Hong Kong

Hong Kong

area:	1071 sq km (413 sq mi)
population:	6,708,389
capital (population):	Victoria (1,035,000)
government:	Chinese/Hong Kong provisional legislature
ethnic groups:	Chinese 98%, others 2% (including Europeans)
languages:	English and Chinese (official)
religions:	Buddhism (majority), Confucism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism
currency:	Hong Kong dollar = 100 cents

(Xianggang Special Administrative Region) Former British Crown Colony off the coast of se China; the capital is Victoria on Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong comprises: Hong Kong Island, ceded to Britain by China in 1842; the mainland peninsula of Kowloon, acquired in 1860; the New Territories on the mainland, leased for 99 years in 1898; and some 230 islets in the South China Sea. The climate is sub-tropical, with hot, dry summers. In 1984, the UK and China signed a Joint Declaration in which it was agreed that China would resume sovereignity over Hong Kong in 1997. It also provided that Hong Kong would become a special administrative region, with its existing social and economic structure unchanged for 50 years. It would remain a free port. The last British governor Chris Patten (1992–97) introduced a legislative council. The handover to China completed on July 1, 1997, and Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa was sworn in and a provisional legislative council appointed. Hong Kong is a vital international financial centre with a strong manufacturing base (2000 GDP per capita, US$25,400). In 1997 the financial crisis in se Asia caused the Hang Seng index to lose half of its value. In 1998 the administration spent more than US$15.2 billion defending the Hong Kong dollar. Industries: textiles, electronic goods, cameras, toys, plastic goods, printing. Pop. (2001) 1,335,469 (Hong Kong Island); 3,343,046 (New Territories).

Political map

Websites

http://www.info.gov.hk