название Гонконга — 香港特別行政區 — Специальный административный район Гонконг, по-кантонски «хёнкон такпит ханчинкхёй», на путунхуа «сянган тэбе синчжэнцюй».

Вслед за англоязычным написанием в два слова (Hong Kong), в русском встречаются словарно ошибочные варианты написания: Гон Конг, Гонг Конг, Гонк Конг или через дефис Гон-Конг, Гонг-Конг, Гонк-Конг и т. д.

Варианты названия в других странах

Забронировать тур, либо уточнить необходимую информацию вы можете у ваших менеджеров-консультантов:
тел.: +7 495 740-29-89, e-mail: ac@actravel.ru

Приключение дает ощущение жизни в целом, во всей ее широте и силе
Х. Гадамер

Мы в реестре туроператоров
ООО «АС-тревел»
РТО 001262

Источник

Значение слова «Гонконг»

Гонконг расположен на Коулунском полуострове, с запада, юга и востока омываемом Южно-Китайским морем, а также на более чем 260 островах, наиболее крупными среди которых являются Гонконг (местоположение органов верховной власти и финансового центра территории), Лантау и Ламма. На севере Гонконг граничит с особой экономической зоной Шэньчжэнь в составе китайской провинции Гуандун. Гонконг принято делить на три части: собственно остров Гонконг, Коулун и Новые Территории. Гонконг входит в регион дельты реки Чжуцзян, располагаясь на левом берегу её устья.

В 1842 году Гонконг был захвачен Великобританией и стал её колонией согласно Нанкинскому договору. Однако, большая по площади (не по населению) часть Гонконга, т. н. Новые Территории, была арендована в 1898 году на 99 лет и на этот срок являлась частью британской колонии. И хотя Китай как независимое государство появился только в 1911 году, а договор заключался с маньчжурской Империей Цин, Великобритания признавала этот договор аренды и никогда не отказывалась от обязательства передать Китаю Новые Территории к 1997 году. Декларация ООН о деколонизации от 1960 года не предусматривала раздела колоний, поэтому, фактически, никакого другого варианта, кроме как интегрировать Гонконг в состав Китая, у Великобритании не было. Референдум по вопросу независимости Гонконга не проводился, что, однако, не является прямым нарушением упомянутой декларации, поскольку декларация направлена на предоставление независимости не только колониям, но и колониальным народам, а в этническом смысле Гонконг является частью общего национального пространства с Китаем. В 1997 году Китайская Народная Республика приобрела суверенитет над территорией. Согласно совместной китайско-британской декларации и Основному закону Гонконга, территории предоставлена широкая автономия до 2047 года, то есть в течение 50 лет после передачи суверенитета. В рамках курса «Одна страна, две системы» и «Гонконгом управляют сами гонконгцы в условиях высокой степени автономии», в течение этого периода Центральное народное правительство КНР берёт на себя вопросы обороны и внешней политики территории, в то время как Гонконг оставляет за собой контроль над законодательством, полицией, денежной системой, пошлинами и иммиграционной политикой, а также сохраняет представительство в международных организациях и мероприятиях.

Гонко́нг

1. специальный административный район Китая ◆ Штаты и Великобритания в состоянии войны с Японией, которая уже высадила десант на Филиппинских островах, обстреливает Гонконг, захватила один из островов на полдороге к Гавайским островам, принадлежащий Англии. … Неутешительно было известие, что японцы заняли еще один остров, принадлежащий Штатам, высадили большой десант на Филиппинах, несмотря на сопротивление местных сил, и продолжают осаду Гонконга, а разведочные самолёты их появились у Сингапура. Обручев, «Коралловый остров», 1947 г. ◆ Випол предполагал наплыв клиентуры из Гонконга, готовившегося прекратить существование в качестве британской колонии. … В восьмидесятые в Гонконге блистала несравненная Тереза Вонг, собиравшая тысячи поклонников своего китайско-японского репертуара со всей Юго-Восточной Азии и Дальнего Востока. Валериан Скворцов, «Каникулы вне закона», 2001 г. (цитата из НКРЯ)

Делаем Карту слов лучше вместе

Привет! Меня зовут Лампобот, я компьютерная программа, которая помогает делать Карту слов. Я отлично умею считать, но пока плохо понимаю, как устроен ваш мир. Помоги мне разобраться!

Спасибо! Я стал чуточку лучше понимать мир эмоций.

Вопрос: примочка — это что-то нейтральное, положительное или отрицательное?

Источник

гонконг

1 гонконг

2 Гонконг

3 гонконг

4 Гонконг

5 Гонконг

6 Гонконг

7 Гонконг

8 Гонконг

9 Гонконг

10 Гонконг

11 Гонконг

12 Гонконг

См. также в других словарях:

Гонконг — Сянган Географические названия мира: Топонимический словарь. М: АСТ. Поспелов Е.М. 2001. Гонконг (Сянган), Специальный Админ … Географическая энциклопедия

Гонконг — государство в государстве со своими законами, порядками и культурой. Это место встречи Запада и Востока, где высокие технологии… … Города мира

гонконг — Сянган Словарь русских синонимов. гонконг сущ., кол во синонимов: 3 • порт (361) • страна (28 … Словарь синонимов

ГОНКОНГ — ГОНКОНГ, смотри Сянган … Современная энциклопедия

Гонконг — ГОНКОНГ, смотри Сянган. … Иллюстрированный энциклопедический словарь

Гонконг — (Hong Kong) Специальный административный район Гонконг (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) История Гонконга, географические характеристики и климат Гонконга, колорит Гонконга, традиции, менталитет и привычки Содержание Содержание Раздел 1.… … Энциклопедия инвестора

Гонконг — Запрос «Гонконг» перенаправляется сюда; об острове см. Гонконг (остров) … Википедия

Гонконг — (Hongkong), английское название территории Сянган. * * * ГОНКОНГ ГОНКОНГ (Hongkong), английское название территории Сянган (см. СЯНГАН) … Энциклопедический словарь

Гонконг — (Hongkong) английское название территории Сянган … Большая советская энциклопедия

ГОНКОНГ — (Hong Kong) (см. СЯНГАН) … Большой филателистический словарь

ГОНКОНГ — см. Сянган … Советская историческая энциклопедия

Источник

Город Гонконг – столица какой страны?

Особый административный район КНР – Гонконг (Hong Kong, HK) – один из крупнейших финансовых центров Азии. Положение Гонконга во многом способствовало его экономическому росту благодаря международной торговле. Однако он долгое время находился под оккупацией и только недавно был возвращен Китаю, что вызвало сомнения в статусе этой территории.

История

Нынешние земли Гонконга были присоединены к Китаю еще в третьем тысячелетии до нашей эры. Территория давно не заселена. В 7 веке нашей эры рыбаки начали строить на берегах деревни.

Когда португальцы начали приезжать сюда в 16 веке, а британцы в последующие века, они основали торговые деревни и склады недалеко от Гонконга. Первый находится в регионе Макао, второй – в Гуанчжоу. Были удобные порты для торговли с другими государствами. Китай импортировал фарфор, шелк, чай.

Британская оккупация

«В 1945 году Япония была вынуждена принять условия капитуляции. Гонконг снова был присоединен к Великобритании»

Когда Гонконг вернулся в Китай?

В 1949 году, после подъема Китайской Народной Республики, опасаясь коммунистического гнета, большое количество иммигрантов хлынуло в Гонконг. Население стало увеличиваться. Из всех колоний эта стала самой процветающей. Здесь проигрывает и Китай, ставший коммунистической державой.

Развитие промышленного производства привело к развитию экспорта. Уровень жизни повысился. Только в конце ХХ века территория перешла к Китаю:

1 июля 1997 года весь регион Гонконг был возвращен Китайской Народной Республике

Гонконг – столица какой страны

В 1990 году был принят Основной закон Гонконга. Он выступал за демократию. Гонконг теперь имеет отдельное законодательство и обширную автономию как административный регион Китая. Он сохранит их до 2047 года. Однако с 1997 года город принадлежит Китаю, находится под его защитой и контролируется его внешней политикой, хотя и имеет особый статус.

Гонконг – не чья-то столица. Однако, судя по всему, с учетом развитой инфраструктуры и экономики, так оно и есть. Его официальный статус – Особый административный район Китая.

«Столица КНР – Пекин, а не Гонконг, как некоторые думают».

Как переводится название города

Китайцы говорят на многих диалектах. Иероглифы обычно пишутся одинаково, и их значение одинаково. Они по-разному произносятся. На официальном языке КНР – «путунхуа» – название Гонконга звучит как «сянган». На кантонском языке юэ произносится как хёнкон».

Оба слова переводятся как «ароматный портвейн». Это связано с тем, что на побережье Гонконга торговали различными приправами и ароматическими веществами. Так называлась одна из бухт острова Гонконг. Слова «гонг» и «конг» уже являются английской версией слова «хёнкон». Таким образом, фраза «Гонконг» распространилась по миру милостью британцев.

«В русском языке слова пишутся вместе:« Гонконг »(как и в китайском), а не« Гонконг ». Кто-то пишет отдельно, по аналогии с английским« Гонконг »- это неправильно».

Позиция

Гонконг, омываемый Южно-Китайским морем на юге, севере и западе, расположен на полуострове Коулун и 262 других островах в юго-восточной части Китая. Включает: полуостров Коулун, остров Гонконг, Новые территории. Самыми крупными считаются острова Гонконг, Лантау и Ламма.

Если вы посмотрите на карту, Гонконг выглядит точкой по сравнению с Китаем, как один из его городов, например, Шэньчжэнь, с которым он граничит. Площадь Гонконга составляет 1104 км². На карте показано, что этот приподнятый полуостров с множеством островов состоит из 18 отдельных округов

Климат

Температура воздуха в зависимости от сезона:

«Самое комфортное время для туристической поездки в Гонконг – осень»

Правительство и политика

Законодательный совет Гонконга избирается сроком на 4 года. Законы принимаются большинством голосов. Местное право отличается от китайского. Государством управляет исполнительный совет.

В 18 районах есть свои местные администрации. Государственные служащие избираются голосованием или утверждаются премьер-министром.

Глава Гонконга является премьер-министром администрации. Он приходит к власти через выборы в избирательную комиссию. На 2019 год это Керри Лам, первая женщина-лидер Гонконга.

В состав упомянутого комитета входит более тысячи человек, в том числе 70 представителей Законодательного совета. Половина из них избирается гражданами. Остальные члены комитета – представители бизнес-элиты. Обычно выбираются те кандидаты, которых спонсирует Пекин. У демократов мало шансов на выборах.

«Вместо Конституции это Основной закон. Присвоить Гонконгу независимую инфраструктуру, исключая внешнюю политику и защиту китайской армии»

Численность населения

Население Гонконга составляет около 7 миллионов человек. Большинство людей живут в Коулуне и на острове Гонконг. Многие переезжают в Шэньчжэнь: там свободнее и цены ниже. Перенаселение региона вызвано не высокой рождаемостью, а притоком большого числа мигрантов из материкового Китая.

Этнические китайцы здесь составляют 95%, а остальные жители – вьетнамцы, индонезийцы, индийцы, пакистанцы и филиппинцы.

Из-за плотности населения, сконцентрированного на небольшой территории, весь город покрыт зданиями и дорогами, которые проходят там, где это возможно, и даже подвешены к земле. Количество небоскребов здесь около 8000, что намного больше, чем в Нью-Йорке. В этих зданиях находятся квартиры, офисы, школы, больницы и многие другие учреждения. Город построен по правилам фен-шуй.

Географическое положение Гонконга имеет очень заметную поверхность – с горами и холмами. По этой причине заселена только четверть территории, что еще больше увеличивает плотность дорог. Остальные пространства – это парки, заповедники, песчаные пляжи и другие зоны отдыха.

Транспорт

Общественный транспорт Гонконга сделал большой шаг вперед. Эта инфраструктура очень хорошо развита:

Оплатить проезд можно наличными или транспортной картой. Касса обычно находится рядом с водителем. Запрошенная сумма должна быть внесена немедленно, так как обмен не предусмотрен.

Стоимость проезда сложно запомнить, поскольку она зависит от ряда факторов, таких как тип транспорта, перевозчик, которому он принадлежит, расстояние поездки и характер маршрута. Карту и стоимость проезда можно посмотреть на любой остановке или станции.

«Лучше всего расплачиваться картой Octopus Card. Карта дает скидки, а также может использоваться для оплаты в некоторых магазинах и кафе»

Культура

Гонконг – очень ухоженный и чистый город. Это радует приезжих иностранцев. Мужское население здесь – одно из самых курильщиков, но плевать или выкидывать мусор на улице категорически запрещено, за это могут оштрафовать. Знаки четко обозначены на дорогах и на дорогах. Правила строго соблюдаются.

Гонконгцы исповедуют разные религии: буддизм, конфуцианство, даосизм. Страна скорее принадлежит китайской цивилизации, но и западная культура здесь прочно укоренилась. После колонизации Гонконг сохранил некоторые свои британские черты.

Английский является вторым официальным языком здесь, на нем говорят около 30% населения. Часто встречаются надписи на английском: названия улиц, указатели и т.д. Также здесь есть множество заведений общественного питания с кухнями разных стран.

Различные места вокруг поражают своей красотой и неповторимостью. Древние здания колониального периода резко контрастируют с огромными небоскребами и технологическими инновациями с любовью к природе. Внешний вид города везде разный.

«Создается визуальный коллаж исторических улиц с китайской и европейской архитектурой, промышленными зданиями с нотками футуризма и зелеными оазисами-садами»

Достопримечательности

Туристам рекомендуется посетить:

Образование

Система образования Гонконга унаследована от Соединенного Королевства.

Старейшее высшее учебное заведение – Гонконгский университет (основан в 1911 году). Он занимает лидирующие позиции в Азии и занимает 21-е место в мире. Здесь учатся студенты из десятков стран мира. Деятельность образовательных учреждений курирует Департамент образования.

Обучение во всех учебных заведениях Гонконга ведется на английском языке. Преподаются десятки предметов, направленных на всестороннее развитие. Студенты колледжа получают реальный опыт работы по специальностям. Большие перспективы имеют обучение, стажировка и последующий перевод на разные должности. Здесь очень хорошо зарабатывают люди с дипломом.

Процесс отбора кандидатов сложен. При успешном обучении иностранный студент может получить годовую визу для трудоустройства в этот период. Более 97% выпускников Гонконга успешно трудоустроены.

