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Background:
|
 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. |
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Location:
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Eastern Asia,
bordering the South China Sea and China |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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six times the
size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 30
km
regional border: China 30 km |
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Coastline:
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733 km |
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Climate:
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tropical monsoon;
cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through
summer, warm and sunny in fall |
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Terrain:
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hilly to
mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
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Natural resources:
|
outstanding
deepwater harbor, feldspar |
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Land use:
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arable land:
5.05%
other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.01% |
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Irrigated land:
|
20 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional
typhoons |
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Environment - current issues:
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air and water
pollution from rapid urbanization |
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Environment - international agreements:
|
party to:
Marine Dumping (associate member) |
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Geography - note:
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more than 200
islands |
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Population:
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6,855,125 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
14.2% (male 510,702; female 465,145)
15-64 years: 73.3% (male 2,461,914; female 2,560,382)
65 years and over: 12.5% (male 394,697; female 462,285)
(2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
39.4 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
|
0.65% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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7.23 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
|
5.98 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
5.24 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 81.39 years
male: 78.72 years
female: 84.3 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,600 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100
(2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese 95%,
other 5% |
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Religions:
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eclectic
mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% |
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Languages:
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Chinese
(Cantonese), English; both are official |
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Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 94%
male: 97.1%
female: 90.5% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local short form: Xianggang
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
abbreviation: HK |
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Dependency status:
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special
administrative region of China |
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Government type:
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limited democracy |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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Independence:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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Basic Law
approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress
is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" |
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Legal system:
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based on English
common law |
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Suffrage:
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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 100,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from
broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
government bodies |
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Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa
(since 1 July 1997)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio
members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are:
Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001),
Financial Secretary Henry TANG (since 2 August 2003), and
Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)
elections: TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to a second term
in March 2002 by an 800-member election committee dominated by
pro-Beijing forces; the next election is scheduled to be held
in 2007 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 10 September 2000 (next to be held
in September 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5,
Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong
Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1,
independents 19 |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Final
Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee,
chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic
Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [MA Lik, chairman];
Democratic Party [YEUNG Sum, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily
LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance
[Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun,
chairman]; New Century Forum [MA Fung-kwok, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy -
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens
Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing -
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Chinese General
Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers'
Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions
(pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan,
general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
Federation of Trade Unions (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]; Liberal
Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman] |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Consul General James KEITH
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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Hong Kong has a
free market economy highly dependent on international trade.
Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must
be imported. Imports and exports, including reexports, 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 increased competitive
pressure on Hong Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's
re-export business from China is a major driver of growth. Per
capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies
of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in
1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past 6
years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the
global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy,
but 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $212.2 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.9% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $28,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
0.1%
industry: 12.9%
services: 87.1% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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-2.6% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.48 million
(2002 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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wholesale and
retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.5%, financing,
insurance, and real estate 19.5%, community and social
services 17.8%, manufacturing 8.2%, transport and
communications 7.8%, construction 2.9% (Note: above data
exclude public sector) (2002 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7.9% (2003) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$22.8 billion
expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital
expenditures of $5 billion (FY02/03) |
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Industries:
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textiles,
clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics,
toys, watches, clocks |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.7% (2003 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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30.48 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
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37.12 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.581 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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10.36 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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257,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
|
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption:
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680.9 million cu
m (2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
|
fresh vegetables,
poultry, fish, pork |
|
Exports:
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$225.9 billion
f.o.b., including reexports (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
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electrical
machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches
and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones |
|
Exports - partners:
|
China 39.3%, US
21.4%, Japan 5.4% (2002) |
|
Imports:
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$230.3 billion
(2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
electrical
machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs, transport
equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum,
plastics; a large share is reexported |
|
Imports - partners:
|
China 44.2%,
Japan 11.3%, Taiwan 7.2%, US 5.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Singapore
4.7% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
|
$61.2 billion
(2003 est.) |
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Currency:
|
Hong Kong dollar
(HKD) |
|
Currency code:
|
HKD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Hong Kong dollars
per US dollar - 7.79 (2003), 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001), 7.79
(2000), 7.76 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 April - 31
March |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
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3,831,800 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
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6,395,700 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
|
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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 7, FM 13,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
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4 (plus two
repeaters) (1997) |
|
Internet country code:
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.hk |
|
Internet hosts:
|
398,151 (2002) |
|
Internet users:
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2,918,800 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
total: 34
km
standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and
double-tracked)
note: connects to China railway system at Hong
Kong-China border (2001) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Hong Kong |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 663
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 364, cargo 78, chemical
tanker 23, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 3,
container 97, liquefied gas 20, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, petroleum tanker 60, refrigerated cargo 3, roll
on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2,
vehicle carrier 4
registered in other countries: 569 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Australia 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin
Islands 1, China 178, Cyprus 1, Denmark 3, France 2, Germany
14, Greece 4, India 9, Indonesia 2, Japan 22, South Korea 2,
Malaysia 3, Monaco 9, Norway 16, Panama 4, Philippines 17,
Singapore 22, Taiwan 3, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 22, United
States 1 |
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Airports:
|
4 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
914 to 1523 m: 1 |
|
Heliports:
|
2 (2003 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
no regular
indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's
People's Liberation Army (PLA) including 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 manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 1,878,574 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 1,404,705 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
|
males:
41,821 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
NA% (FY02) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of China |
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Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
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 a conduit
for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic
drugs, especially among young people |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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