Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
formerly a Crown Colony on the coast of southern China in Guangdong province;
leased by China to Britain in 1842 and returned in 1997;
one of the world's leading commercial centers;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Hong Kong
n 1: formerly a Crown Colony on the coast of southern China in
Guangdong province; leased by China to Britain in 1842 and
returned in 1997; one of the world's leading commercial
centers
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Hong Kong
Introduction Hong Kong
----------------------
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.
Geography Hong Kong
-------------------
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South
China Sea and China
Geographic coordinates: 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
Area - comparative: six times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 30 km
border countries: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime claims: 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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor,
feldspar
Land use: arable land: 5.05%
other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.01%
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: air and water pollution from rapid
urbanization
Environment - international party to: Marine Dumping (associate
agreements: member), Ship Pollution (associate
member)
Geography - note: more than 200 islands
People Hong Kong
----------------
Population: 7,303,334 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.5% (male 679,311;
female 599,811)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,587,509;
female 2,641,418)
65 years and over: 10.9% (male
364,864; female 430,421) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.26% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 10.92 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 6.11 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 7.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.8 years
female: 82.69 years (2002 est.)
male: 77.1 years
Total fertility rate: 1.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.06% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 2,500 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese
Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%
Religions: eclectic mixture of local religions
90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Chinese (Cantonese), English; both
are official
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever
attended school
total population: 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
Government Hong Kong
--------------------
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
Dependency status: special administrative region of
China
Government type: NA
Administrative divisions: none (special administrative region
of China)
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: Basic Law approved in March 1990 by
China's National People's Congress
is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 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
Executive branch: chief of state: President of China
JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993)
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 Antony LEUNG
(since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of
Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July
1997)
elections: NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or
LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly
elected by functional
constituencies, 24 elected by
popular vote, and 6 elected by an
800-member election committee;
members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September
2000 (next to be held NA 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
Judicial branch: The Court of Final Appeal in the
Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region
Political parties and leaders: 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 [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing,
chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin
LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier
Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing,
chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association
for Democracy and People's
Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong
Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU
Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James
TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New
Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai,
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
Political pressure groups and Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
leaders: (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) [LEE Chark-tim,
president]; 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]
International organization APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC, ESCAP
participation: (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO
(associate), Interpol (subbureau),
IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO,
WToO (associate), WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region
of China)
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Consul General
US: Michael KLOSSON
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden
Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30,
FPO AP 96522-0002
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598
Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-
petal bauhinia flower in the center
Economy Hong Kong
-----------------
Economy - overview: Hong Kong has a bustling free market
economy highly dependent on
international trade. Natural
resources are limited, and food and
raw materials must be imported.
Indeed, 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. Per capita GDP compares
with the level in the four big
economies of Western Europe. GDP
growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-
97. The widespread Asian economic
difficulties in 1998 hit this trade-
dependent economy quite hard, with
GDP down 5%. The economy, with
growth of 10% in 2000, recovered
rapidly from the Asian financial
crisis. The recent global downturn
has badly hurt Hong Kong's exports
and GDP growth is estimated to be 0%
in 2001. Private sector analysts
project 2002 GDP growth to be 1.8%.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $180
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,000
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 14.3%
services: 85.6% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): -1.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 3.44 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: wholesale and retail trade,
restaurants, and hotels 31%,
financing, insurance, and real
estate 13%, community and social
services 11%, manufacturing 7%,
transport and communications 6%,
construction 2%, other 30% (2001
est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.2% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $22.9 billion
expenditures: $24.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$465 million (FY00/01)
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism,
banking, shipping, electronics,
plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial production growth rate: -9% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 29.449 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 35,401.57 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 1.181 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 9.195 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: fresh vegetables; poultry, fish,
pork
Exports: $191 billion (including reexports;
f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: clothing, textiles, footwear,
electrical appliances, watches and
clocks, toys, plastics, precious
stones
Exports - partners: China 34%, US 23%, Japan 6%, Germany
4%, UK 4%, Taiwan 3%, Singapore 2%
(2000)
Imports: $203 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw
materials, semimanufactures,
petroleum, plastics, machinery,
electrical equipment; a large share
is reexported
Imports - partners: China 43%, Japan 12%, Taiwan 8%, US
7%, South Korea 5%, Singapore 3%
(2000)
Debt - external: $58.8 billion (2001 est.)
Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Currency code: HKD
Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars per US dollar -
7.798 (January 2002), 7.7994 (2001),
7.7918 (2000), 7.7589 (1999), 7.7462
(1998), 7.7425 (1997); note - the
Hong Kong dollar is linked to the US
dollar at a rate of about 7.8 Hong
Kong dollars per US dollar
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Hong Kong
------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.839 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 3.7 million (December 1999)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern
facilities provide excellent
domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay
links and extensive fiber-optic
network
international: 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
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 4.45 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 1.84 million (1997)
Internet country code: .hk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 17 (2000)
Internet users: 3.93 million (2001)
Transportation Hong Kong
------------------------
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 (1997)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Hong Kong
Merchant marine: total: 433 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 13,539,257 GRT/22,682,757
DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk
264, cargo 38, chemical tanker 10,
combination bulk 2, container 73,
liquefied gas 8, multi-functional
large-load carrier 1, petroleum
tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 1,
short-sea passenger 1, vehicle
carrier 2
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1,
British Virgin Islands 1, China 115,
Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2,
India 8, Japan 8, Liberia 1,
Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2,
Philippines 5, Singapore 7, South
Korea 2, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom
27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002
est.)
Airports: 3 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
Heliports: 2 (2001)
Military Hong Kong
------------------
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 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,028,208 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,523,378 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching males: 47,139 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - percent of NA%
GDP:
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of
China
Transnational Issues Hong Kong
------------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: strenuous law enforcement efforts,
but faces serious 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