from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Hong Kong
Introduction
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
Location: Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Geographic 22 15 N, 114 10 E
coordinates:
Map Southeast Asia
references:
Area: total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km
water: 50 sq km
Area - six times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land total: 30 km
boundaries: regional border: China 30 km
Coastline: 733 km
Maritime territorial sea: 3 nm
claims:
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 lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Natural outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
resources:
Land use: arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01%
other: 93.94% (2001)
Irrigated 20 sq km (1998 est.)
land:
Natural occasional typhoons
hazards:
Environment - air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)
international
agreements:
Geography - more than 200 islands
note:
People
Population: 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)
15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 40.7 years
male: 40.4 years
female: 40.9 years (2006 est.)
Population 0.59% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 81.59 years
expectancy at male: 78.9 years
birth: female: 84.5 years (2006 est.)
Total 0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 2,600 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
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: 93.5%
male: 96.9%
female: 89.6% (2002)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
local short form: Xianggang
abbreviation: HK
Dependency special administrative region of China
status:
Government limited democracy
type:
Administrative none (special administrative region of China)
divisions:
Independence: none (special administrative region of China)
National National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the
holiday: 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 200,000 members of functional
constituencies and an 800-member election committee
drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal
organizations, and central government bodies
Executive chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15
branch: March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since
24 June 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official
members and 15 non-official members
elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was
elected to second five-year term in March 2002 by
800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing
forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005; Donald
TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005
and 25 May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive
between 25 May 2005 and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected
on 16 June 2005 to fill final two years of TUNG's term
(next election to be held in March 2007)
Legislative unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in
branch: 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional
constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held
in September 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party -
pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing
34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1;
(pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9,
CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; non-voting
LEGCO president 1
Judicial Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
branch: Administrative Region
Political Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or
parties and ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex
leaders: CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic
Party [LEE Wing-tat]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU
Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL,
Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB,
Liberal Party
Political Article 45 Concern Group (pro-democracy); Chinese
pressure General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
groups and Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation
leaders: of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek,
president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary];
Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade
Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive
councilor]; 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]; Neighborhood and Workers'
Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance
[Bernard CHAN, exco member]
International APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate),
organization IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO
participation: (associate), WTO
Diplomatic none (special administrative region of China)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
representation consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
from the US: mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598
Flag red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower
description: in the center
Economy
Economy - Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly
overview: dependent on international trade. Natural resources are
limited, and food and raw materials must be imported.
Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to
and from third countries) 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. Hong Kong has been
further integrating its economy with China because
China's growing openness to the world economy has made
manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong
Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major
driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that
of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth
averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong
suffered two recessions in the past eight years because
of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the
global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also
battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports,
a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's
easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer
confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth
from late 2003 through 2005.
GDP $234.3 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $172.6 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 7.3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $34,000 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 0.1%
composition by industry: 9.2%
sector: services: 90.6% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 3.61 million (October 2005)
Labor force - manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and
by occupation: retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing,
insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and
communications 7.1%, community and social services
18.8%
note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.)
Unemployment 5.5% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 43.4 (1996)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 0.9% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 20.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $31.31 billion
expenditures: $32.3 billion; including capital
expenditures of $5.9 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
products:
Industries: textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,
electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Industrial -0.6% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 37.3 billion kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 39.22 billion kWh (2004)
consumption:
Electricity - 3.086 billion kWh (2004)
exports:
Electricity - 9.84 billion kWh (2004)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 293,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m NA cu m
production:
Natural gas - 692.2 million cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2004 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 71.15 million cu m (2004 est.)
imports:
Current $19.7 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $286.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2005 est.)
Exports - electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,
commodities: footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious
stones, printed material
Exports - China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005)
partners:
Imports: $291.6 billion (2005 est.)
Imports - raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods,
commodities: capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US
partners: 5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005)
Reserves of $124.3 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $72.04 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Currency Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
(code):
Currency code: HKD
Exchange Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788
rates: (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 3,794,600 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 8.693 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
system: domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive
fiber-optic network
international: country code - 852; 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 AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 4.45 million (1997)
Television 55 low power stations
broadcast note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two
stations: channels (2006)
Televisions: 1.84 million (1997)
Internet .hk
country code:
Internet 800,834 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 17 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 4,878,713 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 3 (2006)
Airports - total: 3
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Heliports: 3 (2006)
Roadways: total: 1,955 km
paved: 1,955 km (2005)
Merchant total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/
marine: 51,957,682 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121,
chemical tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22,
passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76,
roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle
carrier 8
foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28,
China 274, Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia
4, Japan 67, South Korea 6, Norway 26, Philippines 16,
Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1, Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK
43, US 21)
registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize
8, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France
1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1,
Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37, Malaysia 14, Malta 2,
Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169, Philippines
3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50,
Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006)
Ports and Hong Kong
terminals:
Military
Military no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong
branches: garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA)
includes 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 18 years of age (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,743,972
available for females age 18-49: 1,904,967 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,403,088
for military females age 18-49: 1,527,278 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 40,343
reaching females age 18-49: 38,234 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military NA
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Military - defense is the responsibility of China
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international:
Illicit drugs: makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces
difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin
and methamphetamine to regional and world markets;
modern banking system provides conduit for money
laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people