«Стоимость обучения в университетах Гонконга довольно высока: около 5-7 тысяч долларов США за семестр»

Столица

Гонконг – это своего рода небольшое государство в составе Китая. Его также можно назвать городом. Еще можно сказать, что это страна размером с город. Официальной столицы у нее нет и, собственно, все. Так что нет однозначного ответа на вопрос «Гонконг – это город или страна?» – оба верны.

Столицей Гонконга иногда называют Викторию. Фактически, это только территория периода колонизации, где находилось британское правительство. В настоящее время административным центром города является остров, также называемый Гонконг, входящий в состав полуострова Коулун.

Большинство административных зданий сосредоточено на этом острове Гонконг. Здесь есть два основных банка. Это одновременно исторический район, центр торговых центров и развлекательных заведений. Поэтому его можно было назвать неофициальной столицей Гонконга.

Остров и материк разделены проливом: гавань Виктория. Под ним 3 тоннеля. Паромы перевозят людей по воде.

«Самый большой паромный терминал в городе в комплексе China Hong Kong City»

Флаг и герб

Гонконг утвердил свой флаг в феврале 1990 года. Он был официально поднят семь лет спустя, в июле 1997 года. В то же время был принят герб. До сих пор основными символами автономного государства являются:

Красный цвет и звезды символизируют коммунистический Китай. Белый означает, что у города-государства есть собственная политическая и экономическая система, отличная от КНР. Цветок – образ гармонии.

Валюта

Наблюдает за выпуском денег Управлением денежно-кредитного регулирования Гонконга. Обменные пункты можно найти везде: в отелях, коммерческих зданиях, аэропортах и ​​даже в банкоматах. Поэтому сделать перевод можно в любой иностранной валюте. Банки в Гонконге открыты с понедельника по пятницу с 9:00 до 16:00 или 17:00, по субботам с 9:00 до 13:00. Воскресенье выходной день. «Магазины, кафе, отели принимают пластиковые кредитные карты Master Card, Visa Diners Club, American Express».

Заключение

Небольшой штат Гонконг входит в десятку лучших финансовых центров мира. Из всех азиатских стран здесь самый высокий уровень жизни. И это при том, что природных богатств здесь практически нет. Все благодаря эффективному законодательству, продуманной политике, быстро развивающейся инфраструктуре и выгодному географическому положению, которое способствует обширной международной торговле. Низкие налоги, легкие сделки, эффективные социальные программы, качественное образование.

Карта Гонконг на на русском языке с достопримечательностями

Тайвань это Китай или нет? К какой стране принадлежит остров

Численность населения Китая на 2021 год

Город Санья на карте Китая на русском языке

Население Китая в 2021: что показала перепись численности населения

Источник

Hong Kong
Special administrative region
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Chinese: 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區 Cantonese Yale romanisation: Jūng’wàh Yàhnmàhn Guhng’wòhgwok Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui
Flag Emblem
Location of Hong Kong within China
Sovereign state	China
British possession	26 January 1841
Treaty of Nanking	29 August 1842
Convention of Peking	24 October 1860
New Territories lease	9 June 1898
Imperial Japanese occupation	25 December 1941 to 30 August 1945
Sino-British Joint Declaration	19 December 1984
Handover to China	1 July 1997
Administrative centre	Tamar
Largest district by population	Sha Tin
Official languages	Chinese[a] English[b]
Regional language	Cantonese[a]
Official scripts	Traditional Chinese[b] English alphabet
Ethnic groups (2016)	92.0% Chinese 2.5% Filipino 2.1% Indonesian 1.1% Indian 0.8% White 0.3% Nepalese 1.6% Others[6]
Demonym(s)	Hongkonger
Government	Devolved executive-led government within a unitary one-party state[7]
• Chief Executive	John Lee
• Chief Secretary	Eric Chan
• Council President	Andrew Leung
• Chief Justice	Andrew Cheung
Legislature	Legislative Council
National representation
• National People’s Congress	36 deputies
• Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference	203 delegates[8]
Area
• Total	2,754.97[9] km2 (1,063.70 sq mi) (168th)
• Water (%)	59.70% (1644.79 km2; 635.05 sq mi)[9]
• Land	1,110.18 km2 (428.64 sq mi)[9]
Highest elevation (Tai Mo Shan)	957 m (3,140 ft)
Lowest elevation (South China Sea)	0 m (0 ft)
Population
• 2022 estimate	7,333,200[10]
• 2021 census	7,413,070[11]
• Density	6,801[12]/km2 (17,614.5/sq mi) (4th)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$518.743 billion[13] (48th)
• Per capita	$69,987[13] (11th)
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$368.373 billion[13] (43rd)
• Per capita	$49,700[13] (18th)
Gini (2016)	53.9[14] high
HDI (2021)	0.952[15] very high · 4th
Currency	Hong Kong dollar (HK$) (HKD)
Time zone	UTC+08:00 (HKT)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy yyyy年mm月dd日
Mains electricity	220 V–50 Hz
Driving side	left[c]
Calling code	+852
ISO 3166 code	HK CN-HK
Internet TLD	.hk .香港
License plate prefixes	None for local vehicles, 粤Z for cross-boundary vehicles

Hong Kong ( or ; Chinese: 香港, Cantonese: [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] (listen)), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR),^[d] is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta in South China. With 7.5 million residents of various nationalities^[e] in a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Hong Kong is also a major global financial centre and one of the most developed cities in the world.

Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island from Xin’an County at the end of the First Opium War in 1841 then again in 1842.^[18] The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898.^[19][20] British Hong Kong was occupied by Imperial Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II; British administration resumed after the surrender of Japan.^[21] The whole territory was transferred to China in 1997.^[22] As one of China’s two special administrative regions (the other being Macau), Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under the principle of «one country, two systems».^[23][f]

Originally a sparsely populated area of farming and fishing villages,^[18][24] the territory has become one of the world’s most significant financial centres and commercial ports.^[25] It is the world’s tenth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer.^[26][27] Hong Kong has a market economy characterised by a focus on services, low taxation and free trade; its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.^[28] Hong Kong is home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world,^[29] the second-highest number of billionaires of any city in Asia, and the largest concentration of ultra high-net-worth individuals of any city in the world.^[30][31] Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, severe income inequality exists among the population.^[32] Most notably, housing in Hong Kong has been well-documented to experience a chronic persistent shortage; the extremely compact house sizes and the extremely high housing density are the effects of Hong Kong’s housing market being the least affordable and the most expensive housing market in the world.^[33][34][35]

Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and ranks fourth on the UN Human Development Index.^[36] The city has the largest number of skyscrapers of any city in the world, and its residents have some of the highest life expectancies in the world.^[36] The dense space has led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport rates exceeding 90%.^[38] Hong Kong is ranked 3rd in the Global Financial Centres Index.^[39]

Etymology

Hong Kong
«Hong Kong» in Chinese characters
Chinese	香港
Cantonese Yale	Hēunggóng or Hèunggóng
Literal meaning	«Fragrant Harbour»[40][41]
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shianggaang Wade–Giles Hsiang1-kang3 Yale Romanization Syānggǎng IPA [ɕjáŋ.kàŋ] Wu Romanization shian平kaon上 Hakka Romanization Hiong1gong3 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēunggóng or Hèunggóng Jyutping Hoeng1gong2 Canton Romanization Hêng1gong2 IPA [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] or [hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hiong-kang
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Traditional Chinese	香港特別行政區 (香港特區)
Simplified Chinese	香港特别行政区 (香港特区)
Cantonese Yale	Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hēunggóng Dahkkēui) or Hèunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hèunggóng Dahkkēui)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū (Xiānggǎng Tèqū) Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ ㄊㄜˋ   ㄅㄧㄝˊ ㄒㄧㄥˊ   ㄓㄥˋ   ㄑㄩ (ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ   ㄊㄜˋ   ㄑㄩ) Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shianggaang Tehbye Shyngjenqchiu (Shianggaang Tehchiu) Wade–Giles Hsiang1-kang3 Tʻê4-⁠pieh2 Hsing2-⁠chêng4-⁠chʻü1 (Hsiang1-kang3 Tʻê4-chʻü1) Yale Romanization Syāngggǎng Tèbyé Syíngjèngchyū (Syānggǎng Tèchyū) IPA [ɕjáŋ.kàŋ tʰɤ̂.pjě ɕǐŋ.ʈʂə̂ŋ.tɕʰý] ([ɕjáŋ.kàŋ tʰɤ̂.tɕʰú]) Wu Romanization shian平kaon上 deh入⁠bih入 ghan平⁠tsen去⁠chiu平 (shian平kaon上 deh入chiu平) Hakka Romanization Hiong1gong3 Tet6⁠piet6 Hang2⁠zin4⁠ki1 (Hiong1gong3 Tet6ki1) Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hēunggóng Dahkkēui) or Hèunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hèunggóng Dahkkēui) Jyutping Hoeng1gong2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3keoi1 (Hoeng1gong2 Dak6keoi1) Canton Romanization Hêng1gong2 Deg6⁠bid6 Heng4⁠jing3⁠kêu1 (Hêng1gong2 Deg6kêu1) IPA [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.pìːt̚ hɐ̏ŋ.tsēŋ.kʰɵ́y] ([hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.kʰɵ́y]) or [hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.pìːt̚ hɐ̏ŋ.tsēŋ.kʰɵ́y] ([hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.kʰɵ́y]) Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hiong-kang Te̍k-⁠pia̍t Hêng-⁠chèng-⁠khu (Hiong-kang Te̍k-khu)

The name of the territory, first romanised as «He-Ong-Kong» in 1780,^[42] originally referred to a small inlet located between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.^[43] Although the source of the romanised name is unknown, it is generally believed to be an early phonetic rendering of the Cantonese (or Tanka Cantonese) phrase hēung góng. The name translates as «fragrant harbour» or «incense harbour».^[40][41][44] «Fragrant» may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour’s freshwater influx from the Pearl River or to the odour from incense factories lining the coast of northern Kowloon. The incense was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before Victoria Harbour was developed.^[44] Sir John Davis (the second colonial governor) offered an alternative origin; Davis said that the name derived from «Hoong-keang» («red torrent»), reflecting the colour of soil over which a waterfall on the island flowed.^[45]

The simplified name Hong Kong was frequently used by 1810.^[46] The name was also commonly written as the single word Hongkong until 1926, when the government officially adopted the two-word name.^[47] Some corporations founded during the early colonial era still keep this name, including Hongkong Land, Hongkong Electric Company, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).^[48][49]

History

Prehistory and Imperial China

Earliest known human traces in what is now Hong Kong are dated by some to 35,000 and 39,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period. The claim is based on an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung, Sai Kung in 2003. The archaeological works revealed knapped stone tools from deposits that were dated using optical luminescence dating.^[50]

During the Middle Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, the region had been widely occupied by humans.^[51] Neolithic to Bronze Age Hong Kong settlers were semi-coastal people. Early inhabitants are believed to be Austronesians in the Middle Neolithic period and later the Yueh people.^[51] As hinted by the archaeological works in Sha Ha, Sai Kung, rice cultivation had been introduced since Late Neolithic period.^[52] Bronze Age Hong Kong featured coarse pottery, hard pottery, quartz and stone jewelry, as well as small bronze implements.^[51]

The Qin dynasty incorporated the Hong Kong area into China for the first time in 214 BCE, after conquering the indigenous Baiyue.^[53] The region was consolidated under the Nanyue kingdom (a predecessor state of Vietnam) after the Qin collapse^[54] and recaptured by China after the Han conquest.^[55] During the Mongol conquest of China in the 13th century, the Southern Song court was briefly located in modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before its final defeat in the 1279 Battle of Yamen.^[56] By the end of the Yuan dynasty, seven large families had settled in the region and owned most of the land. Settlers from nearby provinces migrated to Kowloon throughout the Ming dynasty.^[57]

The earliest European visitor was Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares, who arrived in 1513.^[58][59] Portuguese merchants established a trading post called Tamão in Hong Kong waters and began regular trade with southern China. Although the traders were expelled after military clashes in the 1520s,^[60] Portuguese-Chinese trade relations were re-established by 1549. Portugal acquired a permanent lease for Macau in 1557.^[61]

After the Qing conquest, maritime trade was banned under the Haijin policies. From 1661 to 1683, the population of most of the area forming present day Hong Kong was cleared under the Great Clearance, turning the region into a wasteland.^[62] The Kangxi Emperor lifted the maritime trade prohibition, allowing foreigners to enter Chinese ports in 1684.^[63] Qing authorities established the Canton System in 1757 to regulate trade more strictly, restricting non-Russian ships to the port of Canton.^[64] Although European demand for Chinese commodities like tea, silk, and porcelain was high, Chinese interest in European manufactured goods was insignificant, so that Chinese goods could only be bought with precious metals. To reduce the trade imbalance, the British sold large amounts of Indian opium to China. Faced with a drug crisis, Qing officials pursued ever more aggressive actions to halt the opium trade.^[65]

British colony

In 1839, the Daoguang Emperor rejected proposals to legalise and tax opium and ordered imperial commissioner Lin Zexu to eradicate the opium trade. The commissioner destroyed opium stockpiles and halted all foreign trade,^[66] triggering a British military response and the First Opium War. The Qing surrendered early in the war and ceded Hong Kong Island in the Convention of Chuenpi. British forces began controlling Hong Kong shortly after the signing of the convention, from 26 January 1841.^[67] However, both countries were dissatisfied and did not ratify the agreement.^[68] After more than a year of further hostilities, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded to the United Kingdom in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking.^[69]

Administrative infrastructure was quickly built by early 1842, but piracy, disease, and hostile Qing policies initially prevented the government from attracting commerce. Conditions on the island improved during the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s, when many Chinese refugees, including wealthy merchants, fled mainland turbulence and settled in the colony.^[18] Further tensions between the British and Qing over the opium trade escalated into the Second Opium War. The Qing were again defeated and forced to give up Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island in the Convention of Peking.^[19] By the end of this war, Hong Kong had evolved from a transient colonial outpost into a major entrepôt. Rapid economic improvement during the 1850s attracted foreign investment, as potential stakeholders became more confident in Hong Kong’s future.^[70]

The colony was further expanded in 1898 when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories.^[20] The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory’s first institution of higher education.^[71] Kai Tak Airport began operation in 1924, and the colony avoided a prolonged economic downturn after the 1925–26 Canton–Hong Kong strike.^[72][73] At the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared Hong Kong a neutral zone to safeguard its status as a free port.^[74] The colonial government prepared for a possible attack, evacuating all British women and children in 1940.^[75] The Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong on 8 December 1941, the same morning as its attack on Pearl Harbor.^[76] Hong Kong was occupied by Japan for almost four years before Britain resumed control on 30 August 1945.^[77]

