Map of Hong Kong | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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 the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement China promised that under its 'one country two systems' formula China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.


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Location: Eastern Asia bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N 114 10 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 1104 km²
Rank: 184
Land: 1054 km²
Water: 50 km²
Comparative: six times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 30 km
Regional border: China 30 km

Coastline: 733 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: subtropical 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor feldspar

Land use
Arable land: 5.05%
Permanent crops: 1.01%
Other: 93.94% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA; note - included in the total for China (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Geography
Note: composed of more than 200 islands


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Population: 7,122,508 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 99
Growth rate: 0.448% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 152
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
Adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95% Filipino 1.6% Indonesian 1.3% other 2.1% (2006 census)

Languages: Cantonese (official) 90.8% English (official) 2.8% Putonghua (Mandarin) 0.9% other Chinese dialects 4.4% other 1.1% (2006 census)

Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions 90% Christian 10%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 11.6%
15-64 years: 74.8% (male 2,573,929/female 2,757,095)
65 years and over: 13.5% (male 452,278/female 512,580) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 43.4 years
Male: 42.8 years
Female: 43.8 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.448% (2011 est.)
Rank: 152

Birth rate: 7.49 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 219

Death rate: 7.07 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 130

Net migration rate: 4.06 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 24

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
International agreements party to: Marine Dumping Ship Pollution (associate member)

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.075 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.9 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 217
Male: 3.08 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.71 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.04 years
Rank: 8
Male: 79.32 years
Female: 84.97 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.07 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 221

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2003 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 129
People living with hivaids: 2,600 (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 131
Deaths: fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 106

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.5% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 80

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 93.5%
Male: 96.9%
Female: 89.6% (2002)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years (2009)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Conventional short form: Hong Kong
Official long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
Official short form: Xianggang
Abbreviation: HK

Government type: limited democracy

Capital

Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region of China)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday: 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

Constitution: The Basic Law approved March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's charter

Legal system: mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage:

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of China HU Jintao
Head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 24 June 2005)
Cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo consists of 15 official members and 14 non-official members
Elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by a 800-member electoral committee; election last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2012)
Note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the electoral committee to 1200 seats for the 2012 election
Election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive in 2007 receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG Kah-kit received 15.9%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (60 seats; 30 members indirectly elected by functional constituencies 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
Note: the LegCo voted in June 2010 to expand to 70 seats for the 2012 election; the measure was approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee in August 2010; the 10 new seats will be elected by popular vote
Elections: last held on 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 57%; pro-Beijing 40% independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35) DAB 13 Liberal Party 7 FTU 1 others 14; (pro-democracy 23) Democratic Party 8 Civic Party 5 CTU 3 League of Social Democrats 3 ADPL 2 The Frontier 1 NWSC 1; others 11; independents 2

Judicial branch: Court of Final Appeal High Court (Court of Appeal and the Court of the First Instance) district courts magistrates' courts and other special courts

Political parties and leaders
Parties: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [LIU Sung Lee]; Civic Party [LEONG Ka-kit]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; League of Social Democrats or LSD; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU Kin-yee]; New People's Party [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]; People Power [Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; The Frontier
Others: Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU; Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC
Note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL Civic Party Democratic Party League of Social Democrats People Power; pro-Beijing - DAB Liberal Party New People's Party The Professional Forum (an informal group of three generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from functional constituencies and one independent elected from a geographic constituency) and Economic Synergy; there is no political party ordinance so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

International organization participation: ADB APEC BIS FATF ICC IHO IMF IMO (associate) Interpol (subbureau) IOC ISO (correspondent) ITUC UNWTO (associate) UPU WCO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities
In the us representative: Donald TONG
In the us office: 1520 18th Street NW Washington DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] 202 331-8,947
In the us fax: [1] 202 331-0318
In the us hketo offices: New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Consul General Stephen M. YOUNG
From the us consulate general: 26 Garden Road Hong Kong
From the us mailing address: PSC 461 Box 1 FPO AP 96,521-0006
From the us telephone: [852] 2,523-9,011
From the us fax: [852] 2,845-1598

Flag description: red with a stylized white five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small red five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

National symbols: orchid tree flower

National anthem
Note: as a Special Administrative Region of China 'Yiyonggjun Jinxingqu' is the official anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade including the sizable share of re-exports is about four times GDP. Hong Kong's open economy left it exposed to the global economic slowdown but its increasing integration with China through trade tourism and financial links helped it recover more quickly than many observers anticipated. The Hong Kong government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the site for Chinese renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts; RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong; and RMB trade settlement is allowed. The territory far exceeded the RMB conversion quota set by Beijing for trade settlements in 2010 due to the growth of earnings from exports to the mainland. RMB deposits grew to roughly 4.6% of total system deposits in Hong Kong by the end of 2010 an increase of over 392% since the beginning of the year. The government is pursuing efforts to introduce additional use of RMB in Hong Kong financial markets and is seeking to expand the RMB quota for 2011. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner accounting for about half of Hong Kong's exports by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 22.5 million in 2010 outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2010 mainland Chinese companies constituted about 19% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for 62% of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland its service industry has grown rapidly and in 2009 accounted for more than 90% of the territory's GDP. GDP growth averaged a strong 3.8% from 1989 to 2010. Hong Kong's GDP fell in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis but a recovery began in third quarter 2009 and the economy grew nearly 6.8% in 2010. The Hong Kong government adopted several temporary fiscal policy support measures in response to the crisis that it may discontinue if strong growth is sustained. Credit expansion and tight housing supply conditions caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly in 2010 and some lower income segments of the population are increasingly unable to afford adequate housing. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 37
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 40

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 13
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0%
Industry: 7.4%
Services: 92.5% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: fresh vegetables; poultry pork; fish

Industries: textiles clothing tourism banking shipping electronics plastics toys watches clocks

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2010 est.)
Rank: 105

Labor force: 3.676 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 93
By occupation manufacturing: 4.7%
By occupation construction: 2.2%
By occupation wholesale and retail trade restaurants and hotels: 41.7%
By occupation financing insurance and real estate: 12%
By occupation transport and communications: 6.3%
By occupation community and social services: 17%
By occupation note: above data exclude public sector (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 39

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index: 53.3 (2007)
Rank: 15

Budget
Revenues: $45.4 billion
Expenditures: $38.94 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 2.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 18

Taxes and other revenues: 20.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 157

Public debt: 37.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 114

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.6% (2009 est.)
Rank: 72

Central bank discount rate: 0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 138

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 162

Stock of narrow money: $75.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 35

Stock of broad money: $846.5 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 18

Stock of domestic credit: $351 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 27

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 6

Current account balance: $17.96 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 21

Exports: $321.8 billion (2009)
Rank: 12
Commodities: electrical machinery and appliances textiles apparel footwear watches and clocks toys plastics precious stones printed material
Partners: China 52.7% US 11% Japan 4.2% (2010 est.)

Imports: $348.7 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 9
Commodities: raw materials and semi-manufactures consumer goods capital goods foodstuffs fuel (most is reexported)
Partners: China 45.1% Japan 9.6% Taiwan 7.6% Singapore 4.8% US 4.7% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $255.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 10

Debt external: $750.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 16

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $936.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 3

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $832.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 6

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 38.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 57
Consumption: 42.64 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 50
Exports: 2.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports: 12.26 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 195
Consumption: 4.02 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 64
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 112
Imports: 4.02 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 35
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 147

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.345 million (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 37
Mobile cellular: 13.416 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 54

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; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia US Australia the Middle East and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou China

Broadcast media: 2 commercial terrestrial television networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems are available; 3 radio networks one of which is government-funded operate about 15 radio stations (2010)

Internet
Country code: .hk
Hosts: 817,701 (2010)
Hosts rank: 45
Users: 4.873 million (2009)
Users rank: 47

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: NA

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 (2010)
Rank: 201
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports: 9 (2010)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,067 km
Rank: 172
Paved: 2,067 km (2010)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1429
Rank: 5
By type: barge carrier 2 bulk carrier 629 cargo 177 carrier 11 chemical tanker 134 container 274 liquefied gas 37 passenger 4 passenger/cargo 9 petroleum tanker 139 roll on/roll off 5 vehicle carrier 8
Foreign owned: 855 (Belgium 16 Bermuda 12 Canada 70 China 432 Cyprus 3 Denmark 41 France 3 Germany 10 Greece 22 Indonesia 8 Iran 1 Japan 84 Libya 1 Norway 49 Russia 1 Singapore 13 South Korea 3 Taiwan 26 UAE 2 UK 27 US 31)
Note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state
Registered in other countries: 297 (Bahamas 2 Bermuda 5 Cambodia 11 China 15 Cyprus 2 Georgia 4 Honduras 1 India 1 Kiribati 1 Liberia 47 Malaysia 8 Malta 2 Marshall Islands 3 former Netherlands Antilles 1 NZ 1 Panama 125 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 Seychelles 1 Sierra Leone 4 Singapore 38 Thailand 1 Tuvalu 1 UK 8 unknown 11) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Hong Kong


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: despite strenuous law enforcement efforts faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of s