Hong Kong, described as a "barren rock" over 150 years ago, is situated at the south-eastern tip of China, and includes Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, as well as 262 outlying islands. Hong Kong has evolved from then to become a world-class financial, trading and business center it is today.
History
After the First Opium War between China and Britain, British forces occupied Hong Kong Island for the first time. In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Hong Kong, and was declared to be a free port to the British Empire. In conjunction with its military campaign in World War II, the Empire of Japan invaded Hong Kong on December 8, 1941. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, civilians suffered from widespread food shortages caused by imposed rations, and hyper-inflation due to forced exchange of currency for military notes. Hong Kong's population declined from 1.6 million before the invasion to about 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony following Japan's defeat in the war.
Hong Kong's population recovered quickly after the war. Many corporations in Shanghai and Guangzhou began to shift their operations to Hong Kong. The textile and manufacturing industries grew with the help of this population growth and the low cost of labor. As Hong Kong rapidly industrialised, its economy became driven by exports to international markets. Living standards rose steadily with the industrial growth.
With the lease of Hong Kong due to expire within two decades, the governments of the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, agreeing to transfer the sovereignty of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong occurred at midnight on July 1, 1997, marked by a handover ceremony. Tung Chee Hwa assumed office as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong.
The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) took hold of Hong Kong in the first half of 2003. That year, half a million people participated in a march to voice disapproval of the Tung administration. In 2005, Tung submitted his resignation as chief executive. Donald Tsang, the Chief Secretary for Administration, was selected as chief executive to complete the term.
Quick Facts
Climate
Hong Kong's climate is subtropical and, for nearly half the year, tends toward temperate. The region is cloudy in January
and February, meeting with the occasional cold fronts. In March and April, it is pleasant, with occasional high humidity.
From May to August, the region is hot and humid, occasionally confronted with showers and thunderstorms. During November
and December, there are pleasant breezes, with plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures. The average temperature
in the coldest month, January, is 16.1°C (61.0°F) while the average temperature in the hottest month, July, is 28.7°C (83.7°F).
Demographics
Hong Kong's population increased sharply throughout the 1990s, reaching 6.99 million in 2006, about 95% of which is of Chinese
descent. Considered as a dependency, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated countries/dependencies in the world, with
an overall density of more than 6,200 people per km². Hong Kong has a fertility rate of 0.95 children per woman, one of the
lowest in the world and far below the 2.1 children per woman required to sustain the current population. However, population
in Hong Kong continues to grow due to the influx of immigrants from mainland China. Both Cantonese and English are official
languages of Hong Kong.
Culture
Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where East meets West, a meeting reflected in its economic infrastructure,
education and street culture. British rule may have ended in 1997 but Western culture is deeply ingrained in Hong Kong.
While Hong Kong is a global centre of trade, another famous export is its entertainment industry, particularly in the martial
arts genre. Several Hollywood performers originate from Hong Kong cinema, notably Bruce Lee, and Jackie Chan. A number of Hong
Kong filmmakers have also achieved widespread fame in Hollywood, such as John Woo.
International Rankings
Rank in the world:
- 1st in the Index of Economic Freedom
- 1st in the World's Best Airports
- 4th best place to do business
- 3rd best competitiveness of enterprises
- 1st in the city with the most expensive rental accomodation
- 5th most expensive cost-of-living
- 6th best travel and tourism competitiveness
- 1st in the visual impact of its skyline
- 2nd highest life expectancy of 81.6 years
source: Wikipedia
