Statistical information Hong Kong 1989

Hong Kong in the World
top of pageBackground: Pursuant to the agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong will become a special administrative region of China on 1 July 1997. Under the terms of this agreement, China has promised that Hong Kong shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries: 30 km with China
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Terrain: hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
ElevationNatural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Land use: 7% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 12% forest and woodland; 79% other; includes 3% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: defense is the responsibility of the UK
top of pagePopulation: 5,709,330 (July 1989), growth rate 1.0% (1989)
Nationality: adjective - Hong Kong
Ethnic groups: 98% Chinese, 2% other
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English
Religions: 90% eclectic mixture of local religions, 10% Christian
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 13 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: more than 200 islands; occasional typhoons
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 6 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 75 years male, 81 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 1.4 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 75%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: none; abbreviated HK
Government type: colony of the UK; scheduled to revert to China in 1997
Capital: Victoria
Administrative divisions: none (colony of the UK)
Dependent areasIndependence: none (colony of the UK; the UK signed an agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition
National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 August (1945)
Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Legal system: based on English common law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: over 21 years for Urban Council, Regional Council, and District Boards; limited to about 71,000 professionals of electoral college and functional constituencies
Executive branch: Chief of State - Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952; Head of Government - Governor Sir David Clive WILSON (since 9 April 1987; Chief Secretary Sir David Robert FORD (since NA February 1987)
Legislative branch: Headquarters of British Forces, Gurkha Field Forces, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police Force
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ADB, ESCAP (associate member), GATT, IMO, INTERPOL, Multifiber Arrangement, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: as a British colony, Hong Kong interests in the US are represented by the UK; US - Consul General Donald M. ANDERSON; Consulate General at 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong (mailing address is Box 30, Hong Kong, or FPO San Francisco 96,659-0002; telephone Õ852å (5) 239,011
Flag description
: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the shield
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Hong Kong has a free-market economy and is autonomous in financial affairs. Natural resources are limited and food and raw materials must be imported. Manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, accounting for more than 20% of GDP, employing 36% of the labor force, and exporting about 90% of output. In 1986 real GDP rose by 8.7%, a sharp rebound from the 0.6% of 1985, largely because of increased exports. The unemployment rate, which has been declining over the past four years, reached a new low of 2% in 1987. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: minor role in the economy; rice, vegetables, dairy products; less than 20% self-sufficient; shortages of rice, wheat, water
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: 16.4% (1987)
Labor force:
2,640,000; 35.8% manufacturing; 22.7% wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotel, 17.1%
services, 7.5% construction, 8.4% transport and communications, 6.1% financing, insurance, and real estate (1986)
Unemployment rate: 1.8% (1987)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: $5.7 billion (FY88)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $48.5 billion (f.o.b., 1987), including reexports of $22.9 billion
Commodities: clothing, textile yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys
Partners: US 31%, China 14%, FRG 8%, UK 6%, Japan 5%
Imports: $48.5 billion (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum
Partners: China 31%, Japan 20%, Taiwan 9%, US 8%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $9.6 billion (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.800 (March 1989), 7.810 (1988), 7.760 (1987), 7.795 (1986), 7.811 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 7,775,000 kW capacity; 22,000 million kWh produced, 3,890 kWh per capita (1988)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $293.3 million, 4.3% of central government budget (FY88)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 2 total; 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 158 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 5,005,332 GRT/8,500,466 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 11 cargo, 8 refrigerated cargo, 16 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 15 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 5 chemical tanker, 10 combination ore/oil, 6 liquefied gas, 82 bulk, 1 specialized bulk; note - ships registered in Hong Kong fly the UK flag and an estimated 500 Hong Kong-owned ships are registered elsewhere
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: scheduled to become a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs