Map of Hong Kong | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its 'one country, two systems' formula, China's socialist economic and strict political 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. After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 1,108 km²
Land: 1,073 km²
Water: 35 km²
Comparative: six times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 33 km
Regional borders (1): China 33 km

Coastline: 733 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 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
Highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 0% (2022 est.)
Other: 96.2% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Geography
Note: consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and over 200 islands


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Population
Total: 7,297,821 (2024 est.)
Male: 3,367,812
Female: 3,930,009
Distribution: population fairly evenly distributed
Growth rate: 0.12% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, other 2%, persons under 5 or mute 3.2% (2021 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; 世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: data represent population by usual spoken language

Religions: Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.)
Note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.2% (male 505,718/female 459,956)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 2,123,216/female 2,609,102)
65 years and over: 21.9% (2024 est.) (male 738,878/female 860,951)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 54.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 20.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 33.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 47.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 45.3 years
Female: 48.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.12% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 7.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: population fairly evenly distributed

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 7.685 million Hong Kong (2023)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.81 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 84 years (2024 est.)
Male: 81.3 years
Female: 86.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.24 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: NA
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 3.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 3.5% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.8% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 4.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: mixed system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure); China's imposition of National Security Law incorporates elements of Chinese civil law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)
Head of government: Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu (since 1 July 2022)
Cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive
Election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: president: 10 March 2023
Chief executive: 2,027
2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee
2017: Carrie LAM elected; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast)
Expected date of next election: president: March 2,028
Note: electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Legislative Council or LegCo
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 90
Electoral system: 20 members directly elected; 70 members indirectly elected
Scope of elections: full
Most recent election date: 7 December 2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) 20, Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Unions (HKFTU) 8, Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA) 7, Liberal (LP) 4, New People's Party (NPP) 3, Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) 2, Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions (HKFLU) 2, Professional Power (PP) 1, Roundtable (RT) 1, New Territories Association of Societies (NTAS) 1, Kowloon West New Dynamic (KWND) 1, Independents 40
Expected date of next election: December 2,029
Note: all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), which was established in April 2022; CERC members are all appointed by the chief executive

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: red with a stylized white Bauhinia flower with five petals in the center of the flag; each petal has a tiny five-pointed red star with a fine red line curving toward the center of the flower

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Yiyongjun Jinxingqu' (The March of the Volunteers)
Lyrics/music: TIAN Han/NIE Er
History: official anthem, as a Special Administrative Region of China

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.5% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); -3.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 2.5% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); -3.7% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 67.4% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 12.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 16.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.5% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 181.7% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -177.7% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0% (2023 est.)
Industry: 6.3% (2023 est.)
Services: 91.4% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

Industries: trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.836 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 4.4% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.8% (2024 est.); 3% (2023 est.); 4.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $70.124 billion (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $105.849 billion (2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $739.915 billion (2024 est.); $673.738 billion (2023 est.); $697.583 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, integrated circuits, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $723.397 billion (2024 est.); $671.492 billion (2023 est.); $682.881 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, gold, machine parts, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 13.3 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 45.54 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 11.593 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.684 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 5.567 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 16,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 5.884 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 96 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 233,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 5.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 5.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 58.433 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 12.935 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 35.453 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 10.045 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 116.811 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3.487 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 23.8 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 292 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 2.97 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 40 (2023 est.)


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Military expenditures

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 (2025)

Heliports: 142 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 2,537 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 1,047, container ship 560, general cargo 144, oil tanker 394, other 392

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs