Facts About Hong Kong

Here you can read more facts about Hong Kong. From population, economy, to the govenment, language, history, etc.

Hong Kong Population:

Hong Kong's population was approximately 6.92 million in 2007. People of Chinese descent comprise the vast majority of the population, with foreign nationals comprising 5%.

• Population density: 6 410 people per square kilometre
  
• Crude birth rate: 10.01 per 1000 (provisional figure)
  
• Percentage of population Chinese descent: 95%
  
• Hong Kong Population Density: 6181.2 per sq km.

Economy:

Hong Kong's economy is characterised by free trade, low taxation and minimum government intervention. It is the world's 12th largest trading economy, with the mainland of China as its most significant trading partner. Hong Kong is also a major service economy, with particularly strong links to mainland China and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

• Currency: Hong Kong dollar
• GDP: HK$1,612.6 billion (2007)
• GDP per capita: HK$232,836 (2007)
• Real GDP growth: 6.3% (2007)
• Labour force: 3.64 million

Geography:

Hong Kong is located in East Asia, just south of the Tropic of Cancer. Hong Kong Island is 32km (20 miles) east of the mouth of Pearl River and 135km (84 miles) southeast of Canton. It is separated from the mainland by a good natural harbour.

• Total area: 1,104 square kilometres
• Land developed: less than 25%
• Country parks and nature reserves: 40%

Basic Facts about the Government:

Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China since 1997. Following British rule from 1842 to 1997, China assumed sovereignty under the 'one country, two systems' principle.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's constitutional document, the Basic Law, ensures that the current political situation will remain in effect for 50 years. The rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong are based on the impartial rule of law and an independent judiciary.

• Head of Government: Chief Executive
• Cabinet: Executive Council
• Legislature: Legislative Council, 60 seats
• Highest Court: Court of Final Appeal

Hong Kong Weather Facts

Hong Kong's climate is sub-tropical, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in winter and exceeding 31 degrees Celsius in summer. It is warm, sunny and dry in autumn, cool and dry in winter, and hot, humid and rainy from spring to summer. Hong Kong Observatory Website

• Average annual rainfall: 2 214.3 mm
• Wettest month: August
• Driest month: January
• Winter: January-March
• Summer: July-September

Hong Kong Language:

Chinese and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. English is widely used in the Government and by the legal, professional and business sectors. Trilingual professionals who speak English, Cantonese and Putonghua play a vital role in the numerous enterprises trading in Hong Kong or doing business with mainland China and Taiwan.

• Cantonese speakers: 88.7% of population
  
• Putonghua speakers: 1.1% of population
  
• Other Chinese dialect speakers: 5.8% of population
  
• English speakers: 3.1% of population
  
• Other language speakers: 1.3% of population

Hong Kong Religion:

Buddhism, from India, and Taoism and Confucianism from China. Not unlike other Asian countries with these religions, there is ancestral worship as a way of honoring the dead ancestors. Hong Kong also has representation of almost all the main religions in the world.

History of Hong Kong

For thousands of years, Hong Kong was a small fishing village. In 1842, Qing Dynasty's army lost Hong Kong Island to Great Britain after they were defeated in the first Opium War.

In 1860 Qing Dynasty's army were defeated in the second Opium War and the whole Hong Kong was occupied by Britain. In 1970s, Hong Kong's economy developed rapidly. On July 1st, 1997, Britain returned Hong Kong to China.

Hong Kong Time:

GMT + 8. (Check out the current time here)

Hong Kong Electricity:

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Hong Kong Telephone:

Directory enquiries services are computerised. For directory enquiries, dial 1081 (English) or 1083 (Chinese). Full IDD is available.

• Country code: 852.
• Outgoing international code: 001.
• Local public telephone calls can be made either with phonecards or coins. Local calls are free from private phones.

Hong Kong Mobile Telephones:

GSM 900 and 1800 networks provide excellent coverage, even to most of the smaller outlying islands. Mobile telephones also function all over the underground network, thanks to transmitters installed in the tunnels. Main network operators include New World Mobility, New World Mobility, Peoples Telephone Co Ltd, SmarTone Mobile Comms Ltd and Sunday.

Hong Kong Fax:

HK Telecom International Ltd and the post office provide services. Bureaufax and international services are also available.

Hong Kong Internet:

ISPs include ABC Net, HKNet and Hong Kong Internet Service . Internet cafes are plentiful nationwide.

Hong Kong Post:

Regular postal services are available. Airmail to Europe takes three to five days. Poste Restante facilities are available. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800; Sat 0800-1400.

Newspapers

English-language dailies include Asian Wall Street Journal, International Herald Tribune and South China Morning Post. From sports, stock market, shopping and paparatzi entertainment, Hong Kong newspapers are the most common and popular media for local and international news. Newspapers in English, Chinese, and even Filipino.

Radio:

BBC World Service and Voice of America can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online. The Radio industry basically has three primary broadcasting corporations - Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK) which is also known as Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited, and Metro Broadcasting Corporation Limited.

Hong Kong

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