Its population rebounded quickly after the war, as skilled Chinese migrants fled from the Chinese Civil War and more refugees crossed the border when the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China in 1949.^[78] Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies to industrialise during the 1950s.^[79] With a rapidly increasing population, the colonial government attempted reforms to improve infrastructure and public services. The public-housing estate programme, Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Mass Transit Railway were all established during the post-war decades to provide safer housing, integrity in the civil service, and more reliable transportation.^[80][81]

Nevertheless, widespread public discontent resulted in multiple protests from the 1950s to 1980s, including pro-Republic of China and pro-Chinese Communist Party protests. In the 1967 Hong Kong riots, pro-PRC protestors clashed with the British colonial government. As many as 51 were killed and 802 were injured in the violence, including dozens killed by the Royal Hong Kong Police via beatings and shootings.^[82]

Although the territory’s competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined because of rising labour and property costs, it transitioned to a service-based economy. By the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre and shipping hub.^[83]

Chinese special administrative region

The colony faced an uncertain future as the end of the New Territories lease approached, and Governor Murray MacLehose raised the question of Hong Kong’s status with Deng Xiaoping in 1979.^[84] Diplomatic negotiations with China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, in which the United Kingdom agreed to transfer the colony in 1997 and China would guarantee Hong Kong’s economic and political systems for 50 years after the transfer.^[85] The impending transfer triggered a wave of mass emigration as residents feared an erosion of civil rights, the rule of law, and quality of life.^[86] Over half a million people left the territory during the peak migration period, from 1987 to 1996.^[87] The Legislative Council became a fully elected legislature for the first time in 1995 and extensively expanded its functions and organisations throughout the last years of the colonial rule.^[88] Hong Kong was transferred to China on 1 July 1997, after 156 years of British rule.^[22]

Immediately after the transfer, Hong Kong was severely affected by several crises. The Hong Kong government was forced to use substantial foreign exchange reserves to maintain the Hong Kong dollar’s currency peg during the 1997 Asian financial crisis,^[78] and the recovery from this was muted by an H5N1 avian-flu outbreak^[89] and a housing surplus.^[90] This was followed by the 2003 SARS epidemic, during which the territory experienced its most serious economic downturn.^[91]

Political debates after the transfer of sovereignty have centred around the region’s democratic development and the Chinese central government’s adherence to the «one country, two systems» principle. After reversal of the last colonial era Legislative Council democratic reforms following the handover,^[92] the regional government unsuccessfully attempted to enact national security legislation pursuant to Article 23 of the Basic Law.^[93] The central government decision to implement nominee pre-screening before allowing chief executive elections triggered a series of protests in 2014 which became known as the Umbrella Revolution.^[94] Discrepancies in the electoral registry and disqualification of elected legislators after the 2016 Legislative Council elections^[95][96][97] and enforcement of national law in the West Kowloon high-speed railway station raised further concerns about the region’s autonomy.^[98] In June 2019, mass protests erupted in response to a proposed extradition amendment bill permitting the extradition of fugitives to mainland China. The protests are the largest in Hong Kong’s history,^[99] with organisers claiming to have attracted more than three million Hong Kong residents.

The Hong Kong regional government and Chinese central government responded to the protests with a number of administrative measures to quell dissent. In June 2020, the Legislative Council passed the National Anthem Ordinance, which criminalised «insults to the national anthem of China».^[100] The Chinese central government meanwhile enacted the Hong Kong national security law to help quell protests in the region.^[101] Nine months later, in March 2021, the Chinese central government introduced amendments to Hong Kong’s electoral system, which included the reduction of directly elected seats in the Legislative Council and the requirement that all candidates be vetted and approved by a Beijing-appointed Candidate Eligibility Review Committee.^[102]

Government and politics

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government.^[103] The Sino-British Joint Declaration provided for economic and administrative continuity through the transfer of sovereignty,^[85] resulting in an executive-led governing system largely inherited from the territory’s history as a British colony.^[104] Under these terms and the «one country, two systems» principle, the Basic Law of Hong Kong is the regional constitution.^[105] The regional government is composed of three branches:

• Executive: The Chief Executive is responsible for enforcing regional law,^[104] can force reconsideration of legislation,^[106] and appoints Executive Council members and principal officials.^[107] Acting with the Executive Council, the Chief Executive-in-Council can propose new bills, issue subordinate legislation, and has authority to dissolve the legislature.^[108] In states of emergency or public danger, the Chief Executive-in-Council is further empowered to enact any regulation necessary to restore public order.^[109]
• Legislature: The unicameral Legislative Council enacts regional law, approves budgets, and has the power to impeach a sitting chief executive.^[110]
• Judiciary: The Court of Final Appeal and lower courts interpret laws and overturn those inconsistent with the Basic Law.^[111] Judges are appointed by the chief executive on the advice of a recommendation commission.^[112]

The chief executive is the head of government and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms. The State Council (led by the Premier of China) appoints the chief executive after nomination by the Election Committee, which is composed of 1,200 business, community, and government leaders.^{[113][114][115]}

The Legislative Council has 90 members, each serving a four-year term. Twenty are directly elected from geographical constituencies, thirty-five represent functional constituencies (FC), and forty are chosen by an election committee consisting of representatives appointed by the Chinese central government.^[116] Thirty FC councillors are selected from limited electorates representing sectors of the economy or special interest groups,^[117] and the remaining five members are nominated from sitting district council members and selected in region-wide double direct elections.^[118] All popularly elected members are chosen by proportional representation. The 30 limited electorate functional constituencies fill their seats using first-past-the-post or instant-runoff voting.^[117]

Twenty-two political parties had representatives elected to the Legislative Council in the 2016 election.^[119] These parties have aligned themselves into three ideological groups: the pro-Beijing camp (the current government), the pro-democracy camp, and localist groups.^[120] The Chinese Communist Party does not have an official political presence in Hong Kong, and its members do not run in local elections.^[121] Hong Kong is represented in the National People’s Congress by 36 deputies chosen through an electoral college and 203 delegates in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference appointed by the central government.^[8]

Chinese national law does not generally apply in the region, and Hong Kong is treated as a separate jurisdiction.^[111] Its judicial system is based on common law, continuing the legal tradition established during British rule.^[122] Local courts may refer to precedents set in English law and overseas jurisprudence.^[123] However, mainland criminal procedure law applies to cases investigated by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR.^[124] Interpretative and amending power over the Basic Law and jurisdiction over acts of state lie with the central authority, making regional courts ultimately subordinate to the mainland’s socialist civil law system.^[125] Decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress override any territorial judicial process.^[126] Furthermore, in circumstances where the Standing Committee declares a state of emergency in Hong Kong, the State Council may enforce national law in the region.^[127]

The territory’s jurisdictional independence is most apparent in its immigration and taxation policies. The Immigration Department issues passports for permanent residents which differ from those of the mainland or Macau,^[128] and the region maintains a regulated border with the rest of the country. All travellers between Hong Kong and China and Macau must pass through border controls, regardless of nationality.^[129] Mainland Chinese citizens do not have right of abode in Hong Kong and are subject to immigration controls.^[130] Public finances are handled separately from the national government; taxes levied in Hong Kong do not fund the central authority.^[131][132]

The Hong Kong Garrison of the People’s Liberation Army is responsible for the region’s defence.^[133] Although the Chairman of the Central Military Commission is supreme commander of the armed forces,^[134] the regional government may request assistance from the garrison.^[135] Hong Kong residents are not required to perform military service, and current law has no provision for local enlistment, so its defence is composed entirely of non-Hongkongers.^[136]

The central government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle diplomatic matters, but Hong Kong retains the ability to maintain separate economic and cultural relations with foreign nations.^[137] The territory actively participates in the World Trade Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the International Olympic Committee, and many United Nations agencies.^{[138][139][140]} The regional government maintains trade offices in Greater China and other nations.^[141]

The imposition of Hong Kong national security law by the central government in Beijing in June 2020 resulted in the suspension of bilateral extradition treaties by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, and Ireland.^[142] The United States ended its preferential economic and trade treatment of Hong Kong in July 2020 because it was no longer able to distinguish Hong Kong as a separate entity from the People’s Republic of China.^[142][143]

Administrative divisions

The territory is divided into 18 districts, each represented by a district council. These advise the government on local issues such as public facility provisioning, community programme maintenance, cultural promotion, and environmental policy. There are a total of 479 district council seats, 452 of which are directly elected.^[144] Rural committee chairmen, representing outlying villages and towns, fill the 27 non-elected seats.^[145]

Political reforms and sociopolitical issues

Hong Kong is governed by a hybrid regime that is not fully representative of the population. Legislative Council members elected by functional constituencies composed of professional and special interest groups are accountable to these narrow corporate electorates and not the general public. This electoral arrangement has guaranteed a pro-establishment majority in the legislature since the transfer of sovereignty. Similarly, the chief executive is selected by establishment politicians and corporate members of the Election Committee rather than directly elected.^[146] Although universal suffrage for the chief executive and all Legislative Council elections are defined goals of Basic Law Articles 45 and 68,^[147] the legislature is only partially directly elected, and the executive continues to be nominated by an unrepresentative body.^[146] The government has been repeatedly petitioned to introduce direct elections for these positions.^[148][149]

Ethnic minorities (except those of European ancestry) have marginal representation in government and often experience discrimination in housing, education, and employment.^[150][151] Employment vacancies and public service appointments frequently have language requirements which minority job seekers do not meet, and language education resources remain inadequate for Chinese learners.^[152][153] Foreign domestic helpers, predominantly women from the Philippines and Indonesia, have little protection under regional law. Although they live and work in Hong Kong, these workers are not treated as ordinary residents and do not have the right of abode in the territory.^[154] Sex trafficking in Hong Kong is an issue. Local and foreign women and girls are often forced into prostitution in brothels, homes, and businesses in the city.^{[155][156][157][158]}

The Joint Declaration guarantees the Basic Law of Hong Kong for 50 years after the transfer of sovereignty.^[85] It does not specify how Hong Kong will be governed after 2047, and the central government’s role in determining the territory’s future system of government is the subject of political debate and speculation. Hong Kong’s political and judicial systems may be integrated with China’s at that time, or the territory may continue to be administered separately.^[159][160] However, in response to large-scale protests in 2019 and 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the controversial Hong Kong national security law.^[161] The law criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign elements and establishes the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR, an investigative office under Central People’s Government authority immune from HKSAR jurisdiction. Some of the aforementioned acts were previously considered protected speech under Hong Kong law.^[124][162] The United Kingdom considers the law to be a serious violation of the Joint Declaration.^[163] In October 2020, Hong Kong police arrested seven pro-democracy politicians over tussles with pro-Beijing politicians in the Legislative Council in May. They were charged with contempt and interfering with members of the council, while none of the pro-Beijing lawmakers were detained.^[164] Annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre were also cancelled amidst fears of violating the national security law.^[165] In March 2021, the Chinese central government unilaterally changed Hong Kong’s electoral system and established the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, which would be tasked with screening and evaluating political candidates for their «patriotism».^[102]

Geography

Hong Kong is on China’s southern coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau, on the east side of the mouth of the Pearl River estuary. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides except the north, which neighbours the Guangdong city of Shenzhen along the Sham Chun River. The territory’s 1,110.18 km² (428.64 sq mi)^[166] area (2754.97 km^2[166] if the maritime area is included) consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, Lantau Island, and over 200 other islands. Of the total area, 1,073 km² (414 sq mi) is land and 35 km² (14 sq mi) is water.^[36] The territory’s highest point is Tai Mo Shan, 957 metres (3,140 ft) above sea level.^[167] Urban development is concentrated on the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong Island, and in new towns throughout the New Territories.^[168] Much of this is built on reclaimed land; 70 km² (27 sq mi) (6% of the total land or about 25% of developed space in the territory) is reclaimed from the sea.^[169]

Undeveloped terrain is hilly to mountainous, with very little flat land, and consists mostly of grassland, woodland, shrubland, or farmland.^[170][171] About 40% of the remaining land area is country parks and nature reserves.^[172] The territory has a diverse ecosystem; over 3,000 species of vascular plants occur in the region (300 of which are native to Hong Kong), and thousands of insect, avian, and marine species.^[173][174]

Climate

Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), characteristic of southern China, despite being located south of the Tropic of Cancer. Summers are long, hot and humid, with occasional showers and thunderstorms and warm air from the southwest. Typhoons occur most often then, sometimes resulting in floods or landslides. Winters are short, mild and usually sunny at the beginning, becoming cloudy towards February. Frequent cold fronts bring strong, cooling winds from the north and occasionally result in chilly weather. Autumn is the sunniest season, whilst spring is generally cloudy.^[175] When there is snowfall, which is extremely rare, it is usually at high elevations. Hong Kong averages 1,709 hours of sunshine per year.^[176] Historic temperature extremes at the Hong Kong Observatory are 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) on 22 August 2017 and 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) on 18 January 1893.^[177] The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in all of Hong Kong are 39.0 °C (102 °F) at Wetland Park on 22 August 2017,^[178] and −6.0 °C (21.2 °F) at Tai Mo Shan on 24 January 2016.^[179] However, due to the humid nature of Hong Kong, the numbers don’t reflect the actual feelings of being outside in the X degree weather that is actually reported. 35C in Hong Kong feels way hotter than 35C in someplace dry like the United States.

Architecture

Hong Kong has the world’s largest number of skyscrapers, with 482 towers taller than 150 metres (490 ft), and the third-largest number of high-rise buildings in the world.^[183] The lack of available space restricted development to high-density residential tenements and commercial complexes packed closely together on buildable land.^[184] Single-family detached homes are uncommon and generally only found in outlying areas.^[185] The International Commerce Centre and Two International Finance Centre are the tallest buildings in Hong Kong and are among the tallest in the Asia-Pacific region.^[186] Other distinctive buildings lining the Hong Kong Island skyline include the HSBC Main Building, the anemometer-topped triangular Central Plaza, the circular Hopewell Centre, and the sharp-edged Bank of China Tower.^[187][188]

Demand for new construction has contributed to frequent demolition of older buildings, freeing space for modern high-rises.^[189] However, many examples of European and Lingnan architecture are still found throughout the territory. Older government buildings are examples of colonial architecture. The 1846 Flagstaff House, the former residence of the commanding British military officer, is the oldest Western-style building in Hong Kong.^[190] Some (including the Court of Final Appeal Building and the Hong Kong Observatory) retain their original function, and others have been adapted and reused; the Former Marine Police Headquarters was redeveloped into a commercial and retail complex,^[191] and Béthanie (built in 1875 as a sanatorium) houses the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.^[192] The Tin Hau Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu (originally built in 1012 and rebuilt in 1266), is the territory’s oldest existing structure.^[193] The Ping Shan Heritage Trail has architectural examples of several imperial Chinese dynasties, including the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda (Hong Kong’s only remaining pagoda).^[194]

Tong lau, mixed-use tenement buildings constructed during the colonial era, blended southern Chinese architectural styles with European influences. These were especially prolific during the immediate post-war period, when many were rapidly built to house large numbers of Chinese migrants.^[195] Examples include Lui Seng Chun, the Blue House in Wan Chai, and the Shanghai Street shophouses in Mong Kok. Mass-produced public-housing estates, built since the 1960s, are mainly constructed in modernist style.^[196]

Demographics

The Census and Statistics Department estimated Hong Kong’s population at 7,482,500 in mid-2019. The overwhelming majority (92%) is Han Chinese,^[6] most of whom are Taishanese, Teochew, Hakka, and other Cantonese peoples.^{[197][198][199]} The remaining 8% are non-ethnic Chinese minorities, primarily Filipinos, Indonesians, and South Asians.^[6][200] However, most Filipinos and Indonesians in Hong Kong are short-term workers. According to a 2016 thematic report by the Hong Kong government, after excluding foreign domestic helpers, the real number of non-Chinese ethnic minorities in the city was 263,593, or 3.6% of Hong Kong’s population.^[201] About half the population have some form of British nationality, a legacy of colonial rule; 3.4 million residents have British National (Overseas) status, and 260,000 British citizens live in the territory.^[202] The vast majority also hold Chinese nationality, automatically granted to all ethnic Chinese residents at the transfer of sovereignty.^[203] Headline population density exceeds 7,060 people/km², and is the fourth-highest in the world.^[204]

The predominant language is Cantonese, a variety of Chinese originating in Guangdong. It is spoken by 94.6% of the population, 88.9% as a first language and 5.7% as a second language.^[3] Slightly over half the population (53.2%) speaks English, the other official language;^[2] 4.3% are native speakers, and 48.9% speak English as a second language.^[3] Code-switching, mixing English and Cantonese in informal conversation, is common among the bilingual population.^[205] Post-handover governments have promoted Mandarin, which is currently about as prevalent as English; 48.6% of the population speak Mandarin, with 1.9% native speakers and 46.7% as a second language.^[3] Traditional Chinese characters are used in writing, rather than the simplified characters used in the mainland.^[206]

Among the religious population, the traditional «three teachings» of China, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, have the most adherents (20%), followed by Christianity (12%) and Islam (4%).^[207] Followers of other religions, including Sikhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, generally originate from regions where their religion predominates.^[207]

Life expectancy in Hong Kong was 82.38 years for males and 88.17 years for females in 2022, the highest in the world.^[208] Cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and accidents are the territory’s five leading causes of death.^[209] The universal public healthcare system is funded by general-tax revenue, and treatment is highly subsidised; on average, 95% of healthcare costs are covered by the government.^[210]

Income inequality has risen since the transfer of sovereignty, as the region’s ageing population has gradually added to the number of nonworking people.^[211] Although median household income steadily increased during the decade to 2016, the wage gap remained high;^[212] the 90th percentile of earners receive 41% of all income.^[212] The city has the most billionaires per capita, with one billionaire per 109,657 people.^[213] Despite government efforts to reduce the growing disparity,^[214] median income for the top 10% of earners is 44 times that of the bottom 10%.^[215][216]

Economy

Hong Kong has a market economy focused on services, characterised by low taxation, minimal government market intervention, and an established international financial market.^[217] It is the world’s 35th-largest economy, with a nominal GDP of approximately US$373 billion.^[13] Hong Kong’s economy ranked at the top of the Heritage Foundation’s economic freedom index between 1995 and 2021.^[218][219] However, Hong Kong was removed from the index by the Heritage Foundation in 2021, with the Foundation citing a «loss of political freedom and autonomy … [making Hong Kong] almost indistinguishable in many respects from other major Chinese commercial centers like Shanghai and Beijing».^[220] The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the seventh-largest in the world, with a market capitalisation of HK$30.4 trillion (US$3.87 trillion) as of December 2018.^[221] Hong Kong is ranked as the 14th most innovative territory in the Global Innovation Index in 2022.^[222] The city is sometimes referred to as «Silicon Harbor»,^[223] a nickname derived from Silicon Valley in California. Hong Kong hosts several high tech and innovation companies,^[224] including several multinational companies.^[225][226]

Hong Kong is the tenth-largest trading entity in exports and imports (2017), trading more goods in value than its gross domestic product.^[26][27] Over half of its cargo throughput consists of transshipments (goods travelling through Hong Kong). Products from mainland China account for about 40% of that traffic.^[227] The city’s location allowed it to establish a transportation and logistics infrastructure which includes the world’s seventh-busiest container port^[228] and the busiest airport for international cargo.^[229] The territory’s largest export markets are mainland China and the United States.^[36] Hong Kong is a key part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.^[230] It has little arable land and few natural resources, importing most of its food and raw materials. More than 90% of Hong Kong’s food is imported, including nearly all of its meat and rice.^[231] Agricultural activity is 0.1% of GDP and consists of growing premium food and flower varieties.^[232]

Although the territory had one of Asia’s largest manufacturing economies during the latter half of the colonial era, Hong Kong’s economy is now dominated by the service sector. The sector generates 92.7% of economic output, with the public sector accounting for about 10%.^[233] Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong’s gross domestic product increased by a factor of 180, and per capita GDP increased by a factor of 87.^[234][235] The territory’s GDP relative to mainland China’s peaked at 27% in 1993; it fell to less than 3% in 2017, as the mainland developed and liberalised its economy.^[236] Economic and infrastructure integration with China has increased significantly since the 1978 start of market liberalisation on the mainland. Since resumption of cross-boundary train service in 1979, many rail and road links have been improved and constructed, facilitating trade between regions.^[237][238] The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement formalised a policy of free trade between the two areas, with each jurisdiction pledging to remove remaining obstacles to trade and cross-boundary investment.^[239] A similar economic partnership with Macau details the liberalisation of trade between the special administrative regions.^[240] Chinese companies have expanded their economic presence in the territory since the transfer of sovereignty. Mainland firms represent over half of the Hang Seng Index value, up from 5% in 1997.^[241][242]

As the mainland liberalised its economy, Hong Kong’s shipping industry faced intense competition from other Chinese ports. Half of China’s trade goods were routed through Hong Kong in 1997, dropping to about 13% by 2015.^[243] The territory’s minimal taxation, common law system, and civil service attract overseas corporations wishing to establish a presence in Asia.^[243] The city has the second-highest number of corporate headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region.^[244] Hong Kong is a gateway for foreign direct investment in China, giving investors open access to mainland Chinese markets through direct links with the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. The territory was the first market outside mainland China for renminbi-denominated bonds, and is one of the largest hubs for offshore renminbi trading.^[245] In November 2020, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau proposed a new law that will restrict cryptocurrency trading to professional investors only, leaving amateur traders (93% of Hong Kong’s trading population) out of the market.^[246]

The government has had a passive role in the economy. Colonial governments had little industrial policy and implemented almost no trade controls. Under the doctrine of «positive non-interventionism», post-war administrations deliberately avoided the direct allocation of resources; active intervention was considered detrimental to economic growth.^[247] While the economy transitioned to a service basis during the 1980s,^[247] late colonial governments introduced interventionist policies. Post-handover administrations continued and expanded these programmes, including export-credit guarantees, a compulsory pension scheme, a minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws, and a state mortgage backer.^[248]

Tourism is a major part of the economy, accounting for 5% of GDP.^[191] In 2016, 26.6 million visitors contributed HK$258 billion (US$32.9 billion) to the territory, making Hong Kong the 14th most popular destination for international tourists. It is the most popular Chinese city for tourists, receiving over 70% more visitors than its closest competitor (Macau).^[249] The city is ranked as one of the most expensive cities for expatriates.^[250][251] However, since 2020, there has been a sharp decline in incoming visitors due to tight COVID-19 travel restrictions. Additionally, due to the closure of Russian airspace in 2022, multiple airlines decided to cease their operations in Hong Kong.^[252] In an attempt to attract tourists back to Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government announced plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets in 2023.^[253]

Infrastructure

Transport

Hong Kong has a highly developed, sophisticated transport network. Over 90% of daily trips are made on public transport, the highest percentage in the world.^[38] The Octopus card, a contactless smart payment card, is widely accepted on railways, buses and ferries, and can be used for payment in most retail stores.^[254]

The Peak Tram, Hong Kong’s first public transport system, has provided funicular rail transport between Central and Victoria Peak since 1888.^[255] The Central and Western District has an extensive system of escalators and moving pavements, including the Mid-Levels escalator (the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system).^[256] Hong Kong Tramways covers a portion of Hong Kong Island. The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is an extensive passenger rail network, connecting 93 metro stations throughout the territory.^[257] With a daily ridership of almost five million, the system serves 41% of all public transit passengers in the city^[258] and has an on-time rate of 99.9%.^[259] Cross-boundary train service to Shenzhen is offered by the East Rail line, and longer-distance inter-city trains to Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing are operated from Hung Hom station.^[260] Connecting service to the national high-speed rail system is provided at West Kowloon railway station.^[261]

Although public transport systems handle most passenger traffic, there are over 500,000 private vehicles registered in Hong Kong.^[262] Automobiles drive on the left (unlike in mainland China), because of historical influence of the British Empire.^[263] Vehicle traffic is extremely congested in urban areas, exacerbated by limited space to expand roads and an increasing number of vehicles.^[264] More than 18,000 taxicabs, easily identifiable by their bright colour, are licensed to carry riders in the territory.^[265] Bus services operate more than 700 routes across the territory,^[258] with smaller public light buses (also known as minibuses) serving areas standard buses do not reach as frequently or directly.^[266] Highways, organised with the Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System, connect all major areas of the territory.^[267] The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge provides a direct route to the western side of the Pearl River estuary.^[238]

Hong Kong International Airport is the territory’s primary airport. Over 100 airlines operate flights from the airport, including locally based Cathay Pacific (flag carrier), Hong Kong Airlines, low-cost airline HK Express and cargo airline Air Hong Kong.^[268] It is the eighth-busiest airport by passenger traffic^[269] pre-COVID and handles the most air-cargo traffic in the world.^[270] Most private recreational aviation traffic flies through Shek Kong Airfield, under the supervision of the Hong Kong Aviation Club.^[271]

The Star Ferry operates two lines across Victoria Harbour for its 53,000 daily passengers.^[272] Ferries also serve outlying islands inaccessible by other means. Smaller kai-to boats serve the most remote coastal settlements.^[273] Ferry travel to Macau and mainland China is also available.^[274] Junks, once common in Hong Kong waters, are no longer widely available and are used privately and for tourism.^[275]
The large size of the port gives Hong Kong the classification of Large-Port Metropolis.^[276]

Utilities

Hong Kong generates most of its electricity locally.^[277] The vast majority of this energy comes from fossil fuels, with 46% from coal and 47% from petroleum.^[278] The rest is from other imports, including nuclear energy generated in mainland China.^[279] Renewable sources account for a negligible amount of energy generated for the territory.^[280] Small-scale wind-power sources have been developed,^[277] and a small number of private homes and public buildings have installed solar panels.^[281]

With few natural lakes and rivers, high population density, inaccessible groundwater sources, and extremely seasonal rainfall, the territory does not have a reliable source of freshwater. The Dongjiang River in Guangdong supplies 70% of the city’s water,^[282] and the remaining demand is filled by harvesting rainwater.^[283] Toilets in most built-up areas of the territory flush with seawater, greatly reducing freshwater use.^[282]

Broadband Internet access is widely available, with 92.6% of households connected. Connections over fibre-optic infrastructure are increasingly prevalent,^[284] contributing to the high regional average connection speed of 21.9 Mbit/s (the world’s fourth-fastest).^[285] Mobile-phone use is ubiquitous;^[286] there are more than 18 million mobile-phone accounts,^[287] more than double the territory’s population.

Culture

Hong Kong is characterised as a hybrid of East and West. Traditional Chinese values emphasising family and education blend with Western ideals, including economic liberty and the rule of law.^[288] Although the vast majority of the population is ethnically Chinese, Hong Kong has developed a distinct identity. The territory diverged from the mainland through its long period of colonial administration and a different pace of economic, social, and cultural development. Mainstream culture is derived from immigrants originating from various parts of China. This was influenced by British-style education, a separate political system, and the territory’s rapid development during the late 20th century.^[289][290] Most migrants of that era fled poverty and war, reflected in the prevailing attitude toward wealth; Hongkongers tend to link self-image and decision-making to material benefits.^[291][292] Residents’ sense of local identity has markedly increased post-handover: The majority of the population (52%) identifies as «Hongkongers», while 11% describe themselves as «Chinese». The remaining population purport mixed identities, 23% as «Hongkonger in China» and 12% as «Chinese in Hong Kong».^[293]

Traditional Chinese family values, including family honour, filial piety, and a preference for sons, are prevalent.^[294] Nuclear families are the most common households, although multi-generational and extended families are not unusual.^[295] Spiritual concepts such as feng shui are observed; large-scale construction projects often hire consultants to ensure proper building positioning and layout. The degree of its adherence to feng shui is believed to determine the success of a business.^[187] Bagua mirrors are regularly used to deflect evil spirits,^[296] and buildings often lack floor numbers with a 4;^[297] the number has a similar sound to the word for «die» in Cantonese.^[298]

Cuisine

Food in Hong Kong is primarily based on Cantonese cuisine, despite the territory’s exposure to foreign influences and its residents’ varied origins. Rice is the staple food, and is usually served plain with other dishes.^[299] Freshness of ingredients is emphasised. Poultry and seafood are commonly sold live at wet markets, and ingredients are used as quickly as possible.^[300] There are five daily meals: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and siu yeh.^[301] Dim sum, as part of yum cha (brunch), is a dining-out tradition with family and friends. Dishes include congee, cha siu bao, siu yuk, egg tarts, and mango pudding. Local versions of Western food are served at cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style cafes). Common cha chaan teng menu items include macaroni in soup, deep-fried French toast, and Hong Kong-style milk tea.^[299]

Cinema

Hong Kong developed into a filmmaking hub during the late 1940s as a wave of Shanghai filmmakers migrated to the territory, and these movie veterans helped build the colony’s entertainment industry over the next decade.^[302] By the 1960s, the city was well known to overseas audiences through films such as The World of Suzie Wong.^[303] When Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon was released in 1972, local productions became popular outside Hong Kong. During the 1980s, films such as A Better Tomorrow, As Tears Go By, and Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain expanded global interest beyond martial arts films; locally made gangster films, romantic dramas, and supernatural fantasies became popular.^[304] Hong Kong cinema continued to be internationally successful over the following decade with critically acclaimed dramas such as Farewell My Concubine, To Live, and Chungking Express. The city’s martial arts film roots are evident in the roles of the most prolific Hong Kong actors. Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Chow Yun-fat, and Michelle Yeoh frequently play action-oriented roles in foreign films. Hong Kong films have also grown popular in oversea markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, earning the city the moniker «Hollywood of the East».^[305] At the height of the local movie industry in the early 1990s, over 400 films were produced each year; since then, industry momentum shifted to mainland China. The number of films produced annually has declined to about 60 in 2017.^[306]

Music

Cantopop is a genre of Cantonese popular music which emerged in Hong Kong during the 1970s. Evolving from Shanghai-style shidaiqu, it is also influenced by Cantonese opera and Western pop.^[307] Local media featured songs by artists such as Sam Hui, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, and Alan Tam; during the 1980s, exported films and shows exposed Cantopop to a global audience.^[308] The genre’s popularity peaked in the 1990s, when the Four Heavenly Kings dominated Asian record charts.^[309] Despite a general decline since late in the decade,^[310] Cantopop remains dominant in Hong Kong; contemporary artists such as Eason Chan, Joey Yung, and Twins are popular in and beyond the territory.^[311]

Western classical music has historically had a strong presence in Hong Kong and remains a large part of local musical education.^[312] The publicly funded Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the territory’s oldest professional symphony orchestra, frequently hosts musicians and conductors from overseas. The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, composed of classical Chinese instruments, is the leading Chinese ensemble and plays a significant role in promoting traditional music in the community.^[313]

Hong Kong has never had a separate national anthem to the country that controlled it; its current official national anthem is therefore that of China, March of the Volunteers. The song Glory to Hong Kong has been used by protestors as an unofficial national anthem.^[314][315]

Sport and recreation

Despite its small area, the territory is home to a variety of sports and recreational facilities. The city has hosted numerous major sporting events, including the 2009 East Asian Games, the 2008 Summer Olympics equestrian events, and the 2007 Premier League Asia Trophy.^[316] The territory regularly hosts the Hong Kong Sevens, Hong Kong Marathon, Hong Kong Tennis Classic and Lunar New Year Cup, and hosted the inaugural AFC Asian Cup and the 1995 Dynasty Cup.^[317][318]

Hong Kong represents itself separately from mainland China, with its own sports teams in international competitions.^[316] The territory has participated in almost every Summer Olympics since 1952 and has earned nine medals. Lee Lai-shan won the territory’s first Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics,^[319] and Cheung Ka Long won the second one in Tokyo 2020.^[320] Hong Kong athletes have won 126 medals at the Paralympic Games and 17 at the Commonwealth Games. No longer part of the Commonwealth of Nations, the city’s last appearance in the latter was in 1994.^[321]

Dragon boat races originated as a religious ceremony conducted during the annual Tuen Ng Festival. The race was revived as a modern sport as part of the Tourism Board’s efforts to promote Hong Kong’s image abroad. The first modern competition was organised in 1976, and overseas teams began competing in the first international race in 1993.^[322]

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the territory’s largest taxpayer,^[323] has a monopoly on gambling and provides over 7% of government revenue.^[324] Three forms of gambling are legal in Hong Kong: lotteries, horse racing, and football.^[323]

Education

Education in Hong Kong is largely modelled after that of the United Kingdom, particularly the English system.^[325] Children are required to attend school from age 6 until completion of secondary education, generally at age 18.^[326][327] At the end of secondary schooling, all students take a public examination and awarded the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education on successful completion.^[328] Of residents aged 15 and older, 81% completed lower-secondary education, 66% graduated from an upper secondary school, 32% attended a non-degree tertiary program, and 24% earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.^[329] Mandatory education has contributed to an adult literacy rate of 95.7%.^[330] The literacy rate is lower than that of other developed economies because of the influx of refugees from mainland China during the post-war colonial era; much of the elderly population were not formally educated because of war and poverty.^[331][332]

Comprehensive schools fall under three categories: public schools, which are government-run; subsidised schools, including government aid-and-grant schools; and private schools, often those run by religious organisations and that base admissions on academic merit. These schools are subject to the curriculum guidelines as provided by the Education Bureau. Private schools subsidised under the Direct Subsidy Scheme; international schools fall outside of this system and may elect to use differing curricula and teach using other languages.^[327]

Medium of instruction

At primary and secondary school levels, the government maintains a policy of «mother tongue instruction»; most schools use Cantonese as the medium of instruction, with written education in both Chinese and English. Other languages being used as medium of instruction in non-international school education include English and Putonghua (Standard Mandarin Chinese). Secondary schools emphasise «bi-literacy and tri-lingualism», which has encouraged the proliferation of spoken Mandarin language education.^[333]

English is the official medium of instruction and assessments for most university programmes in Hong Kong, although use of Cantonese is predominant in informal discussions among local students and local professors.^{[citation needed]}

Tertiary education

Hong Kong has eleven universities. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) was founded as the city’s first institute of higher education during the early colonial period in 1911.^[334] The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was established in 1963 to fill the need for a university that taught using Chinese as its primary language of instruction.^[335] Along with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) established in 1991, these universities are consistently ranked among the top 50 or top 100 universities worldwide.^{[336][337][338]} The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)^[339] and City University of Hong Kong (CityU), both granted university status in 1994, are consistently ranked among the top 100 or top 200 universities worldwide. ^{[336][337][338]} The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) was granted university status in 1994 ^[340] and is a liberal arts institution. Lingnan University,^[341] Education University of Hong Kong,^[342] Hong Kong Metropolitan University (formerly Open University of Hong Kong),^[343] Hong Kong Shue Yan University^[344] and Hang Seng University of Hong Kong all attained full university status in subsequent years.

Media

Most of the newsapapers in Hong Kong are written in Chinese but there are also a few English-language newspapers. The major one is the South China Morning Post, with The Standard serving as a business-oriented alternative. A variety of Chinese-language newspapers are published daily; the most prominent are Ming Pao and Oriental Daily News. Local publications are often politically affiliated, with pro-Beijing or pro-democracy sympathies. The central government has a print-media presence in the territory through the state-owned Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po.^[345] Several international publications have regional operations in Hong Kong, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times International Edition, USA Today, Yomiuri Shimbun, and The Nikkei.^[346]

Three free-to-air television broadcasters operate in the territory; TVB, HKTVE, and Hong Kong Open TV air eight digital channels.^[347] TVB, Hong Kong’s dominant television network, has an 80% viewer share.^[348] Pay TV services operated by Cable TV Hong Kong and PCCW offer hundreds of additional channels and cater to a variety of audiences.^[347] RTHK is the public broadcaster, providing seven radio channels and three television channels.^[349] Ten non-domestic broadcasters air programming for the territory’s foreign population.^[347] Access to media and information over the Internet is not subject to mainland Chinese regulations, including the Great Firewall, yet local control applies.^[350]

See also

• Index of articles related to Hong Kong
• Outline of Hong Kong

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

Print

Legislation and case law

Academic publications

Institutional reports

News and magazine articles

Websites

External links

• Hong Kong. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
• Hong Kong from BBC News
• Key Development Forecasts for Hong Kong from International Futures
• Hong Kong in Transition (1995–2020), an open access photographic archive of recent Hong Kong history

Government

• GovHK Hong Kong SAR government portal
• Discover Hong Kong Official site of the tourism board

Trade

• World Bank Summary Trade Statistics Hong Kong

Maps

Coordinates: 22°18′N 114°12′E / 22.3°N 114.2°E

Hong Kong
Special administrative region
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China Chinese: 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區 Cantonese Yale romanisation: Jūng’wàh Yàhnmàhn Guhng’wòhgwok Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui
Flag Emblem
Location of Hong Kong within China
Sovereign state	China
British possession	26 January 1841
Treaty of Nanking	29 August 1842
Convention of Peking	24 October 1860
New Territories lease	9 June 1898
Imperial Japanese occupation	25 December 1941 to 30 August 1945
Sino-British Joint Declaration	19 December 1984
Handover to China	1 July 1997
Administrative centre	Tamar
Largest district by population	Sha Tin
Official languages	Chinese[a] English[b]
Regional language	Cantonese[a]
Official scripts	Traditional Chinese[b] English alphabet
Ethnic groups (2016)	92.0% Chinese 2.5% Filipino 2.1% Indonesian 1.1% Indian 0.8% White 0.3% Nepalese 1.6% Others[6]
Demonym(s)	Hongkonger
Government	Devolved executive-led government within a unitary one-party state[7]
• Chief Executive	John Lee
• Chief Secretary	Eric Chan
• Council President	Andrew Leung
• Chief Justice	Andrew Cheung
Legislature	Legislative Council
National representation
• National People’s Congress	36 deputies
• Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference	203 delegates[8]
Area
• Total	2,754.97[9] km2 (1,063.70 sq mi) (168th)
• Water (%)	59.70% (1644.79 km2; 635.05 sq mi)[9]
• Land	1,110.18 km2 (428.64 sq mi)[9]
Highest elevation (Tai Mo Shan)	957 m (3,140 ft)
Lowest elevation (South China Sea)	0 m (0 ft)
Population
• 2022 estimate	7,333,200[10]
• 2021 census	7,413,070[11]
• Density	6,801[12]/km2 (17,614.5/sq mi) (4th)
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$518.743 billion[13] (48th)
• Per capita	$69,987[13] (11th)
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$368.373 billion[13] (43rd)
• Per capita	$49,700[13] (18th)
Gini (2016)	53.9[14] high
HDI (2021)	0.952[15] very high · 4th
Currency	Hong Kong dollar (HK$) (HKD)
Time zone	UTC+08:00 (HKT)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy yyyy年mm月dd日
Mains electricity	220 V–50 Hz
Driving side	left[c]
Calling code	+852
ISO 3166 code	HK CN-HK
Internet TLD	.hk .香港
License plate prefixes	None for local vehicles, 粤Z for cross-boundary vehicles

Hong Kong ( or ; Chinese: 香港, Cantonese: [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] (listen)), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR),^[d] is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta in South China. With 7.5 million residents of various nationalities^[e] in a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Hong Kong is also a major global financial centre and one of the most developed cities in the world.

Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island from Xin’an County at the end of the First Opium War in 1841 then again in 1842.^[18] The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898.^[19][20] British Hong Kong was occupied by Imperial Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II; British administration resumed after the surrender of Japan.^[21] The whole territory was transferred to China in 1997.^[22] As one of China’s two special administrative regions (the other being Macau), Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under the principle of «one country, two systems».^[23][f]

Originally a sparsely populated area of farming and fishing villages,^[18][24] the territory has become one of the world’s most significant financial centres and commercial ports.^[25] It is the world’s tenth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer.^[26][27] Hong Kong has a market economy characterised by a focus on services, low taxation and free trade; its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.^[28] Hong Kong is home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world,^[29] the second-highest number of billionaires of any city in Asia, and the largest concentration of ultra high-net-worth individuals of any city in the world.^[30][31] Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, severe income inequality exists among the population.^[32] Most notably, housing in Hong Kong has been well-documented to experience a chronic persistent shortage; the extremely compact house sizes and the extremely high housing density are the effects of Hong Kong’s housing market being the least affordable and the most expensive housing market in the world.^[33][34][35]

Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and ranks fourth on the UN Human Development Index.^[36] The city has the largest number of skyscrapers of any city in the world, and its residents have some of the highest life expectancies in the world.^[36] The dense space has led to a highly developed transportation network with public transport rates exceeding 90%.^[38] Hong Kong is ranked 3rd in the Global Financial Centres Index.^[39]

Etymology

Hong Kong
«Hong Kong» in Chinese characters
Chinese	香港
Cantonese Yale	Hēunggóng or Hèunggóng
Literal meaning	«Fragrant Harbour»[40][41]
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shianggaang Wade–Giles Hsiang1-kang3 Yale Romanization Syānggǎng IPA [ɕjáŋ.kàŋ] Wu Romanization shian平kaon上 Hakka Romanization Hiong1gong3 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēunggóng or Hèunggóng Jyutping Hoeng1gong2 Canton Romanization Hêng1gong2 IPA [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] or [hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hiong-kang
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Traditional Chinese	香港特別行政區 (香港特區)
Simplified Chinese	香港特别行政区 (香港特区)
Cantonese Yale	Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hēunggóng Dahkkēui) or Hèunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hèunggóng Dahkkēui)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū (Xiānggǎng Tèqū) Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ ㄊㄜˋ   ㄅㄧㄝˊ ㄒㄧㄥˊ   ㄓㄥˋ   ㄑㄩ (ㄒㄧㄤ   ㄍㄤˇ   ㄊㄜˋ   ㄑㄩ) Gwoyeu Romatzyh Shianggaang Tehbye Shyngjenqchiu (Shianggaang Tehchiu) Wade–Giles Hsiang1-kang3 Tʻê4-⁠pieh2 Hsing2-⁠chêng4-⁠chʻü1 (Hsiang1-kang3 Tʻê4-chʻü1) Yale Romanization Syāngggǎng Tèbyé Syíngjèngchyū (Syānggǎng Tèchyū) IPA [ɕjáŋ.kàŋ tʰɤ̂.pjě ɕǐŋ.ʈʂə̂ŋ.tɕʰý] ([ɕjáŋ.kàŋ tʰɤ̂.tɕʰú]) Wu Romanization shian平kaon上 deh入⁠bih入 ghan平⁠tsen去⁠chiu平 (shian平kaon上 deh入chiu平) Hakka Romanization Hiong1gong3 Tet6⁠piet6 Hang2⁠zin4⁠ki1 (Hiong1gong3 Tet6ki1) Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Hēunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hēunggóng Dahkkēui) or Hèunggóng Dahkbiht Hàhngjingkēui (Hèunggóng Dahkkēui) Jyutping Hoeng1gong2 Dak6bit6 Hang4zing3keoi1 (Hoeng1gong2 Dak6keoi1) Canton Romanization Hêng1gong2 Deg6⁠bid6 Heng4⁠jing3⁠kêu1 (Hêng1gong2 Deg6kêu1) IPA [hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.pìːt̚ hɐ̏ŋ.tsēŋ.kʰɵ́y] ([hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.kʰɵ́y]) or [hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.pìːt̚ hɐ̏ŋ.tsēŋ.kʰɵ́y] ([hœ̂ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ tɐ̀k̚.kʰɵ́y]) Southern Min Hokkien POJ Hiong-kang Te̍k-⁠pia̍t Hêng-⁠chèng-⁠khu (Hiong-kang Te̍k-khu)

The name of the territory, first romanised as «He-Ong-Kong» in 1780,^[42] originally referred to a small inlet located between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.^[43] Although the source of the romanised name is unknown, it is generally believed to be an early phonetic rendering of the Cantonese (or Tanka Cantonese) phrase hēung góng. The name translates as «fragrant harbour» or «incense harbour».^[40][41][44] «Fragrant» may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour’s freshwater influx from the Pearl River or to the odour from incense factories lining the coast of northern Kowloon. The incense was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before Victoria Harbour was developed.^[44] Sir John Davis (the second colonial governor) offered an alternative origin; Davis said that the name derived from «Hoong-keang» («red torrent»), reflecting the colour of soil over which a waterfall on the island flowed.^[45]

The simplified name Hong Kong was frequently used by 1810.^[46] The name was also commonly written as the single word Hongkong until 1926, when the government officially adopted the two-word name.^[47] Some corporations founded during the early colonial era still keep this name, including Hongkong Land, Hongkong Electric Company, Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC).^[48][49]

History

Prehistory and Imperial China

Earliest known human traces in what is now Hong Kong are dated by some to 35,000 and 39,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period. The claim is based on an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung, Sai Kung in 2003. The archaeological works revealed knapped stone tools from deposits that were dated using optical luminescence dating.^[50]

During the Middle Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, the region had been widely occupied by humans.^[51] Neolithic to Bronze Age Hong Kong settlers were semi-coastal people. Early inhabitants are believed to be Austronesians in the Middle Neolithic period and later the Yueh people.^[51] As hinted by the archaeological works in Sha Ha, Sai Kung, rice cultivation had been introduced since Late Neolithic period.^[52] Bronze Age Hong Kong featured coarse pottery, hard pottery, quartz and stone jewelry, as well as small bronze implements.^[51]

The Qin dynasty incorporated the Hong Kong area into China for the first time in 214 BCE, after conquering the indigenous Baiyue.^[53] The region was consolidated under the Nanyue kingdom (a predecessor state of Vietnam) after the Qin collapse^[54] and recaptured by China after the Han conquest.^[55] During the Mongol conquest of China in the 13th century, the Southern Song court was briefly located in modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before its final defeat in the 1279 Battle of Yamen.^[56] By the end of the Yuan dynasty, seven large families had settled in the region and owned most of the land. Settlers from nearby provinces migrated to Kowloon throughout the Ming dynasty.^[57]

The earliest European visitor was Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares, who arrived in 1513.^[58][59] Portuguese merchants established a trading post called Tamão in Hong Kong waters and began regular trade with southern China. Although the traders were expelled after military clashes in the 1520s,^[60] Portuguese-Chinese trade relations were re-established by 1549. Portugal acquired a permanent lease for Macau in 1557.^[61]

After the Qing conquest, maritime trade was banned under the Haijin policies. From 1661 to 1683, the population of most of the area forming present day Hong Kong was cleared under the Great Clearance, turning the region into a wasteland.^[62] The Kangxi Emperor lifted the maritime trade prohibition, allowing foreigners to enter Chinese ports in 1684.^[63] Qing authorities established the Canton System in 1757 to regulate trade more strictly, restricting non-Russian ships to the port of Canton.^[64] Although European demand for Chinese commodities like tea, silk, and porcelain was high, Chinese interest in European manufactured goods was insignificant, so that Chinese goods could only be bought with precious metals. To reduce the trade imbalance, the British sold large amounts of Indian opium to China. Faced with a drug crisis, Qing officials pursued ever more aggressive actions to halt the opium trade.^[65]

British colony

In 1839, the Daoguang Emperor rejected proposals to legalise and tax opium and ordered imperial commissioner Lin Zexu to eradicate the opium trade. The commissioner destroyed opium stockpiles and halted all foreign trade,^[66] triggering a British military response and the First Opium War. The Qing surrendered early in the war and ceded Hong Kong Island in the Convention of Chuenpi. British forces began controlling Hong Kong shortly after the signing of the convention, from 26 January 1841.^[67] However, both countries were dissatisfied and did not ratify the agreement.^[68] After more than a year of further hostilities, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded to the United Kingdom in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking.^[69]

Administrative infrastructure was quickly built by early 1842, but piracy, disease, and hostile Qing policies initially prevented the government from attracting commerce. Conditions on the island improved during the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s, when many Chinese refugees, including wealthy merchants, fled mainland turbulence and settled in the colony.^[18] Further tensions between the British and Qing over the opium trade escalated into the Second Opium War. The Qing were again defeated and forced to give up Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island in the Convention of Peking.^[19] By the end of this war, Hong Kong had evolved from a transient colonial outpost into a major entrepôt. Rapid economic improvement during the 1850s attracted foreign investment, as potential stakeholders became more confident in Hong Kong’s future.^[70]

The colony was further expanded in 1898 when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories.^[20] The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory’s first institution of higher education.^[71] Kai Tak Airport began operation in 1924, and the colony avoided a prolonged economic downturn after the 1925–26 Canton–Hong Kong strike.^[72][73] At the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared Hong Kong a neutral zone to safeguard its status as a free port.^[74] The colonial government prepared for a possible attack, evacuating all British women and children in 1940.^[75] The Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong on 8 December 1941, the same morning as its attack on Pearl Harbor.^[76] Hong Kong was occupied by Japan for almost four years before Britain resumed control on 30 August 1945.^[77]

Its population rebounded quickly after the war, as skilled Chinese migrants fled from the Chinese Civil War and more refugees crossed the border when the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China in 1949.^[78] Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies to industrialise during the 1950s.^[79] With a rapidly increasing population, the colonial government attempted reforms to improve infrastructure and public services. The public-housing estate programme, Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Mass Transit Railway were all established during the post-war decades to provide safer housing, integrity in the civil service, and more reliable transportation.^[80][81]

Nevertheless, widespread public discontent resulted in multiple protests from the 1950s to 1980s, including pro-Republic of China and pro-Chinese Communist Party protests. In the 1967 Hong Kong riots, pro-PRC protestors clashed with the British colonial government. As many as 51 were killed and 802 were injured in the violence, including dozens killed by the Royal Hong Kong Police via beatings and shootings.^[82]

Although the territory’s competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined because of rising labour and property costs, it transitioned to a service-based economy. By the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre and shipping hub.^[83]

Chinese special administrative region

The colony faced an uncertain future as the end of the New Territories lease approached, and Governor Murray MacLehose raised the question of Hong Kong’s status with Deng Xiaoping in 1979.^[84] Diplomatic negotiations with China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, in which the United Kingdom agreed to transfer the colony in 1997 and China would guarantee Hong Kong’s economic and political systems for 50 years after the transfer.^[85] The impending transfer triggered a wave of mass emigration as residents feared an erosion of civil rights, the rule of law, and quality of life.^[86] Over half a million people left the territory during the peak migration period, from 1987 to 1996.^[87] The Legislative Council became a fully elected legislature for the first time in 1995 and extensively expanded its functions and organisations throughout the last years of the colonial rule.^[88] Hong Kong was transferred to China on 1 July 1997, after 156 years of British rule.^[22]

Immediately after the transfer, Hong Kong was severely affected by several crises. The Hong Kong government was forced to use substantial foreign exchange reserves to maintain the Hong Kong dollar’s currency peg during the 1997 Asian financial crisis,^[78] and the recovery from this was muted by an H5N1 avian-flu outbreak^[89] and a housing surplus.^[90] This was followed by the 2003 SARS epidemic, during which the territory experienced its most serious economic downturn.^[91]

Political debates after the transfer of sovereignty have centred around the region’s democratic development and the Chinese central government’s adherence to the «one country, two systems» principle. After reversal of the last colonial era Legislative Council democratic reforms following the handover,^[92] the regional government unsuccessfully attempted to enact national security legislation pursuant to Article 23 of the Basic Law.^[93] The central government decision to implement nominee pre-screening before allowing chief executive elections triggered a series of protests in 2014 which became known as the Umbrella Revolution.^[94] Discrepancies in the electoral registry and disqualification of elected legislators after the 2016 Legislative Council elections^[95][96][97] and enforcement of national law in the West Kowloon high-speed railway station raised further concerns about the region’s autonomy.^[98] In June 2019, mass protests erupted in response to a proposed extradition amendment bill permitting the extradition of fugitives to mainland China. The protests are the largest in Hong Kong’s history,^[99] with organisers claiming to have attracted more than three million Hong Kong residents.

The Hong Kong regional government and Chinese central government responded to the protests with a number of administrative measures to quell dissent. In June 2020, the Legislative Council passed the National Anthem Ordinance, which criminalised «insults to the national anthem of China».^[100] The Chinese central government meanwhile enacted the Hong Kong national security law to help quell protests in the region.^[101] Nine months later, in March 2021, the Chinese central government introduced amendments to Hong Kong’s electoral system, which included the reduction of directly elected seats in the Legislative Council and the requirement that all candidates be vetted and approved by a Beijing-appointed Candidate Eligibility Review Committee.^[102]

Government and politics

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government.^[103] The Sino-British Joint Declaration provided for economic and administrative continuity through the transfer of sovereignty,^[85] resulting in an executive-led governing system largely inherited from the territory’s history as a British colony.^[104] Under these terms and the «one country, two systems» principle, the Basic Law of Hong Kong is the regional constitution.^[105] The regional government is composed of three branches:

• Executive: The Chief Executive is responsible for enforcing regional law,^[104] can force reconsideration of legislation,^[106] and appoints Executive Council members and principal officials.^[107] Acting with the Executive Council, the Chief Executive-in-Council can propose new bills, issue subordinate legislation, and has authority to dissolve the legislature.^[108] In states of emergency or public danger, the Chief Executive-in-Council is further empowered to enact any regulation necessary to restore public order.^[109]
• Legislature: The unicameral Legislative Council enacts regional law, approves budgets, and has the power to impeach a sitting chief executive.^[110]
• Judiciary: The Court of Final Appeal and lower courts interpret laws and overturn those inconsistent with the Basic Law.^[111] Judges are appointed by the chief executive on the advice of a recommendation commission.^[112]

The chief executive is the head of government and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms. The State Council (led by the Premier of China) appoints the chief executive after nomination by the Election Committee, which is composed of 1,200 business, community, and government leaders.^{[113][114][115]}

The Legislative Council has 90 members, each serving a four-year term. Twenty are directly elected from geographical constituencies, thirty-five represent functional constituencies (FC), and forty are chosen by an election committee consisting of representatives appointed by the Chinese central government.^[116] Thirty FC councillors are selected from limited electorates representing sectors of the economy or special interest groups,^[117] and the remaining five members are nominated from sitting district council members and selected in region-wide double direct elections.^[118] All popularly elected members are chosen by proportional representation. The 30 limited electorate functional constituencies fill their seats using first-past-the-post or instant-runoff voting.^[117]

Twenty-two political parties had representatives elected to the Legislative Council in the 2016 election.^[119] These parties have aligned themselves into three ideological groups: the pro-Beijing camp (the current government), the pro-democracy camp, and localist groups.^[120] The Chinese Communist Party does not have an official political presence in Hong Kong, and its members do not run in local elections.^[121] Hong Kong is represented in the National People’s Congress by 36 deputies chosen through an electoral college and 203 delegates in the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference appointed by the central government.^[8]

Chinese national law does not generally apply in the region, and Hong Kong is treated as a separate jurisdiction.^[111] Its judicial system is based on common law, continuing the legal tradition established during British rule.^[122] Local courts may refer to precedents set in English law and overseas jurisprudence.^[123] However, mainland criminal procedure law applies to cases investigated by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR.^[124] Interpretative and amending power over the Basic Law and jurisdiction over acts of state lie with the central authority, making regional courts ultimately subordinate to the mainland’s socialist civil law system.^[125] Decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress override any territorial judicial process.^[126] Furthermore, in circumstances where the Standing Committee declares a state of emergency in Hong Kong, the State Council may enforce national law in the region.^[127]

The territory’s jurisdictional independence is most apparent in its immigration and taxation policies. The Immigration Department issues passports for permanent residents which differ from those of the mainland or Macau,^[128] and the region maintains a regulated border with the rest of the country. All travellers between Hong Kong and China and Macau must pass through border controls, regardless of nationality.^[129] Mainland Chinese citizens do not have right of abode in Hong Kong and are subject to immigration controls.^[130] Public finances are handled separately from the national government; taxes levied in Hong Kong do not fund the central authority.^[131][132]

The Hong Kong Garrison of the People’s Liberation Army is responsible for the region’s defence.^[133] Although the Chairman of the Central Military Commission is supreme commander of the armed forces,^[134] the regional government may request assistance from the garrison.^[135] Hong Kong residents are not required to perform military service, and current law has no provision for local enlistment, so its defence is composed entirely of non-Hongkongers.^[136]

The central government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle diplomatic matters, but Hong Kong retains the ability to maintain separate economic and cultural relations with foreign nations.^[137] The territory actively participates in the World Trade Organization, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the International Olympic Committee, and many United Nations agencies.^{[138][139][140]} The regional government maintains trade offices in Greater China and other nations.^[141]

The imposition of Hong Kong national security law by the central government in Beijing in June 2020 resulted in the suspension of bilateral extradition treaties by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, and Ireland.^[142] The United States ended its preferential economic and trade treatment of Hong Kong in July 2020 because it was no longer able to distinguish Hong Kong as a separate entity from the People’s Republic of China.^[142][143]

Administrative divisions

The territory is divided into 18 districts, each represented by a district council. These advise the government on local issues such as public facility provisioning, community programme maintenance, cultural promotion, and environmental policy. There are a total of 479 district council seats, 452 of which are directly elected.^[144] Rural committee chairmen, representing outlying villages and towns, fill the 27 non-elected seats.^[145]

