香港特別行政� Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Anthem: March of the VolunteersSince the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, Hong Kong has used the national anthem of the People\'s Republic of China.
Capital		none
Largest district (population)		Sha Tin District
Official languages		English, CantoneseThe Hong Kong Basic Law states that the official languages are "Chinese and English." It does not explicitly specify the standard for "Chinese". While Standard Mandarin and Simplified Chinese characters are used as the spoken and written standards in mainland China, Cantonese and Traditional Chinese characters are the long-established de facto standards in Hong Kong. See Bilingualism in Hong Kong
Government
-	Chief Executive	Donald Tsang
Establishment
-	Treaty of Nanking	August 29 1842
-	Japanese occupation	December 25 1941 – August 15 1945
-	Transfer of sovereignty	July 1 1997
Area
-	Total	1,104 km² (not ranked) 426.4 sq mi
-	Water (%)	4.6
Population
-	2007 estimate	6,963,100 (97th)
-	2001 census	6,708,389
-	Density	6,352/km² (3rd) 16,469.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	US$289.7 billion (39th)
-	Per capita	US$41,614 (6th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	US$203.0 billion (37th)
-	Per capita	US$29,149 (28th)
Gini (2006)		0.533 (high)
HDI (2007)		â–² 0.937 (high) (21st)
Currency		Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Time zone		HKT (UTC+8)
Internet TLD		.hk
Calling code		+852(01 from Macau)

Coordinates: 22°17′00″N 114°08′00″E / 22.283333, 114.133333 (Hong Kong)

Hong KongThe name is often written as Hongkong in older English texts. The Hong Kong Government officially adopted the current form on 3 September 1926 (Hongkong Government Gazette, Notification 479, 3 September 1926). While the names of most cities in the People\'s Republic of China are romanised into English using pinyin, the official English name is Hong Kong rather than Xi�nggǎng (See Pronunciation of Hong Kong). (Chinese: 香港), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region , is one of the two special administrative regions of the People\'s Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. The territory lies on the eastern side of the Pearl River Delta, bordering Guangdong province in the north and facing the South China Sea in the east, west and south. Beginning as a trading port in the 19th century, Hong Kong has developed into a leading financial centre.

Hong Kong was a crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of its sovereignty to the People\'s Republic of China in 1997. The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operates with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People\'s Government is responsible for the territory\'s defense and foreign affairs, while the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organizations and events.

History

Main article: History of Hong Kong

Human settlement in the location now known as Hong Kong dates back to the Paleolithic era. The region was first incorporated into Imperial China in the Qin Dynasty, and served as a trading post and naval base during the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. The area\'s earliest recorded European visitor was Jorge Ã�lvares, a Portuguese mariner who arrived in 1513.Jonathan Porter (1996). Macau, the Imaginary City: Culture and Society, 1557 to the Present. Westview Press. ISBN 0813328365. Richard L. Edmonds (2002). China and Europe Since 1978: A European Perspective. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521524032.  Contact with the United Kingdom was established after the British East India Company founded a trading post in the nearby city of Guangzhou.

In 1839, the refusal by Qing Dynasty authorities to import opium resulted in the First Opium War between China and Britain.Trea Wiltshire (1997). Old Hong Kong. FormAsia. ISBN 9627283134.  Hong Kong Island was first occupied by British forces in 1841, and then formally ceded from China under the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the war. The British established a Crown Colony with the founding of Victoria City the following year. In 1860, after China\'s defeat in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula south of Boundary Street and Stonecutter\'s Island were ceded to Britain under the Convention of Peking. In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the New Territories.

Hong Kong in the late nineteenth century was a major trading post of the British Empire.

Japanese troops march along Queen\'s Road following the British surrender in 1941.

Hong Kong was declared a free port to serve as an entrepôt of the British Empire. The Kowloon-Canton Railway opened in 1910 with a southern terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui. An education system based on the British model was introduced. The local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy tai-pans settled near Victoria Peak.

In conjunction with its military campaign in World War II, the Empire of Japan invaded Hong Kong on December 8, 1941. The Battle of Hong Kong ended with British and Canadian defenders surrendering control of the colony to Japan on December 25. During the Japanese occupation, civilians suffered from widespread food shortages caused by imposed rations, and hyper-inflation due to forced exchange of currency for military notes. Hong Kong lost more than half of its population in the period between the invasion and Japan\'s surrender in 1945,Thousands March in Anti-Japan Protest in Hong Kong. New York Times (2005-04-18). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony.

Hong Kong\'s population recovered quickly, as a wave of mainland migrants arrived for refuge from the ongoing Chinese Civil War. With the proclamation of the People\'s Republic of China in 1949, more migrants fled to Hong Kong from fear of persecution by the Communist Party. Many corporations in Shanghai and Guangzhou also shifted their operations to Hong Kong. The colony became the sole place of contact between mainland China and the Western world, as the communist government increasingly isolated the country from outside influence. Trade with the mainland was interrupted during the Korean War, when the United Nations ordered a trade embargo against the communist government.Wang Yong-hua (2006). "On Embargo of Hong Kong in 1950-1954". Journal of Yanan University Social Science Edition. 

The textile and manufacturing industries grew with the help of population growth and low cost of labour. As Hong Kong rapidly industrialised, its economy became driven by exports to international markets. Living standards rose steadily with the industrial growth. The construction of Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 marked the beginning of the public housing estate program. Hong Kong was disrupted by chaos during the riots of 1967. Pro-communist leftists, inspired by the Cultural Revolution in the mainland, turned a labour dispute into a violent uprising against the colonial government lasting until the end of the year.

Established in 1974, the Independent Commission Against Corruption dramatically reduced corruption in the government. When the People\'s Republic of China initiated a set of economic reforms in 1978, Hong Kong became the main source of foreign investments to the mainland. A Special Economic Zone was established the following year in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, located immediately north of the mainland\'s border with Hong Kong. The economy of Hong Kong gradually displaced textiles and manufacturing with services, as the financial and banking sectors became increasingly dominant. After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, the Hong Kong government spent 25 years dealing with the entry and repatriation of Vietnamese refugees.

Colonial flag of Hong Kong, used from 1959 to 1997

The handover ceremony in Hong Kong in 1997

With the lease of the New Territories due to expire within two decades, the governments of the United Kingdom and the People\'s Republic of China discussed the issue of Hong Kong\'s sovereignty in the 1980s. In 1984, the two countries signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, agreeing to transfer the sovereignty of Hong Kong to the People\'s Republic of China in 1997. The declaration stipulated that Hong Kong would be governed as a special administrative region, retaining its laws and high degree of autonomy for at least fifty years after the transfer. Lacking confidence in the arrangement, some residents chose to emigrate, particularly after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.

The Basic Law of Hong Kong, which would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer, was ratified in 1990. Over strong objections from Beijing, Governor Chris Patten introduced democratic reforms to the election process for the Legislative Council. The transfer of the sovereignty occurred at midnight on July 1, 1997, marked by a handover ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tung Chee Hwa assumed office as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong\'s economy was affected by the Asian financial crisis of 1997 that hit many East Asian markets. The H5N1 avian influenza also surfaced that year. Implementation of the Airport Core Programme led to the opening of the new Hong Kong International Airport in 1998, after six years of construction. The project was part of the ambitious Port and Airport Development Strategy that was drafted in the early 1980s.

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome took hold of Hong Kong in the first half of 2003.Links between SARS, human genes discovered. People\'s Daily (2004-01-16). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. That year, half a million people participated in a march to voice disapproval of the Tung administration and the proposal to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, which had raised concerns over infringements on civil liberties. The proposal was later abandoned by the 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.

Geography

Areas of urban development and vegetation are visible in this false-colour satellite image.

Hong Kong from Victoria Peak

Main articles: Geography of Hong Kong and Ecology of Hong Kong

Hong Kong consists primarily of Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories as well as some 260 other islands. The Kowloon Peninsula is attached to the New Territories to the north, and the New Territories spans northwards eventually connecting with mainland China across the Sham Chun River (Shenzhen River). Overall, Hong Kong encompasses a collection of 262 islands and peninsulas in the South China Sea. While Lantau is the largest island, Hong Kong Island is the second largest and the most populated. Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated island in the world.

The name "Hong Kong", which literally translates to mean "fragrant harbour", is derived from the area around present-day Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island. This is an area where fragrant wood products and fragrant incense were once traded.Tom Wong Chi Kin. Aberdeen: The origin of "Hong Kong" (PDF). Hong Kong University. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. The narrow body of water which separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula is known as Victoria Harbour and is one of the deepest natural maritime ports in the world.

Despite Hong Kong\'s reputation of being intensely urbanised, the territory has made much effort to promote a green environment.Chief Executive pledges a clean, green, world-class city. Hong Kong Trade Development Council (November 2001). Much of the territory remains undeveloped as the terrain is mostly hilly to mountainous with steep slopes. Of the territory\'s 1,104 square kilometres (426 sq mi),Geography and Climate, Hong Kong (PDF). Census and Statistics Department, The Government of Hong Kong SAR. Retrieved on 2007-01-10. less than 25% is developed. The remaining land is remarkably green with about 40% of the landmass reserved as country parks and nature reserves.Outdoor Adventure: Tours in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Tourism Board (2006-12-27). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. Most of the territory\'s urban development exists on the Kowloon peninsula, along the northern shores of Hong Kong Island and in scattered settlements throughout the New Territories.

Hong Kong\'s long, irregular and curvaceous coastline also affords the territory with many bays, rivers and beaches. Despite the territory\'s extensive wooded and ocean setting, environmental awareness is growing as Hong Kong\'s air ranks as one of the most polluted. Approximately 80% of the city\'s smog originates from other parts of the Pearl River Delta.Dirty Air Becomes Divisive Issue in Hong Kong Vote. The New York Times (2006-11-05). Retrieved on 2008-02-01.

Hong Kong is 60 kilometres (37 miles) east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta. It borders the city of Shenzhen in Guangdong Province to the north. The highest elevation in the territory is at Tai Mo Shan, at a height of 958 metres (3,142 ft) above sea level. Lowlands exist in the northwestern part of the New Territories.

Climate

The Hong Kong Observatory Centenary Building

Main article: Climate of Hong Kong

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.Climate of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Observatory (2003-05-04). Retrieved on 2007-08-02.

Hong Kong is most likely to be affected by tropical cyclones from July to September, although they are not unusual any time between May and November^{[citation needed]}. An average of about 31 tropical cyclones form in the western North Pacific or China Seas yearly, half of them reaching typhoon strength. Winds increase and rain becomes heavy and widespread when the centre of a cyclone comes close to the city; the heavy rain may last for a few days, the subsequent landslips and flooding may cause more damage than the winds.

The highest recorded temperature in Hong Kong is 38 °C (100.0 °F) while the lowest recorded temperature is -4 °C (25.0 °F).Extreme Values and Dates of Occurrence of Extremes of Meteorological Elements between 1884–1939 and 1947–2006 for Hong Kong. Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. Meanwhile, the highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded by the Observatory are respectively 36.1 °C (97.0 °F) on 19 August 1900 and 18 August 1990, and 0.0 °C (32.0 °F) on 18 January 1893. 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).Monthly Meteorological Normals for Hong Kong. Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved on 2008-02-01. The territory is situated just south of the Tropic of Cancer, a similar latitude to that of Hawaii. In winter, strong and cold winds generate from the north cool the city; in the summer, the wind\'s prevailing direction changes and brings the warm and humid air in from the southwest. This climate can support a tropical rainforest.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of Hong Kong and Government of Hong Kong

Pursuant to the Basic Law, Hong Kong\'s constitutional document, the local Hong Kong government retains sovereignty over the territory except in areas of national defense and foreign relations. The Chief Executive, the head of territory and head of government, is selected by the Chief Executive Election Committee composed of 800 members. Members of the Election Committee are evenly composed of four major sectors of Hong Kong society:The Basic Law. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.

• The industrial, commercial and financial sectors
• The professions
• Labour, social services, religious and other sectors
• Members of the Legislative Council, representatives of district-based organizations, Hong Kong deputies to the National People\'s Congress, and representatives of Hong Kong members of the National Committee of the Chinese People\'s Political Consultative Conference

Other functionaries of the government, including members of the executive and legislative bodies, are either appointed by the Chief Executive or elected by voters.

The Legislative Council of Hong Kong

The Government House in Central where the Chief Executive resides.

Laws in Hong Kong are enacted only by approval of the Chief Executive and majority consent from the 60 seat Legislative Council of Hong Kong, or LegCo. Despite the often said undemocratic nature of Hong Kong\'s government, half of LegCo\'s seats are elected under universal suffrage with the other half selected by functional constituencies consisting of special interests and trade unions. The Basic Law guarantees that all seats will eventually be elected under universal suffrage.

Donald Tsang currently holds the office of the Chief Executive after his election on 16 June 2005 by the Election Committee.BBC News (2005-06-15). Retrieved on 2006-05-14. Before the 1997 handover, Tsang had held the post of Financial Secretary under British rule. He was elevated to the post of Chief Secretary for Administration on 1 May 2001 when Anson Chan resigned her post. Donald Tsang assumed his current post on 24 June 2005 and as scheduled, completed the remaining portion of Tung Chee Hwa\'s last term which ended on 30 June 2007 in accordance to the interpretation of Annex I and Article 46 by the Standing Committee of the National People\'s Congress. He was re-elected as Chief Executive on 25th March 2007 for another five years - his new term started on 1st July 2007.

The election of the Chief Executive in 2005 was by the 852-member Election Committee was held on 10 July 2005. On 16 June 2005, Donald Tsang was acclaimed the winner as the only candidate securing the required 100 nominations from members of the election committee. Tung Chee Hwa, the first Chief Executive, assumed office on 1 July 1997, following his election by a 400-member electoral college. For the second five-year term of the Chief Executive which began in July 2002, Tung was the only nominated candidate and therefore acclaimed.

The PRC set up a Provisional Legislative Council (PLC) in 1996 just before the handover, where it moved to Hong Kong to have its meetings after the handover. It reverted some laws passed by the colonial Legislative Council, which was formed by means of universal suffrage since 1995. The PLC passed new laws, such as the Public Order Ordinance,Hong Kong Public Order Ordinance, Cap. 245 -- 1981 Edition. World Corporal Punishment Research (February 2000). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. which required permission from police to hold a demonstration where the number of people who participates exceeds 30. Legislative Council elections were held on 24 May 1998, on 10 September 2000 and again on 12 September 2004, with the next election scheduled for 2008. According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong\'s "mini-constitution", the present third term of the Legislative Council has 25 seats directly elected from geographical constituencies and 30 seats elected from functional constituencies. The 1998, 2000 and 2004 Legislative Council elections were seen as free, open, and widely contested, despite discontent among mainly \'pro-democratic\' politicians, who contended that the functional constituency elections and the Election Committee elections (for 1998 and 2000) were undemocratic, as they consider that the electorate for these seats is too narrow.

The Central Government Offices on Government Hill

Political activities in Central.

The civil service of Hong Kong maintains its quality and neutrality following its tradition in the colonial times, operating without discernible direction from Beijing. Many government and administrative operations are located in Central on Hong Kong Island near the historical location of Victoria City, the site of the original British settlements.

The right of abode issue sparked debates in 1999, while the controversy over Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 was the focus of politics in Hong Kong between 2002 and 2003, culminating in a peaceful mass demonstration (over 500,000 demonstrators) on 1 July 2003, after which the government still tried to pass the law to the Legislative Council. But one of the major pro-government parties could not guarantee members would vote for passing the bill, leading to the resignation of its leader from the cabinet. Thus the government found that the bill could not be passed and it shelved the drafted law brought forth by Article 23.Presentation to Legislative Council on Right of Abode Issue. Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor (1999-05-10). Retrieved on 2007-01-20.Right of Abode in HKSAR — Verification of Eligibility for Permanent Identity Card. Immigration Department, The Government of the Hong Kong SAR (2007-06-05). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. The focus of controversies shifted to the issue of universal suffrage towards the end of 2003 and in 2004, which was the slogan of another mass demonstration on 1 July 2004.Hong Kong: Calls for Universal Sufferage Unabated. T-Salon (2004-10-20). Retrieved on 2008-02-01.Third annual report by the European Commission on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. European Commission (2001-07-25). Retrieved on 2008-02-01.

On 24 September 2005, 25 Hong Kong pro-democracy LegCo members, some of whom were previously labelled as traitors by Beijing after the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and barred from entering the mainland, crossed the border into the southern province of Guangdong, following an unprecedented invitation by the PRC.Hong Kong democrats visit China. ABC News Online (2005-09-25). Retrieved on 2008-02-01. The invitation was generally regarded as one of the greatest goodwill gestures from the central government to the Hong Kong democrats since the Tiananmen Square protests.

On 4 December 2005, a demonstration was organised by the Civil Human Rights Front and pro-democracy lawmakers to demand a timetable for universal suffrage to be included in political reform proposals for the 2007 and 2008 elections for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council respectively. The turnout was reported to be 63,000 by the police, and at least 250,000 by the organisers. The proposals would have doubled the size of the election committee (from 800 members to 1,600) and added ten seats to the Legislative Council (5 geographic and 5 functional seats for district councillors). On 22 December 2005, the reforms, proposed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, were defeated by the pro-democracy camp after they failed to reach the necessary two-third threshold with 34 votes in favour and 24 opposed. In the wake of the defeat, China and the Chief Executive have indicated that reforms will not be possible until the 2012 elections. The defeat also did little to blunt Tsang\'s popularity, with his approval ratings only dropping from 82 to 79% in the wake of the vote.

While Hong Kong is not an independent country, it retains its own delegation in international organisations such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Olympic Games, although it changed its official name in these functions from "Hong Kong" to "Hong Kong, China" after 1997. Hong Kong also participates in international events by including a delegate with the PRC\'s representative group.

Legal system and judiciary

The Court of Final Appeal in Central

An assembly of Hong Kong judges

Main articles: Legal system of Hong Kong and Judiciary of Hong Kong

In contrast to mainland China\'s civil law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the common law tradition established by British colonial rule. Article 84 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong allows Hong Kong\'s courts to refer to decisions (precedents) rendered by courts of other common law jurisdictions. Articles 82 and 92 allow judges from other common law jurisdictions to participate in proceedings of Hong Kong\'s Court of Final Appeal and sit as Hong Kong judges.

Structurally, Hong Kong\'s court system consists of the Court of Final Appeal which replaced the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the High Court, which is made up of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance, and the District Court, which includes the Family Court. Other adjudicative bodies include the Lands Tribunal, the Magistrates\' Courts, the Juvenile Court, the Coroner\'s Court, the Labour Tribunal, the Small Claims Tribunal, and the Obscene Articles Tribunal, which is responsible for classifying non-video pornography to be circulated in Hong Kong. Justices of the Court of Final Appeal are appointed by Hong Kong\'s Chief Executive. The Basic Law of Hong Kong is subject to interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People\'s Congress (NPC:SC) and this power has been invoked three times: the right of abode issue, an interpretation regarding post-2008 election procedures, and an interpretation regarding the length of the term of the Chief Executive.

As in England, lawyers in Hong Kong are classified as either barristers or solicitors, where one can choose to practice as either one but not both (but it is possible to switch from one to another.) The vast majority of lawyers are solicitors, who are licensed and regulated by the Law Society of Hong Kong. Barristers, on the other hand, are licensed and regulated by the Hong Kong Bar Association. Only barristers are allowed to appear in the Court of Final Appeal and the High Court. Just as the common law system is maintained, so are British courtroom customs such as the wearing of robes and wigs by both judges and lawyers.

According to the Article 63 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the Department of Justice controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference. It is the largest legal institution in Hong Kong, and its responsibilities involve legislation, judicial administration, prosecution, civil representation, legal and policy drafting and reform, and the legal profession. Aside from prosecuting criminal cases in Hong Kong, officials of the Department of Justice also appear in court on behalf of the government in all civil and administrative lawsuits against the government. As the protector of public interests, it may apply for judicial reviews and assign legal representation on behalf of public interest to take part in the trial of cases that involve material public interests.Department of Justice. Department of Justice of the Hong Kong SAR. Retrieved on 2007-03-17.

Administrative districts

Districts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: 1. Islands; 2. Kwai Tsing; 3. North; 4. Sai Kung; 5. Sha Tin; 6. Tai Po; 7. Tsuen Wan; 8. Tuen Mun; 9. Yuen Long; 10. Kowloon City; 11. Kwun Tong; 12. Sham Shui Po; 13. Wong Tai Sin; 14. Yau Tsim Mong; 15.