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(Special administrative region of China)

Timezone GMT +8 Area 1066 km族/412 sq mi population total  (2000e) 6 967 000 Capital Hong Kong Languages English and Cantonese (official), with Mandarin widely spoken Ethnic groups Chinese (98%), including many illegal immigrants from China and refugees from Vietnam; 59% of population born in Hong Kong, 37% in China Religions Buddhist, Taoist and Confuncianist majorities, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish minorities Physical features Located off the coast of SE China, on the South China Sea; divided into Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and New Territories (includes most of the colony's 235 islands); highest point, Tai Mo Shan, 957 m/3140 ft; hilly terrain, sharply indented coastline; natural harbour between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; built-up areas on artificially levelled or reclaimed land. Climate Subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and cool, dry winters; average annual temperatures 16属C (Jan), 29属C (Jul); average annual rainfall 2225 mm/88 in. Currency 1 Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) = 100 cents Economy Based on banking, import-export trade, tourism, shipbuilding, and a diverse range of light industry; an important freeport acting as a gateway to China for the West; economy hit by Sars epidemic (2003). GDP (2002e) $198揃5 bn, per capita $27 200 Human Development Index (2002) 0揃888 History Ceded to Britain, 1842; New Territories leased to Britain, 1898; occupied by the Japanese in World War 2; British Crown Colony, Governor represented the British Crown, advised by an Executive Council; in 1997, Britain's 99-year lease of the New Territories expired, whereupon Hong Kong was restored to China; China has designated Hong Kong a special administrative region from 1997; it will remain a freeport, foreign markets will be retained, and the Hong Kong dollar will remain as official currency; new Chief Executive appointed (first incumbent, Tung Chee-hwa), with new membership of advisory councils; however, anxiety over the colony's political future remains.featured article


The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ((zh-ts|t=??????????????|s=??????????????;) Hanyu Pinyin: Zh?nghuテ。 Rテゥnmテュn Gテイnghテゥguテウ Xi?ngg?ng Tティbiテゥ Xテュngzhティngq?; pronunciation) is one of the two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. The Hong Kong Government officially changed the name of Hongkong to Hong Kong on 3 September 1926 Hongkong Government Gazette, Notification 479, 3 September 1926.

Hong Kong is on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta on the southeastern coast of China, facing the South China Sea in the south, and bordering Guangdong Province in the north. Hong Kong is China's richest region, has one of the world's most liberal economies and is a major international centre of finance and trade.

Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842, until its sovereignty was transferred to the PRC in 1997. It is governed as a special administrative region under the Basic Law of Hong Kong. Under the terms of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the PRC has promised that Hong Kong will have a relatively high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer of sovereignty. Under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy, it retains its own legal system, currency, customs policy, cultural delegation, international sport teams, and immigration laws.

History

The area now known as Hong Kong became an important trading region and a significant strategic location for the Chinese mainland during the Tang and Song dynasties. Hong Kong's earliest recorded non-Asian visitor was the Portuguese mariner Jorge テ〕vares who arrived in 1513. テ〕vares began trading with the Chinese, and the Portuguese continued to make periodic trade stops at various locations along the coast.

Tea, silk, and other Asian luxury goods were introduced in Europe by the Portuguese, and by the mid-18th century these items were in high demand, particularly tea. During the war, Hong Kong Island was first occupied by the British, and then formally ceded by the Qing Dynasty of China in 1842 under the Treaty of Nanking.
Hong Kong became a crown colony in 1843. The Kowloon Peninsula south of Boundary Street and Stonecutter's Island was ceded to the British in 1860 under the Convention of Peking after the Second Opium War. Various adjacent lands, known as the New Territories (including New Kowloon and Lantau Island), were then leased by Britain for 99 years, from 1 July 1898 to 30 June 1997. The first specially-recruited Hong Kong civil servants to be taught Cantonese were recruited in 1862, markedly improving relations.

Hong Kong entered a dark age during the Japanese Occupation of World War II, which lasted for three years and eight months. Many refugees escaped to Hong Kong fearing the new Communist government in China.

Hong Kong had been a trade port ever since the British occupation, but its position as an entrepot declined greatly after the United Nations ordered a trade embargo against the People's Republic of China as a result of the Korean War. Its position as an entrepot was revived when the Open Door Policy was adopted by the PRC in the late 1970s under Deng Xiaoping.
In the 1980s, with the lease on the New Territories running out, the British government, led by Margaret Thatcher, decided to negotiate the question of the sovereignty of Hong Kong.
Pursuant to an agreement known as the Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed by the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom on 19 December 1984, the whole territory of Hong Kong under British colonial rule became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC on 1 July 1997. In the Joint Declaration, the PRC promised that under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy proposed by Deng Xiaoping, the socialist economic system in mainland China would not be practised in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's previous capitalist system and life-style would remain unchanged for at least 50 years, or until 2047.

The Joint Declaration came into particular focus in June 1989 when the PRC authorities in Beijing moved with particular severity against "pro-democracy" demonstrators in Tiananmen Square and elsewhere in Beijing. In the (then) colony of Hong Kong there was immediate concern about Hong Kong's future, a fall in the stock market and general disquiet.

Hong Kong was transferred to the PRC at midnight on 1 July 1997, with the last governor, Chris Patten, leaving on the royal yacht. Soon after the handover in July, land values in Hong Kong collapsed substantially and expedited the burst of the bubble economy, as part of the Asian financial crisis. and the Hang Seng Index fell by over 1,500 points on 28 October 1997, losing 22.8% of its value in a week.

Hong Kong was hit badly by the outbreak of the SARS virus beginning in mid-March through the summer of 2003. This exacerbated the region's economic problems, especially in the effect that it had on travel to and from Hong Kong.
On 1 July the same year, half a million people marched in the largest protest rally ever aimed at the government of Hong Kong, voicing concerns about a proposed anti-subversion bill that would have eroded freedom of the press, of religion and of association arising from Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, as well as dissatisfaction with the poor state of the economy. Regina Ip, then Secretary for Security, and Antony Leung, then Financial Secretary, were forced to leave office in 2003 under public pressure (though Antony Leung left office for reason unrelated to the SARS and Article 23 crisis, he gave in to public pressure after his involvement in the 'Lexusgate' scandal).

On 10 March 2005, Tung Chee Hwa submitted his resignation as chief executive of Hong Kong. Donald Tsang, the Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong, served as Acting Chief Executive until 25 May, when he, too, resigned to take part in the campaign for the new Chief Executive election.

Politics and government

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is headed by its Chief Executive, the head of government. Retrieved 14 May 2006. on 16 June 2005.

Tsang had held the post of Chief Secretary for Administration previously. he will finish the remaining portion of Tung Chee Hwa's last term, which ends on 30 June 2007, according to the interpretation of Annex I and Article 46 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

The election of a new Chief Executive by the 800-member Election Committee was expected to be held on 10 July 2005. On 16 June 2005, Donald Tsang was acclaimed the winner, as the only candidate securing the required 100 nominations from members of the election committee. Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive, assumed office on 1 July 1997, following his election by a 400-member electoral college. Legislative Council elections were held on 24 May 1998, 10 September 2000, and again on 12 September 2004, with the next election scheduled for 2008. According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong's "mini-constitution", the present third term of the Legislative Council has 30 seats directly elected from geographical constituencies, and 30 seats elected from functional constituencies. The 1998, 2000 and 2004 Legislative Council elections were seen as free, open, and widely contested, despite discontent among mainly 'pro-democratic' politicians, who contended that the functional constituency elections and the Election Committee elections (for 1998 and 2000) were undemocratic, as they consider that the electorate for these seats is too narrow.

The civil service of Hong Kong maintains its quality and neutrality following its tradition in the colonial times, operating without discernible direction from Beijing. Many government and administrative operations are located in Central on Hong Kong Island near the historical location of Victoria City, the site of the original British settlements.

The right of abode issue sparked debates in 1999, while the controversy over Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 was the focus of politics in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2003, culminating in a peaceful mass demonstration (over 500,000 demonstrators) on 1 July 2003, after which the government still tried to pass the law to the Legislative Council. Retrieved 27 May 2006. to the issue Third annual report by the European Commission on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of universal suffrage towards the end of 2003 and in 2004, which was the slogan of another mass demonstration on 1 July 2004.

On 24 September 2005, 25 Hong Kong pro-democracy Legco members, some of whom were previously labelled as traitors by Beijing after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown and barred from entering the mainland, crossed the border into the southern province of Guangdong, following an unprecedented invitation by the PRC "Hong Kong democrats visit China", ABC News Online, September 25, 2005. The invitation was generally regarded as one of the greatest goodwill gestures from the PRC to the Hong Kong democrats since the Tiananmen Square massacre.

On 4 December 2005, a demonstration was organised by the Civil Human Rights Front and pro-democracy lawmakers to demand a timetable for universal suffrage to be included in political reform proposals for the 2007 and 2008 elections for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council respectively. On 22 December 2005, the reforms, proposed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, were defeated by the pro-democracy camp after they failed to reach the necessary two-third threshold with 34 votes in favour and 24 opposed. The defeat also did little to blunt Tsang's popularity, with his approval ratings only dropping from 82 to 79% in the wake of the vote.

After the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong maintains its own delegation but changes its designation from "Hong Kong" to "Hong Kong, China" in most international organizations, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and to international sporting events, such as the Olympic Games. --> and the diplomatic relations of Hong Kong are the responsibilities of the Central People's Government in Beijing.

Legal system and judiciary

In contrast to mainland China's civil law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the common law tradition established by British colonial rule. Article 84 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong allows Hong Kong's courts to refer to decisions (precedents) rendered by courts of other common law jurisdictions. Articles 82 and 92 allow invite judges from other common law jurisdictions to participate in proceedings of Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal and sit as Hong Kong judges.

Structurally, Hong Kong's court system consists of the Court of Final Appeal which replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the High Court, which is made up of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance, and the District Court, which includes the Family Court. The Basic Law of Hong Kong is subject to interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC:SC) and this power has been invoked three times: the right of abode issue, an interpretation regarding post-2008 election procedures, and an interpretation regarding the length of the term of the Chief Executive.

As in England, lawyers in Hong Kong are classified as either barristers or solicitors, where one can choose to practice as either one but not both (but it is possible to switch from one to an other and vice-versa ). The vast majority of lawyers are solicitors, who are licensed and regulated by the Law Society of Hong Kong. Barristers, on the other hand, are licensed and regulated by the Hong Kong Bar Association. Only barristers are allowed to appear in the Court of Final Appeal and the High Court. Just as the common law system is maintained, so are British courtroom customs such as the wearing of robes and wigs by both judges and lawyers.

Geography

Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. The Kowloon Peninsula is attached to the New Territories in the north, and the New Territories are in turn connected to mainland China across the Sham Chun River (Shenzhen River). In total, Hong Kong has 236 islands in the South China Sea, of which Lantau is the largest. Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated island in the world.

The name "Hong Kong", literally meaning "fragrant harbour", is derived from the area around present-day Aberdeen and Wong Chuk Hang on Hong Kong Island, where fragrant trees were once abundant and widely exported. The body of water between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula is Victoria Harbour, one of the deepest natural maritime ports in the world. The highest point in the territory is Tai Mo Shan, at a height of 958 metres (3,142 ft). Lowlands exist in the northwestern part of the New Territories.

Hong Kong is 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of Macau, on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta and borders the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province.

Climate

Hong Kong's climate is subtropical and prone to monsoons. It is cool and dry in the wintertime which lasts from around January to March, and is hot, humid and rainy from spring through summer. The territory is situated south of the Tropic of Cancer which is approximate to Hawaii in latitude.

Administrative divisions

Hong Kong consists of 18 administrative districts:

1. Islands
   
2. Kwai Tsing (Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi)
   
3. North
   
4. Sai Kung
   
5. Sha Tin
   
6. Tai Po
   
7. Tsuen Wan
   
8. Tuen Mun
   
9. Yuen Long
   
10. Kowloon City
    
11. Kwun Tong
    
12. Sham Shui Po
    
13. Wong Tai Sin
    
14. Yau Tsim Mong (Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok)
    
15. Central and Western
    
16. Eastern
    
17. Southern
    
18. Wan Chai
    

There are several cities and towns within Hong Kong, the largest of which include Kowloon, Victoria (Hong Kong Island), Tseun Wan New Town, and Sha Tin New Town. Economists fear that this will severely harm tourists' shopping and local consumer spending"www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6559
It is the world's 11th largest trading entity and 13th largest banking centre."About Hong Kong", Government Information Centre It has a laissez-faire capitalist system, which according to the Index of Economic Freedom and the Economic Freedom of the World Report is the freest economy on earth. It has one of the world's most liberal economies and is a major international centre of finance and trade. (Even New York City, host of the United Nations, has only 93 consulates.)

The objective of Hong Kong's monetary policy is to maintain currency stability. Given the highly externally-oriented nature of the economy, this objective was further defined as a stable external value for the Hong Kong dollar in terms of a linked exchange rate against the US dollar at the rate of approximately HK$7.80 to one United States dollar until 2005, when it was allowed to trade within a band of HK$7.75–$7.85.

Hong Kong has limited natural resources, and most food and raw materials must be imported. In fact, imports and exports (including re-exports) exceed the GDP of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has extensive trade and investment ties with the People's Republic of China which existed even before the handover on 1 July 1997. Retrieved 27 May 2006. The territory, with a highly sophisticated banking sector and good communication links, hosts the Asian headquarters of many multinational corporations.

At USD $37,400 www.photius.com/rankings/economy/gdp_per_capita_2006_0.html in 2006, the real per capita GDP of Hong Kong is somewhat higher than that of the four big economies of western Europe which is around USD $30,000.
To further increase economic co-operation between Hong Kong and the mainland, the Individual Visit Scheme was started on 28 July 2003, which allows travellers from some cities in mainland China to visit Hong Kong without an accompanying tour group. In addition, Hong Kong's 68-month-long deflationary spiral, the longest and highest deflation Guinness World Records: Lowest Inflation INACTIVE 27 May 2006 according to Guinness World Records, ended in mid-2004, with consumer price inflation hovering at near zero levels.

Along with Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, ROC, Hong Kong's fast-paced industrialisation earned it a place as one of the four original East Asian Tigers.

Hong Kong enjoys low rates of both personal and corporate taxation. About 96% of Hong Kong's population are of Chinese descent, the majority of which are Cantonese. Since the British handover to China, a new group of immigrants from mainland China have increased the ethnic diversity of the Chinese population and intensified the usage of Mandarin in the territory, in addition to the indirect effects of closer communication with mainland China, where Mandarin is the official language.

The remaining 4% of the population is composed of non-ethnic Chinese, who form a highly visible group (see Lan Kwai Fong and Tai-Pan) despite their small numbers, and other foreign nationals.

Among these is a significant South Asian population, which includes some of Hong Kong's wealthiest families. Some Nepalis residing in Hong Kong are Gurkhas who, along with their families and descendants, chose to stay after their service to Britain. More than 15,000 Vietnamese, who came to Hong Kong as refugees, have become permanent residents, the majority of whom survive on casual work. Around 130,000 Filipinos work in Hong Kong as domestic helpers and housekeepers, often known locally as amahs, or feiyungs, with other such workers coming from Thailand and Indonesia. There are also a number of Europeans, North Americans, Japanese, and Koreans, largely working in Hong Kong's financial sector.
The top three sources of migration to Hong Kong are the Philippines (132,770), Indonesia (95,460), and the United States (31,330).

Hong Kong is the fifth largest metropolitan area of the PRC by population. Hiking and camping are popular outdoor activities in Hong Kong's hilly country parks. The irregular and long coastline of Hong Kong also provides many bays and fine beaches for its inhabitants.

Education

A former British colony, Hong Kong's education system is roughly based upon that of the United Kingdom, and in particular, the system used in England. There are eight public universities in Hong Kong, and a number of private higher institutions.

Hong Kong's public schools are operated by the Education and Manpower Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=4369&langno=1

The system features a non-compulsory three-year kindergarten, followed by a compulsory six-year primary education, three-year junior secondary education; a non-compulsory two-year senior secondary education leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations and a two-year matriculation course leading to the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examinations. There are also tertiary institutions offering various Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas, and associate degree courses.

Most comprehensive schools in Hong Kong fall under three categories: government schools (rare), subsidised schools and private schools. Subsidised schools are by far the most common type, and include government-aided and grant schools, run by charitable organisations often with religious affiliations (mostly Christian, but Buddhist, Taoist, Islamic and Confucian as well). This is reflected in all aspects of the culture, but especially in its shopping, nightlife, and dining.

A popular destination for shoppers from around the world, Hong Kong has everything to offer from the latest European fashion to traditional Chinese wares. The largest concentration of these shops is along Bonham Strand and Bonham Strand West in Sheung Wan, where all types of pills, plants, and dried animals are for sale.
Hong Kong has an active nightlife centred on two major entertainment districts, Lan Kwai Fong (Central) and Wanchai. Western-style theatre and various forms of traditional Chinese opera co-exist on local stages.

The world famous Hong Kong International Dragonboat Festival, now known as the Circus Capital Stanley Dragon Boat Championships, is a celebration of community that is televised globally.

Religion

Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of religious freedom, a right enshrined and protected through its constitutional document, the Basic Law. The majority of Hong Kong's population practices ancestor worship due to the strong Confucian influence. Interestingly, it is not uncommon for living room to have a Crucifix as well as a Bhudda statue.

offerings are burnt in respect.

With the transfer of Hong Kong to the PRC, there were significant concerns over religious freedom in Hong Kong. So far, this has proved mostly unfounded - despite the banning of the Falun Gong movement by Beijing in 1999, adherents are still free to practice in Hong Kong. Similarly, the Catholic Church is free to appoint its own bishops in Hong Kong, unlike on mainland China, where the only approved 'Catholic' institution is the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which bishops and priests are appointed by Beijing (though there is also an unofficial and illegal part of the Catholic church that maintains contact with the Vatican). A significant issue in the normalisation of ties between the PRC and the Vatican is Beijing's insistence that the Vatican drops its diplomatic ties with the ROC.

Although freedom of religion remains true in Hong Kong, it remains a volatile issue for many, as any threat will have lasting implications for the perceived freedoms in Hong Kong.

Architecture

Due to the creative destruction so endemic to Hong Kong over the past 50 years, few historical buildings remain in Hong Kong. In Kowloon, which once included the anarchistic settlement called the Kowloon Walled City, strict height restrictions were in force until Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998, but these restrictions have now been lifted, and several new skyscrapers in Kowloon are being planned. Hong Kong's best-known building is arguably Ieoh Ming Pei's Bank of China Tower, completed in 1990 and now Hong Kong's third tallest skyscraper. Both banks' buildings are featured on many of Hong Kong's banknotes.

The tallest building in Hong Kong is Two International Finance Centre. One of the largest construction projects in Hong Kong and the world was the new Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok near Lantau, a huge land reclamation project linked to the centre of Hong Kong by the Lantau Link, which features three new major bridges: Tsing Ma, the world's sixth largest suspension bridge;

Transport

Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public and private transport. The Octopus card stored value smart card payment system can be used to pay for fares on almost all railways, buses and ferries in Hong Kong. All parking meters in Hong Kong accept payment by Octopus card only, and Octopus card payment can be made at various car parks.

Hong Kong Island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, and sometimes unusual methods of transport have been devised to ease movement up and down the slopes. In Central and Western district there is an extensive system of escalators and moving sidewalks, including the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, the Mid-levels Escalator.

Hong Kong has several different modes of public rail transport. The two metro systems for the city are the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) and KCR which acts as a link between Hong Kong and mainland China (KCR also operates a light rail system in northwest New Territories). The tramway system covers the northern parts of Hong Kong Island and is the only tram system in the world run exclusively by double deckers.

Five separate companies operate franchised public bus services in Hong Kong. They are now used almost exclusively in Hong Kong, just as in Dublin and London. the rest are still diesel operated.

" ferries are licensed to serve remote coastal settlements.

Hong Kong has one active international airport, known as Hong Kong International Airport located at Chek Lap Kok. After dreadful delays in the cargo systems in the first few months, the airport now serves as a transport hub for Southeast Asia, and as the hub for Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair, Air Hong Kong and Hong Kong Express. Additionally, both Hong Kong International Airport and Cathay Pacific Airways have been voted best in the world, in the airport and airline criteria respectively, by Skytrax from 2001 to 2005. The recent opening of Sunny Bay Station of the MTR allows easy access to the Disneyland Resort.

While the traffic in mainland China drives on the right, Hong Kong still maintains its own road rules, with traffic continuing to drive on the left. Before the British handover to PRC sovereignty, defence were provided by the British military, who stationed soldiers in barracks throughout Hong Kong, including the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. Its finance was supported by the Hong Kong Government.

The People's Republic of China Central People's Government (CPG) assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on 1 July 1997 and stationed a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to manage its defence affairs. The Hong Kong Garrison, composed of ground, naval, and air forces, is under the command of the Chinese Central Military Commission. The garrison subsequently opened its barracks on Stonecutters Island and Chek Chu to the public to promote understanding and trust between the troops and residents.

Under British rule, ethnic Chinese Hong Kong residents (and other Hong Kong residents) were able to join the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong.

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