Hong Kong
| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
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Anthem: “March of the Volunteers“[1]
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| City flower Bauhinia blakeana (洋紫荊) |
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 Location of Hong Kong
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| Official languages | ||||||
| Recognised regional languages | Cantonese | |||||
| Ethnic groups | 93.6% Chinese 6.4% others |
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| Religion | 21.3% Buddhism 14.2% Taoism 11.8% Christianity 3.1% Islam 49.6% Chinese folk religion and others |
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| Demonym | ||||||
| Government | Special administrative region of China |
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| – | Chief Executive | CY Leung | ||||
| – | Chief Secretary for Administration | Carrie Lam | ||||
| – | Financial Secretary | John Tsang | ||||
| – | Secretary for Justice | Rimsky Yuen | ||||
| Legislature | Legislative Council | |||||
| History | ||||||
| – | Treaty of Nanking | 29 August 1842 | ||||
| – | Convention of Peking | 18 October 1860 | ||||
| – | Second Convention of Peking | 1 July 1898 | ||||
| – | Japanese occupation | 25 December 1941 to 15 August 1945 |
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| – | Transfer of sovereignty from the United Kingdom |
1 July 1997 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| – | Total | 1,104 km2 (179th) 426 sq mi |
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| – | Water (%) | 4.58 (50 km2; 19 mi2)[3] | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| – | 2014 estimate | 7,234,800[4] (100th) | ||||
| – | Density | 6,544[5]/km2 17,024/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2014 estimate | |||||
| – | Total | $400.607 billion[6](44th) | ||||
| – | Per capita | $55,167[6] (9th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2014 estimate | |||||
| – | Total | $292.677 billion[6](38th) | ||||
| – | Per capita | $40,304[6] (24th) | ||||
| Gini (2007) | 43.4[7] medium |
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| HDI (2013) |  0.891[8]very high · 15th |
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| Currency | Hong Kong dollar(HKD) | |||||
| Time zone | (UTC+8) | |||||
| – | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+8) | ||||
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy yyyy年mm月dd日 |
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| Drives on the | left | |||||
| Calling code | +852 | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | HK | |||||
| Internet TLD | .hk .香港 | |||||
| Hong Kong | |||
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| Chinese | 香港 | ||
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| Cantonese Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2 | ||
| Cantonese Yale | Hēunggóng | ||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Xiānggǎng | ||
| Literal meaning | Fragrant Harbour | ||
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| Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 香港特別行政區 (香港特區) | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 香港特别行政区 (香港特区) | ||
| Cantonese Jyutping | Hoeng1gong2Dak6bit6Hang4zing3Keoi1 (or Hoeng1gong2Dak6keoi1) | ||
| Hanyu Pinyin | Xiānggǎng Tèbié Xíngzhèngqū (or Xiānggǎng Tèqū) | ||
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Hong Kong districts map
Hong Kong (香港; “Fragrant Harbour”), officially known as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of thePeople’s Republic of China, is a city on the southern coast of China at the Pearl River Estuary and the South China Sea.[9] Hong Kong is well known for its expansive skyline, deep natural harbour and extreme population density(some seven million inhabitants over a land mass of 1,104 km2 (426 sq mi)).[10] The current population of Hong Kong comprises 93.6% ethnic Chinese.[5] A major part of Hong Kong’s Cantonese-speaking majority originated from the neighbouring Canton province (now Guangdong),[11] from where skilled labour fled after the communist government took over China in 1949 and subsequently purged its population during the 1960s.[12][13][14][15]
After China’s defeat in the First Opium War (1839–42) against the British Empire, Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island, followed by Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. After it was occupied by Japan during the Second World War (1941–45), the British resumed control until 30 June 1997. As a result of the negotiations between China and Britain, Hong Kong was transferred to the People’s Republic of China under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. The city became China’s first Special Administrative Region on 1 July 1997 under the principle of “one country, two systems“.[16][17]
Towards the late 1970s, Hong Kong became established as a major entrepôt between the world and China. The city has developed into a major global trade hub and financial centre, and is regarded as a world city and one of the eightAlpha+ cities. It ranked fifth on the 2014 Global Cities Index after New York City, London, Tokyo and Paris.[18] The city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, and the most severe income inequality among the advanced economies.[6] It has a high Human Development Index and is ranked highly in the Global Competitiveness Report.[19] Hong Kong is the third most important financial centre after New York and London.[20] The service economy, characterised by low taxation and free trade, has been regarded as one of the world’s most laissez-faireeconomic policies, and the currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the 13th most traded currency in the world.[21]
Limited flat land created a necessity for dense infrastructure, and the city became a centre of modern architecture, earning Hong Kong the title of the world’s most vertical city.[22][23] Hong Kong has a highly developed public transportation network and 90 percent of the population, the highest rate in the world, relies on mass transit by road or rail.[24][25] Air pollution remains a serious problem.[26] Loose emissions standards have resulted in a high level ofatmospheric particulates.[27]