User:Instantnood/Sandbox/Hong Kong

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Hong Kong, official full name as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (Chinese: 中華人民共和國香港特別行政區, pronunciation listen (help·info)), is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China located on the southeastern coast of China. Hong Kong usually participates in international events under the name "Hong Kong, China".

Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. The Kowloon Peninsula is attached to the New Territories in the north, and the New Territories are in turn connected to the mainland of China across the Sham Chun River (Shenzhen River). In total, Hong Kong has 236 islands in the South China Sea, of which Lantau is the largest and Hong Kong Island the second largest and most populated. Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated island in the world.

Victoria City is the location where many government operations take place, and most government departments have their head offices. It has functioned as, and is considered, the de facto capital of Hong Kong.

With human activities since the Neolithic Age, Hong Kong had been part of China for over a millenium. It was established as a British crown colony and entrepôt in 1841. It was developed into a industrial centre, and later a financial centre after the World War II. It was under British rule until 1997, when it was transferred to PRC rule.

Under the policy of the 'One Country, Two Systems', Hong Kong enjoys a considerable degree of autonomy from the mainland, as well as continuing to have its own legal system, currency, customs, immigration authorities, and its own rule of the road, with traffic continuing to drive on the left, for example. Only national defence and diplomatic relations are responsibilities of the central government in Beijing.

中華人民共和國香港特別行政區
Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region of the People's Republic of China

(In detail) (In detail)
National motto: none
Official languages	Chinese1 and English (co-official)
Capital	Victoria City2
Flower	Bauhinia
Chief Executive	Donald Tsang
Area  - Total  - % water	184th 1,102.15 km² 4.6%
Population  - Total  - Density	97th 6,898,686 (July 2005) 6,771/km²
Establishment  - Date	Handover to the PRC July 1, 1997
GDP (2003)  - Total  - Total  - GDP/head  - GDP/head	37th, 30th, 14th, 21st US$199 billion (PPP) $157 billion (Nominal) $27,200 (PPP) $23,592 (Nominal)
Currency	Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Time zone  - in summer	UTC +8 (HKT)   DST not observed
Internet TLD	.hk
Calling Code	852 (01 from Macao)
1 Cantonese and Mandarin are both de facto official spoken variants. The traditional script of Chinese characters is de facto official. 2 Victoria City is the de facto capital.

Contents 1 History 2 Politics and government 3 Legal system and the judiciary 4 Geography 5 Administrative divisions 6 Economy 7 Demographics 8 Education 9 Culture 10 Religion 11 Architecture 12 Transport 13 Military 14 See also 15 International rankings 16 References 17 Footnotes 18 External links

[edit] History

Main article: History of Hong Kong

Even though Hong Kong has been occupied since the Neolithic Age, the area now known as Hong Kong remained distant from the major events that took place in Imperial China for most of its history. Hong Kong only began to attract the attention of China and the rest of the world in the 19th century.

Hong Kong was first visited by European in 1513. Portuguese mariner Jorge Alvares landed on the island of Lintin, which is to the west of Tuen Mun in the estuary of the Pearl River.

Alvares began trading with the Chinese, and the Portuguese continued to make periodic trade stops at various locations up and down the coast. This led the Portuguese to establish a permanent trading station at Macao, which was to be the first European settlement on Chinese soil. The Portuguese introduced tea, silk, and other Asian luxury goods to Europe, and by the mid-18th century, these items were in high demand, and in particular, tea. At this time, China enjoyed a near monopoly on the entire tea industry, and insisted that all tea be purchased in silver. The British, in order to buy tea from China, grew opium in India and sold it to Chinese people for silver, which it then used to buy tea to export. This resulted in a trade deficit for China. Tensions arose over increasing Chinese dependency on opium, which culminated in Lin Zexu destruction in over 20,000 chests of opium in Canton (now Guangzhou). Britain, seeing this as an act of war, invaded China, and won the First Opium War in 1841.

