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  Hong Kong
(special administrative region of China)
 
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
 Government
 Economy
 Communications
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005


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 has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
   Geography    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
tropical 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)
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
more than 200 islands
   People    Hong Kong Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,898,686 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 498,771/female 454,252)
15-64 years: 73.5% (male 2,479,656/female 2,591,170)
65 years and over: 12.7% (male 404,308/female 470,529) (2005 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 39.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 39.6 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.65% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 81.5 years
male: 78.81 years
female: 84.41 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.91 children born/woman (2005 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
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)
   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; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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 seven non-official members and 14 official members
elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005; Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25 May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005 and 24 June 2005; last election 16 June 2005 to fill final two years of TUNG's term (next to be held in June 2007)
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; other 1
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, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party
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 CHAN, exco member]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (special administrative region of China)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2524-0860
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, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past six years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn in 2001 and 2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003 and in 2004.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$234.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $34,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 11.3%
services: 88.6% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.54 million (October 2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.2%, transport and communications 7.9%, community and social services 18.5%
note: above data exclude public sector (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.7% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-0.3% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22.7% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $26.6 billion
expenditures: $31.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2004 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1% (2004 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
35.51 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
38.45 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
10.4 billion kWh (2003)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$14.85 billion (2004 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$268.1 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2004 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 44%, US 17%, Japan 5.3% (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$275.9 billion (2004 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 43.5%, Japan 12.1%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 5.3%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 4.8% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$123.6 billion (31 December 2004 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$66.94 billion (2004 est.)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 April - 31 March
   Communications    Hong Kong Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,801,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,241,400 (2003)
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; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
4 (2004)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.hk
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
591,993 (2003)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,212,800 (2003)
   Transportation    Hong Kong Top of Page
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Hong Kong
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 837 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 446, cargo 119, chemical tanker 44, combination ore/oil 2, container 105, liquefied gas 20, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8
foreign-owned: 453 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Belgium 3, Canada 9, China 246, Denmark 3, France 5, Germany 13, Greece 19, India 1, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Japan 51, Norway 16, Philippines 13, Singapore 17, South Korea 8, Taiwan 5, Thailand 4, UAE 1, United Kingdom 32, United States 3)
registered in other countries: 373 (2005)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
2 (2004 est.)
   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
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 1,743,972 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 1,403,088 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 40,343 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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
makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but 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 20 October, 2005


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