It is one of the richest and most developed parts in the world, and one where the cost of living is one of the highest. Hong Kong grew quickly in the decades after World War II, becoming a famous world-class financial centre. Hong Kong was one of the last territories of the British Empire until 1997, when United Kingdom handed it over to China. China then promised to grant it special status for 50 years.:.
The population of Hong Kong is over seven million. The economy has rapidly grown from a trading port to a very rich city. Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world.
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 to 1997 as China surrendered the city after losing the Second Opium War. After the handover in 1997, Hong Kong became under Chinese control under special status.
Hong Kong is in a sub-tropical area, and has monsoon winds. It is cool and wet in winter (January-March), hot and rainy from spring through summer (April-September), and warm, sunny and dry in the autumn (October-December). The rainy season is from May until September. In summer and early autumn, there is a frequent threat of typhoons.
Population and language
The population of Hong Kong reached 7.5 million (7,503,100) in 2023. Most of the people in Hong Kong are Chinese. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has an overall population density of 6,300 people per square kilometre.
Hong Kong has one of the world’s lowest birth rates — 1.05 per woman at an age of being capable to give birth as of 2019. This is far below the rate needed to replace each person, 2.1.
People from Hong Kong mainly speak Cantonese. Students are required to learn English at school. Ever since Hong Kong became a part of China, the number of people who speak Mandarin has increased because Mandarin is the official language of China.
Chung Yeung Festival - a day when people honour their ancestors, similar to "Tomb Sweeping Day", and people often do something for the olds who is still living
There are coins from 10 cents to 10 Hong Kong Dollars and bank-notes (paper money bills) from $10 to $1000. One American dollar equals to HK$7.80±0.05 Hong Kong Dollars, according to the official pegged exchange rate.
Public transport
Mass Transit Railway (MTR) which was established in 1979, owns seven lines (10 lines after KCR merger),
Kwun Tong Line (running between Whampoa and Tiu Keng Leng)
Tsuen Wan Line (running between Tsuen Wan and Central)
Island Line (running between Kennedy Town and Chai Wan)
South Island Line (running between Admiralty and South Horizons)
Tseung Kwan O Line (running between North Point and Po Lam/LOHAS Park)
Tung Chung Line (running between Tung Chung and Hong Kong)
Airport Express (running between AsiaWorld-Expo and Hong Kong)
Disneyland Resort Line (running between Sunny Bay and Disneyland Resort)
East Rail Line (running between Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau and Admiralty)
Tuen Ma Line (running between Tuen Mun and Wu Kai Sha)
Hong Kong's education system is mostly based on the English system. Children are required to be in school from age 6 until completing secondary school (high school) at age 18.
Lord Palmerston wrote that Hong Kong was a barren island with only a few houses on it
January 26, 1841
The British flag was raised at Possession Point, on Hong Kong Island
August 1841
Sir Henry Pottinger became Hong Kong's first governor
The Treaty of Nanjing was signed, ending the First Opium War
1860
China was defeated in the Second Opium War. Boundary Street and Stonecutter's Island were leased to Britain
1888
The Peak Tram started operating on Hong Kong Island
1898
Lantau Island and the New Territories were leased to the British for 99 years
1900s
Hong Kong became a refuge for exiles from China
1920s-1930s
Western dress began to come in fashion for the locals
1933-1934
Father Daniel Finn began excavations on Lamma Island
1941
Refugees fleeing the Chinese Communist Party came to Hong Kong
Bauhinia × blakeana was adopted as the floral emblem of Hong Kong by the Urban Council in 1965.The armorial bearings granted by the College of Arms, appointed by the British Sovereign, a part of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom.Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China's emblem after it was given to China since 1997. The Chinese name of Bauhinia × blakeana has also been frequently shortened as 紫荊/紫荆 (洋 yáng means "foreign" in Chinese, it's also a bit unfriendly, and this would be deemed inappropriate by the PRC government), although 紫荊/紫荆 refers to another genus called Cercis. A statue of the plant has been erected in Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong. Although the flowers are bright pinkish purple in colour, they are depicted in white on the Flag of Hong Kong.
The British authorities surrendered Hong Kong to the Japanese Army
August 1945
Britain reclaimed its territory after Japan's surrender
1949
Double-decker buses were introduced to Hong Kong
1950
Hong Kong became a free port
1953
The Shek Kip Mei Estate was built, establishing the program of public housing
1955
A Han period tomb was discovered near Lei Cheng Uk
1983
The Hong Kong dollar was tied to the US dollar
1984
China and Britain signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration
1990
The Hong Kong Basic Law was confirmed
1997
Asia's financial crisis
Archaeologists discovered 20 graves on the island of Ma Wa
Tung Chee Wa elected as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Voting was conducted by 400 committees of an electoral college whose members are appointed by the Chinese Government.
People occupied the Central region to demand universal suffrage for the next chief executive election, to take place in 2017.
2015
The government voted against the universal suffrage demanded by the people.
2016
There were more protests in Mong Kok because the government voted against universal suffrage. Police had to use pepper spray and Tear gas on the protesters to get them to leave.
2019
Protestors in Hong Kong demonstrated against a new extradition law proposed by the Hong Kong government.It was the largest protest in Hong Kong's history. This law would allow Hong Kong to send people to other jurisdictions where they have committed a crime, including mainland China. People opposed this because of the poor reputation of China due to allegations of torture, forced confessions and arbitrary detentions. There were fears that the bill would just bring Hong Kong closer under China's control, even though Hong Kong have their own judicial system.
2020
The Hong Kong National Security Law is created. This law will give Beijing, more power to control Hong Kong. Beijing also put a security office in Hong Kong. The law was created at 11 P.M. on 30 June 2020, Hong Kong Time.
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7,291,600
7,413,070
$518.743 billion (48th)
$368.373 billion (43rd)
53.9