Political reforms and sociopolitical issues

Hong Kong is governed by a hybrid regime that is not fully representative of the population. Legislative Council members elected by functional constituencies composed of professional and special interest groups are accountable to these narrow corporate electorates and not the general public. This electoral arrangement has guaranteed a pro-establishment majority in the legislature since the transfer of sovereignty. Similarly, the chief executive is selected by establishment politicians and corporate members of the Election Committee rather than directly elected.^[146] Although universal suffrage for the chief executive and all Legislative Council elections are defined goals of Basic Law Articles 45 and 68,^[147] the legislature is only partially directly elected, and the executive continues to be nominated by an unrepresentative body.^[146] The government has been repeatedly petitioned to introduce direct elections for these positions.^[148][149]

Ethnic minorities (except those of European ancestry) have marginal representation in government and often experience discrimination in housing, education, and employment.^[150][151] Employment vacancies and public service appointments frequently have language requirements which minority job seekers do not meet, and language education resources remain inadequate for Chinese learners.^[152][153] Foreign domestic helpers, predominantly women from the Philippines and Indonesia, have little protection under regional law. Although they live and work in Hong Kong, these workers are not treated as ordinary residents and do not have the right of abode in the territory.^[154] Sex trafficking in Hong Kong is an issue. Local and foreign women and girls are often forced into prostitution in brothels, homes, and businesses in the city.^{[155][156][157][158]}

The Joint Declaration guarantees the Basic Law of Hong Kong for 50 years after the transfer of sovereignty.^[85] It does not specify how Hong Kong will be governed after 2047, and the central government’s role in determining the territory’s future system of government is the subject of political debate and speculation. Hong Kong’s political and judicial systems may be integrated with China’s at that time, or the territory may continue to be administered separately.^[159][160] However, in response to large-scale protests in 2019 and 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed the controversial Hong Kong national security law.^[161] The law criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign elements and establishes the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR, an investigative office under Central People’s Government authority immune from HKSAR jurisdiction. Some of the aforementioned acts were previously considered protected speech under Hong Kong law.^[124][162] The United Kingdom considers the law to be a serious violation of the Joint Declaration.^[163] In October 2020, Hong Kong police arrested seven pro-democracy politicians over tussles with pro-Beijing politicians in the Legislative Council in May. They were charged with contempt and interfering with members of the council, while none of the pro-Beijing lawmakers were detained.^[164] Annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre were also cancelled amidst fears of violating the national security law.^[165] In March 2021, the Chinese central government unilaterally changed Hong Kong’s electoral system and established the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee, which would be tasked with screening and evaluating political candidates for their «patriotism».^[102]

Geography

Hong Kong is on China’s southern coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau, on the east side of the mouth of the Pearl River estuary. It is surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides except the north, which neighbours the Guangdong city of Shenzhen along the Sham Chun River. The territory’s 1,110.18 km² (428.64 sq mi)^[166] area (2754.97 km^2[166] if the maritime area is included) consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, Lantau Island, and over 200 other islands. Of the total area, 1,073 km² (414 sq mi) is land and 35 km² (14 sq mi) is water.^[36] The territory’s highest point is Tai Mo Shan, 957 metres (3,140 ft) above sea level.^[167] Urban development is concentrated on the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong Island, and in new towns throughout the New Territories.^[168] Much of this is built on reclaimed land; 70 km² (27 sq mi) (6% of the total land or about 25% of developed space in the territory) is reclaimed from the sea.^[169]

Undeveloped terrain is hilly to mountainous, with very little flat land, and consists mostly of grassland, woodland, shrubland, or farmland.^[170][171] About 40% of the remaining land area is country parks and nature reserves.^[172] The territory has a diverse ecosystem; over 3,000 species of vascular plants occur in the region (300 of which are native to Hong Kong), and thousands of insect, avian, and marine species.^[173][174]

Climate

Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), characteristic of southern China, despite being located south of the Tropic of Cancer. Summers are long, hot and humid, with occasional showers and thunderstorms and warm air from the southwest. Typhoons occur most often then, sometimes resulting in floods or landslides. Winters are short, mild and usually sunny at the beginning, becoming cloudy towards February. Frequent cold fronts bring strong, cooling winds from the north and occasionally result in chilly weather. Autumn is the sunniest season, whilst spring is generally cloudy.^[175] When there is snowfall, which is extremely rare, it is usually at high elevations. Hong Kong averages 1,709 hours of sunshine per year.^[176] Historic temperature extremes at the Hong Kong Observatory are 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) on 22 August 2017 and 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) on 18 January 1893.^[177] The highest and lowest recorded temperatures in all of Hong Kong are 39.0 °C (102 °F) at Wetland Park on 22 August 2017,^[178] and −6.0 °C (21.2 °F) at Tai Mo Shan on 24 January 2016.^[179] However, due to the humid nature of Hong Kong, the numbers don’t reflect the actual feelings of being outside in the X degree weather that is actually reported. 35C in Hong Kong feels way hotter than 35C in someplace dry like the United States.

Architecture

Hong Kong has the world’s largest number of skyscrapers, with 482 towers taller than 150 metres (490 ft), and the third-largest number of high-rise buildings in the world.^[183] The lack of available space restricted development to high-density residential tenements and commercial complexes packed closely together on buildable land.^[184] Single-family detached homes are uncommon and generally only found in outlying areas.^[185] The International Commerce Centre and Two International Finance Centre are the tallest buildings in Hong Kong and are among the tallest in the Asia-Pacific region.^[186] Other distinctive buildings lining the Hong Kong Island skyline include the HSBC Main Building, the anemometer-topped triangular Central Plaza, the circular Hopewell Centre, and the sharp-edged Bank of China Tower.^[187][188]

Demand for new construction has contributed to frequent demolition of older buildings, freeing space for modern high-rises.^[189] However, many examples of European and Lingnan architecture are still found throughout the territory. Older government buildings are examples of colonial architecture. The 1846 Flagstaff House, the former residence of the commanding British military officer, is the oldest Western-style building in Hong Kong.^[190] Some (including the Court of Final Appeal Building and the Hong Kong Observatory) retain their original function, and others have been adapted and reused; the Former Marine Police Headquarters was redeveloped into a commercial and retail complex,^[191] and Béthanie (built in 1875 as a sanatorium) houses the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.^[192] The Tin Hau Temple, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu (originally built in 1012 and rebuilt in 1266), is the territory’s oldest existing structure.^[193] The Ping Shan Heritage Trail has architectural examples of several imperial Chinese dynasties, including the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda (Hong Kong’s only remaining pagoda).^[194]

Tong lau, mixed-use tenement buildings constructed during the colonial era, blended southern Chinese architectural styles with European influences. These were especially prolific during the immediate post-war period, when many were rapidly built to house large numbers of Chinese migrants.^[195] Examples include Lui Seng Chun, the Blue House in Wan Chai, and the Shanghai Street shophouses in Mong Kok. Mass-produced public-housing estates, built since the 1960s, are mainly constructed in modernist style.^[196]

Demographics

The Census and Statistics Department estimated Hong Kong’s population at 7,482,500 in mid-2019. The overwhelming majority (92%) is Han Chinese,^[6] most of whom are Taishanese, Teochew, Hakka, and other Cantonese peoples.^{[197][198][199]} The remaining 8% are non-ethnic Chinese minorities, primarily Filipinos, Indonesians, and South Asians.^[6][200] However, most Filipinos and Indonesians in Hong Kong are short-term workers. According to a 2016 thematic report by the Hong Kong government, after excluding foreign domestic helpers, the real number of non-Chinese ethnic minorities in the city was 263,593, or 3.6% of Hong Kong’s population.^[201] About half the population have some form of British nationality, a legacy of colonial rule; 3.4 million residents have British National (Overseas) status, and 260,000 British citizens live in the territory.^[202] The vast majority also hold Chinese nationality, automatically granted to all ethnic Chinese residents at the transfer of sovereignty.^[203] Headline population density exceeds 7,060 people/km², and is the fourth-highest in the world.^[204]

The predominant language is Cantonese, a variety of Chinese originating in Guangdong. It is spoken by 94.6% of the population, 88.9% as a first language and 5.7% as a second language.^[3] Slightly over half the population (53.2%) speaks English, the other official language;^[2] 4.3% are native speakers, and 48.9% speak English as a second language.^[3] Code-switching, mixing English and Cantonese in informal conversation, is common among the bilingual population.^[205] Post-handover governments have promoted Mandarin, which is currently about as prevalent as English; 48.6% of the population speak Mandarin, with 1.9% native speakers and 46.7% as a second language.^[3] Traditional Chinese characters are used in writing, rather than the simplified characters used in the mainland.^[206]

Among the religious population, the traditional «three teachings» of China, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, have the most adherents (20%), followed by Christianity (12%) and Islam (4%).^[207] Followers of other religions, including Sikhism, Hinduism, and Judaism, generally originate from regions where their religion predominates.^[207]

Life expectancy in Hong Kong was 82.38 years for males and 88.17 years for females in 2022, the highest in the world.^[208] Cancer, pneumonia, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and accidents are the territory’s five leading causes of death.^[209] The universal public healthcare system is funded by general-tax revenue, and treatment is highly subsidised; on average, 95% of healthcare costs are covered by the government.^[210]

Income inequality has risen since the transfer of sovereignty, as the region’s ageing population has gradually added to the number of nonworking people.^[211] Although median household income steadily increased during the decade to 2016, the wage gap remained high;^[212] the 90th percentile of earners receive 41% of all income.^[212] The city has the most billionaires per capita, with one billionaire per 109,657 people.^[213] Despite government efforts to reduce the growing disparity,^[214] median income for the top 10% of earners is 44 times that of the bottom 10%.^[215][216]

Economy

Hong Kong has a market economy focused on services, characterised by low taxation, minimal government market intervention, and an established international financial market.^[217] It is the world’s 35th-largest economy, with a nominal GDP of approximately US$373 billion.^[13] Hong Kong’s economy ranked at the top of the Heritage Foundation’s economic freedom index between 1995 and 2021.^[218][219] However, Hong Kong was removed from the index by the Heritage Foundation in 2021, with the Foundation citing a «loss of political freedom and autonomy … [making Hong Kong] almost indistinguishable in many respects from other major Chinese commercial centers like Shanghai and Beijing».^[220] The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the seventh-largest in the world, with a market capitalisation of HK$30.4 trillion (US$3.87 trillion) as of December 2018.^[221] Hong Kong is ranked as the 14th most innovative territory in the Global Innovation Index in 2022.^[222] The city is sometimes referred to as «Silicon Harbor»,^[223] a nickname derived from Silicon Valley in California. Hong Kong hosts several high tech and innovation companies,^[224] including several multinational companies.^[225][226]

Hong Kong is the tenth-largest trading entity in exports and imports (2017), trading more goods in value than its gross domestic product.^[26][27] Over half of its cargo throughput consists of transshipments (goods travelling through Hong Kong). Products from mainland China account for about 40% of that traffic.^[227] The city’s location allowed it to establish a transportation and logistics infrastructure which includes the world’s seventh-busiest container port^[228] and the busiest airport for international cargo.^[229] The territory’s largest export markets are mainland China and the United States.^[36] Hong Kong is a key part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.^[230] It has little arable land and few natural resources, importing most of its food and raw materials. More than 90% of Hong Kong’s food is imported, including nearly all of its meat and rice.^[231] Agricultural activity is 0.1% of GDP and consists of growing premium food and flower varieties.^[232]

Although the territory had one of Asia’s largest manufacturing economies during the latter half of the colonial era, Hong Kong’s economy is now dominated by the service sector. The sector generates 92.7% of economic output, with the public sector accounting for about 10%.^[233] Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong’s gross domestic product increased by a factor of 180, and per capita GDP increased by a factor of 87.^[234][235] The territory’s GDP relative to mainland China’s peaked at 27% in 1993; it fell to less than 3% in 2017, as the mainland developed and liberalised its economy.^[236] Economic and infrastructure integration with China has increased significantly since the 1978 start of market liberalisation on the mainland. Since resumption of cross-boundary train service in 1979, many rail and road links have been improved and constructed, facilitating trade between regions.^[237][238] The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement formalised a policy of free trade between the two areas, with each jurisdiction pledging to remove remaining obstacles to trade and cross-boundary investment.^[239] A similar economic partnership with Macau details the liberalisation of trade between the special administrative regions.^[240] Chinese companies have expanded their economic presence in the territory since the transfer of sovereignty. Mainland firms represent over half of the Hang Seng Index value, up from 5% in 1997.^[241][242]

As the mainland liberalised its economy, Hong Kong’s shipping industry faced intense competition from other Chinese ports. Half of China’s trade goods were routed through Hong Kong in 1997, dropping to about 13% by 2015.^[243] The territory’s minimal taxation, common law system, and civil service attract overseas corporations wishing to establish a presence in Asia.^[243] The city has the second-highest number of corporate headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region.^[244] Hong Kong is a gateway for foreign direct investment in China, giving investors open access to mainland Chinese markets through direct links with the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. The territory was the first market outside mainland China for renminbi-denominated bonds, and is one of the largest hubs for offshore renminbi trading.^[245] In November 2020, Hong Kong’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau proposed a new law that will restrict cryptocurrency trading to professional investors only, leaving amateur traders (93% of Hong Kong’s trading population) out of the market.^[246]

The government has had a passive role in the economy. Colonial governments had little industrial policy and implemented almost no trade controls. Under the doctrine of «positive non-interventionism», post-war administrations deliberately avoided the direct allocation of resources; active intervention was considered detrimental to economic growth.^[247] While the economy transitioned to a service basis during the 1980s,^[247] late colonial governments introduced interventionist policies. Post-handover administrations continued and expanded these programmes, including export-credit guarantees, a compulsory pension scheme, a minimum wage, anti-discrimination laws, and a state mortgage backer.^[248]

Tourism is a major part of the economy, accounting for 5% of GDP.^[191] In 2016, 26.6 million visitors contributed HK$258 billion (US$32.9 billion) to the territory, making Hong Kong the 14th most popular destination for international tourists. It is the most popular Chinese city for tourists, receiving over 70% more visitors than its closest competitor (Macau).^[249] The city is ranked as one of the most expensive cities for expatriates.^[250][251] However, since 2020, there has been a sharp decline in incoming visitors due to tight COVID-19 travel restrictions. Additionally, due to the closure of Russian airspace in 2022, multiple airlines decided to cease their operations in Hong Kong.^[252] In an attempt to attract tourists back to Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government announced plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets in 2023.^[253]

