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  Hong Kong
(special administrative region of China)
 
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 Geography
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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Hong Kong



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Hong Kong Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
   Geography    Hong Kong Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Southeast Asia
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
733 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01%
other: 93.94% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
more than 200 islands
   People    Hong Kong Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,018,636 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 12.6% (male 463,300/female 422,945)
15-64 years: 74.4% (male 2,535,246/female 2,684,495)
65 years and over: 13% (male 425,500/female 487,150) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 41.7 years
male: 41.4 years
female: 42 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.532% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.6 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.11 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 81.77 years
male: 79.07 years
female: 84.69 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,600 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1% (2006 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%, English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 13 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.9% of GDP (2006)
   Government    Hong Kong Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
local short form: Xianggang
abbreviation: HK
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
special administrative region of China
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
limited democracy
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on English common law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
direct election - 18 years of age for a number of non-executive positions; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, central government bodies, and municipal organizations
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of 15 official members and 16 non-official members
elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG received 15.9%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by parties - pro-Beijing 37; pro-democracy 23
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; League of Social Democrats [Raymond WONG]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party, League of Social Democrats; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, The Alliance (a group of five generally pro-government and pro-business Legco members from functional constituencies); there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHARNWUT, executive committee member]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ADB, APEC, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington and two other cities carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Consul General Joseph A. DONOVAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
   Economy    Hong Kong Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. In 2006, the total value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, was equivalent to 400% of GDP. The territory has become increasingly integrated with mainland China over the past few years through trade, tourism, and financial links. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for 46% of Hong Kong's total trade by value in 2006. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 13.6 million in 2006, when they outnumbered visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. Bolstered by several successful initial public offerings in early 2007, by September 2007 mainland companies accounted for one-third of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and more than half of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly and now accounts for 91% of the territory's GDP. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2007, despite the economy suffering two recessions during the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 and the global downturn in 2001-02. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$293.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$206.7 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$42,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 8.1%
services: 91.7% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.64 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
manufacturing 6.5%, construction 2.1%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.3%, financing, insurance, and real estate 20.7%, transport and communications 7.8%, community and social services 19.5%
note: above data exclude public sector (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
53.3 (2007)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $36.9 billion
expenditures: $29.4 billion (FY07-08 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.75% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.75% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$51.25 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$578.1 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$259.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-0.8% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
36.61 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.02 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
4.035 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
10.96 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
293,100 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22,420 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
314,700 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.69 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$28.04 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$345.9 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
China 48.7%, US 13.7%, Japan 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$365.6 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
China 46.3%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 7.1%, Singapore 6.8%, US 4.9%, South Korea 4.2% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$152.7 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$588 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.185 trillion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.027 trillion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.97 trillion (2007 est.)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003)
   Communications    Hong Kong Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.875 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.55 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network
international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
55 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 channels) (2007)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.hk
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
817,766 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.961 million (2007)
   Transportation    Hong Kong Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
5 (2007)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,009 km
paved: 2,009 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1,114
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 525, cargo 142, carrier 3, chemical tanker 68, combination ore/oil 2, container 205, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 114, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: 703 (Belgium 3, Canada 44, China 324, Denmark 24, France 1, Germany 6, Greece 22, Indonesia 7, Iran 15, Japan 111, South Korea 3, Norway 40, Philippines 1, Portugal 1, Russia 2, Singapore 18, Syria 1, Taiwan 11, UAE 1, UK 39, US 29)
registered in other countries: 357 (Bahamas 30, Bermuda 4, Cambodia 8, China 12, Cyprus 2, Georgia 2, Honduras 1, India 1, Jamaica 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 44, Malaysia 14, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Mexico 1, Netherlands Antilles 2, Norway 20, Panama 130, Philippines 1, Portugal 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 1, Singapore 47, Tuvalu 7, UK 2, Vietnam 1, unknown 8) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong
   Military    Hong Kong Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,772,820
females age 16-49: 1,941,448 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,438,165
females age 16-49: 1,561,252 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 42,173
female: 38,753 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of China
   Transnational Issues    Hong Kong Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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