Infrastructure

Transport

Hong Kong has a highly developed, sophisticated transport network. Over 90% of daily trips are made on public transport, the highest percentage in the world.^[38] The Octopus card, a contactless smart payment card, is widely accepted on railways, buses and ferries, and can be used for payment in most retail stores.^[254]

The Peak Tram, Hong Kong’s first public transport system, has provided funicular rail transport between Central and Victoria Peak since 1888.^[255] The Central and Western District has an extensive system of escalators and moving pavements, including the Mid-Levels escalator (the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system).^[256] Hong Kong Tramways covers a portion of Hong Kong Island. The Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is an extensive passenger rail network, connecting 93 metro stations throughout the territory.^[257] With a daily ridership of almost five million, the system serves 41% of all public transit passengers in the city^[258] and has an on-time rate of 99.9%.^[259] Cross-boundary train service to Shenzhen is offered by the East Rail line, and longer-distance inter-city trains to Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing are operated from Hung Hom station.^[260] Connecting service to the national high-speed rail system is provided at West Kowloon railway station.^[261]

Although public transport systems handle most passenger traffic, there are over 500,000 private vehicles registered in Hong Kong.^[262] Automobiles drive on the left (unlike in mainland China), because of historical influence of the British Empire.^[263] Vehicle traffic is extremely congested in urban areas, exacerbated by limited space to expand roads and an increasing number of vehicles.^[264] More than 18,000 taxicabs, easily identifiable by their bright colour, are licensed to carry riders in the territory.^[265] Bus services operate more than 700 routes across the territory,^[258] with smaller public light buses (also known as minibuses) serving areas standard buses do not reach as frequently or directly.^[266] Highways, organised with the Hong Kong Strategic Route and Exit Number System, connect all major areas of the territory.^[267] The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge provides a direct route to the western side of the Pearl River estuary.^[238]

Hong Kong International Airport is the territory’s primary airport. Over 100 airlines operate flights from the airport, including locally based Cathay Pacific (flag carrier), Hong Kong Airlines, low-cost airline HK Express and cargo airline Air Hong Kong.^[268] It is the eighth-busiest airport by passenger traffic^[269] pre-COVID and handles the most air-cargo traffic in the world.^[270] Most private recreational aviation traffic flies through Shek Kong Airfield, under the supervision of the Hong Kong Aviation Club.^[271]

The Star Ferry operates two lines across Victoria Harbour for its 53,000 daily passengers.^[272] Ferries also serve outlying islands inaccessible by other means. Smaller kai-to boats serve the most remote coastal settlements.^[273] Ferry travel to Macau and mainland China is also available.^[274] Junks, once common in Hong Kong waters, are no longer widely available and are used privately and for tourism.^[275]
The large size of the port gives Hong Kong the classification of Large-Port Metropolis.^[276]

Utilities

Hong Kong generates most of its electricity locally.^[277] The vast majority of this energy comes from fossil fuels, with 46% from coal and 47% from petroleum.^[278] The rest is from other imports, including nuclear energy generated in mainland China.^[279] Renewable sources account for a negligible amount of energy generated for the territory.^[280] Small-scale wind-power sources have been developed,^[277] and a small number of private homes and public buildings have installed solar panels.^[281]

With few natural lakes and rivers, high population density, inaccessible groundwater sources, and extremely seasonal rainfall, the territory does not have a reliable source of freshwater. The Dongjiang River in Guangdong supplies 70% of the city’s water,^[282] and the remaining demand is filled by harvesting rainwater.^[283] Toilets in most built-up areas of the territory flush with seawater, greatly reducing freshwater use.^[282]

Broadband Internet access is widely available, with 92.6% of households connected. Connections over fibre-optic infrastructure are increasingly prevalent,^[284] contributing to the high regional average connection speed of 21.9 Mbit/s (the world’s fourth-fastest).^[285] Mobile-phone use is ubiquitous;^[286] there are more than 18 million mobile-phone accounts,^[287] more than double the territory’s population.

Culture

Hong Kong is characterised as a hybrid of East and West. Traditional Chinese values emphasising family and education blend with Western ideals, including economic liberty and the rule of law.^[288] Although the vast majority of the population is ethnically Chinese, Hong Kong has developed a distinct identity. The territory diverged from the mainland through its long period of colonial administration and a different pace of economic, social, and cultural development. Mainstream culture is derived from immigrants originating from various parts of China. This was influenced by British-style education, a separate political system, and the territory’s rapid development during the late 20th century.^[289][290] Most migrants of that era fled poverty and war, reflected in the prevailing attitude toward wealth; Hongkongers tend to link self-image and decision-making to material benefits.^[291][292] Residents’ sense of local identity has markedly increased post-handover: The majority of the population (52%) identifies as «Hongkongers», while 11% describe themselves as «Chinese». The remaining population purport mixed identities, 23% as «Hongkonger in China» and 12% as «Chinese in Hong Kong».^[293]

Traditional Chinese family values, including family honour, filial piety, and a preference for sons, are prevalent.^[294] Nuclear families are the most common households, although multi-generational and extended families are not unusual.^[295] Spiritual concepts such as feng shui are observed; large-scale construction projects often hire consultants to ensure proper building positioning and layout. The degree of its adherence to feng shui is believed to determine the success of a business.^[187] Bagua mirrors are regularly used to deflect evil spirits,^[296] and buildings often lack floor numbers with a 4;^[297] the number has a similar sound to the word for «die» in Cantonese.^[298]

Cuisine

Food in Hong Kong is primarily based on Cantonese cuisine, despite the territory’s exposure to foreign influences and its residents’ varied origins. Rice is the staple food, and is usually served plain with other dishes.^[299] Freshness of ingredients is emphasised. Poultry and seafood are commonly sold live at wet markets, and ingredients are used as quickly as possible.^[300] There are five daily meals: breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and siu yeh.^[301] Dim sum, as part of yum cha (brunch), is a dining-out tradition with family and friends. Dishes include congee, cha siu bao, siu yuk, egg tarts, and mango pudding. Local versions of Western food are served at cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style cafes). Common cha chaan teng menu items include macaroni in soup, deep-fried French toast, and Hong Kong-style milk tea.^[299]

Cinema

Hong Kong developed into a filmmaking hub during the late 1940s as a wave of Shanghai filmmakers migrated to the territory, and these movie veterans helped build the colony’s entertainment industry over the next decade.^[302] By the 1960s, the city was well known to overseas audiences through films such as The World of Suzie Wong.^[303] When Bruce Lee’s The Way of the Dragon was released in 1972, local productions became popular outside Hong Kong. During the 1980s, films such as A Better Tomorrow, As Tears Go By, and Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain expanded global interest beyond martial arts films; locally made gangster films, romantic dramas, and supernatural fantasies became popular.^[304] Hong Kong cinema continued to be internationally successful over the following decade with critically acclaimed dramas such as Farewell My Concubine, To Live, and Chungking Express. The city’s martial arts film roots are evident in the roles of the most prolific Hong Kong actors. Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Chow Yun-fat, and Michelle Yeoh frequently play action-oriented roles in foreign films. Hong Kong films have also grown popular in oversea markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia, earning the city the moniker «Hollywood of the East».^[305] At the height of the local movie industry in the early 1990s, over 400 films were produced each year; since then, industry momentum shifted to mainland China. The number of films produced annually has declined to about 60 in 2017.^[306]

Music

Cantopop is a genre of Cantonese popular music which emerged in Hong Kong during the 1970s. Evolving from Shanghai-style shidaiqu, it is also influenced by Cantonese opera and Western pop.^[307] Local media featured songs by artists such as Sam Hui, Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, and Alan Tam; during the 1980s, exported films and shows exposed Cantopop to a global audience.^[308] The genre’s popularity peaked in the 1990s, when the Four Heavenly Kings dominated Asian record charts.^[309] Despite a general decline since late in the decade,^[310] Cantopop remains dominant in Hong Kong; contemporary artists such as Eason Chan, Joey Yung, and Twins are popular in and beyond the territory.^[311]

Western classical music has historically had a strong presence in Hong Kong and remains a large part of local musical education.^[312] The publicly funded Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the territory’s oldest professional symphony orchestra, frequently hosts musicians and conductors from overseas. The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, composed of classical Chinese instruments, is the leading Chinese ensemble and plays a significant role in promoting traditional music in the community.^[313]

Hong Kong has never had a separate national anthem to the country that controlled it; its current official national anthem is therefore that of China, March of the Volunteers. The song Glory to Hong Kong has been used by protestors as an unofficial national anthem.^[314][315]

Sport and recreation

Despite its small area, the territory is home to a variety of sports and recreational facilities. The city has hosted numerous major sporting events, including the 2009 East Asian Games, the 2008 Summer Olympics equestrian events, and the 2007 Premier League Asia Trophy.^[316] The territory regularly hosts the Hong Kong Sevens, Hong Kong Marathon, Hong Kong Tennis Classic and Lunar New Year Cup, and hosted the inaugural AFC Asian Cup and the 1995 Dynasty Cup.^[317][318]

Hong Kong represents itself separately from mainland China, with its own sports teams in international competitions.^[316] The territory has participated in almost every Summer Olympics since 1952 and has earned nine medals. Lee Lai-shan won the territory’s first Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics,^[319] and Cheung Ka Long won the second one in Tokyo 2020.^[320] Hong Kong athletes have won 126 medals at the Paralympic Games and 17 at the Commonwealth Games. No longer part of the Commonwealth of Nations, the city’s last appearance in the latter was in 1994.^[321]

Dragon boat races originated as a religious ceremony conducted during the annual Tuen Ng Festival. The race was revived as a modern sport as part of the Tourism Board’s efforts to promote Hong Kong’s image abroad. The first modern competition was organised in 1976, and overseas teams began competing in the first international race in 1993.^[322]

The Hong Kong Jockey Club, the territory’s largest taxpayer,^[323] has a monopoly on gambling and provides over 7% of government revenue.^[324] Three forms of gambling are legal in Hong Kong: lotteries, horse racing, and football.^[323]

Education

Education in Hong Kong is largely modelled after that of the United Kingdom, particularly the English system.^[325] Children are required to attend school from age 6 until completion of secondary education, generally at age 18.^[326][327] At the end of secondary schooling, all students take a public examination and awarded the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education on successful completion.^[328] Of residents aged 15 and older, 81% completed lower-secondary education, 66% graduated from an upper secondary school, 32% attended a non-degree tertiary program, and 24% earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.^[329] Mandatory education has contributed to an adult literacy rate of 95.7%.^[330] The literacy rate is lower than that of other developed economies because of the influx of refugees from mainland China during the post-war colonial era; much of the elderly population were not formally educated because of war and poverty.^[331][332]

Comprehensive schools fall under three categories: public schools, which are government-run; subsidised schools, including government aid-and-grant schools; and private schools, often those run by religious organisations and that base admissions on academic merit. These schools are subject to the curriculum guidelines as provided by the Education Bureau. Private schools subsidised under the Direct Subsidy Scheme; international schools fall outside of this system and may elect to use differing curricula and teach using other languages.^[327]

Medium of instruction

At primary and secondary school levels, the government maintains a policy of «mother tongue instruction»; most schools use Cantonese as the medium of instruction, with written education in both Chinese and English. Other languages being used as medium of instruction in non-international school education include English and Putonghua (Standard Mandarin Chinese). Secondary schools emphasise «bi-literacy and tri-lingualism», which has encouraged the proliferation of spoken Mandarin language education.^[333]

English is the official medium of instruction and assessments for most university programmes in Hong Kong, although use of Cantonese is predominant in informal discussions among local students and local professors.^{[citation needed]}

Tertiary education

Hong Kong has eleven universities. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) was founded as the city’s first institute of higher education during the early colonial period in 1911.^[334] The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was established in 1963 to fill the need for a university that taught using Chinese as its primary language of instruction.^[335] Along with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) established in 1991, these universities are consistently ranked among the top 50 or top 100 universities worldwide.^{[336][337][338]} The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)^[339] and City University of Hong Kong (CityU), both granted university status in 1994, are consistently ranked among the top 100 or top 200 universities worldwide. ^{[336][337][338]} The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) was granted university status in 1994 ^[340] and is a liberal arts institution. Lingnan University,^[341] Education University of Hong Kong,^[342] Hong Kong Metropolitan University (formerly Open University of Hong Kong),^[343] Hong Kong Shue Yan University^[344] and Hang Seng University of Hong Kong all attained full university status in subsequent years.

Media

Most of the newsapapers in Hong Kong are written in Chinese but there are also a few English-language newspapers. The major one is the South China Morning Post, with The Standard serving as a business-oriented alternative. A variety of Chinese-language newspapers are published daily; the most prominent are Ming Pao and Oriental Daily News. Local publications are often politically affiliated, with pro-Beijing or pro-democracy sympathies. The central government has a print-media presence in the territory through the state-owned Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po.^[345] Several international publications have regional operations in Hong Kong, including The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times International Edition, USA Today, Yomiuri Shimbun, and The Nikkei.^[346]

Three free-to-air television broadcasters operate in the territory; TVB, HKTVE, and Hong Kong Open TV air eight digital channels.^[347] TVB, Hong Kong’s dominant television network, has an 80% viewer share.^[348] Pay TV services operated by Cable TV Hong Kong and PCCW offer hundreds of additional channels and cater to a variety of audiences.^[347] RTHK is the public broadcaster, providing seven radio channels and three television channels.^[349] Ten non-domestic broadcasters air programming for the territory’s foreign population.^[347] Access to media and information over the Internet is not subject to mainland Chinese regulations, including the Great Firewall, yet local control applies.^[350]

See also

• Index of articles related to Hong Kong
• Outline of Hong Kong

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

Print

Legislation and case law

Academic publications

Institutional reports

News and magazine articles

Websites

External links

• Hong Kong. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
• Hong Kong from BBC News
• Key Development Forecasts for Hong Kong from International Futures
• Hong Kong in Transition (1995–2020), an open access photographic archive of recent Hong Kong history

Government

• GovHK Hong Kong SAR government portal
• Discover Hong Kong Official site of the tourism board

Trade

• World Bank Summary Trade Statistics Hong Kong

Maps

Coordinates: 22°18′N 114°12′E / 22.3°N 114.2°E