Occupied by United Kingdom during the First Opium War in 1841, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded by the Qing Dynasty of China the following year under the Treaty of Nanking. Parts of the adjacent Kowloon Peninsula south of Boundary Street and Stonecutter's Island were ceded to the British in 1860 under the Convention of Peking after the Second Opium War. Various adjacent lands, known as the New Territories (including New Kowloon and Lantau Island) were then leased by Britain for 99 years from 1 July 1898 ending in 30 June 1997.

Hong Kong became a crown colony in 1843. For the first twenty years of its existance, governance was inefficient in the colony as no British civil servants spoke any Chinese. Exacerbating matters, there was little contact between the European and Chinese communities. The first specially recruited Hong Kong civil servants to be taught Cantonese were recruited in 1862, markedly improving relations.

Hong Kong entered a dark age during the Japanese Occupation of World War II, which lasted for three years and eight months. The Japanese assumed control of Hong Kong when the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Young, surrendered to Imperial Japanese Army on 25 December 1941 after 18 days of fierce fighting. After the Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945, and civilian rule was re-established on 30 August 1946. The port was quickly re-opened, which welcomed a mass migration of Chinese refugees in 1949 from the civil war and new communist government in mainland China.

The Hong Kong economy took advantage of this new pool of workers who were willing to work for almost any wage, establishing a textile industry lead by Shanghainese entrepreneurs who had fled communists rule. At the same time, Hong Kong has been an entrepôt since established as a British colony. Nevertheless, the United Nations sanction against the People's Republic of China as a result of the Korean War, the position of Hong Kong as a entrepôt was severely affected with decreased volume of trade.

Despite of this, the economy grew extremely rapidly during this time period. Hong Kong grew into one of the largest industrial centres in Asia. Towards the 1970s, Hong Kong began to move away from the textile industry and develop its financial and banking economy. This lead to even greater levels of wealth, and Hong Kong quickly became among the wealthiest countries in the world. Following the Open Door Policy in mainland China under leadership of Deng Xiaoping, Hong Kong entrepreneurs invested extensively in Guangdong and other southern provinces. Many factories in Hong Kong were relocated across the border.

In the early 1980s, when it became clear that the lease for the New Territories would soon be expiring, it became necessary for Britain to negotiate the return of Hong Kong to the PRC (with the PRC as sucessor to the previous Qing Dynasty and Republic of China). This was done between Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping in 1984. Pursuant to an agreement signed by the People's Republic of China and the United Kingdom on December 19, 1984, the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the whole territory of Hong Kong under British colonial rule, both the ceded and leased territories, became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC on July 1, 1997.

In the Joint Declaration, the PRC promised that under the "One Country, Two Systems" policy proposed by Deng Xiaoping, the socialist economy system in China would not be practised in Hong Kong and Hong Kong's previous capitalist system and life-style shall remain unchanged for 50 years (until 2047). Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign affairs and defence.

Shortly after the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong was hit by the Asian financial crisis and land values collapsed in large scale, greatly damaging the economy which had grown in a bubble economy. The land values fell in some areas by over half, trapping many people in a cycle of negative equity. The Hang Seng Index fell by over 1,500 points on October 28, 1997, and lost 22.8 percent of its value in a week. In 2000 and 2001, recovery was hit by the collapse of dotcom bubble.

Exacerbating economic problems, Hong Kong was hit badly with the SARS virus in early 2003. Number of tourists plunged, and the government was sharply criticised for its inefficient and uncoordinated response to the virus. In the same year, concerns about the proposed anti-subversion bill that would have eroded freedom of the press, of religion and of association arising from Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 and unpopularity of the government, plus dissatisfaction about the poor state of the economy, prompted half million people to parade on July 1, making it the largest protest aimed at the government ever in the history of Hong Kong.

On March 10, 2005, Tung Chee Hwa submitted to the Central People's Government his resignation as Chief Executive of Hong Kong, citing health reasons. Tung Chee Hwa left his post two days later, on March 12. Donald Tsang, the Chief Secretary, served as acting Chief Executive until 25 May, when he resigned from his post to take part in the campaign for the new chief executive byelection. Henry Tang the Financial Secretary, who was next on the list of sucession as stated in the the Article 53 of the Basic Law, assumed duty as acting Chief Executive. Donald Tsang was elected as the new Chief Executive on June 16, 2005, and appointed by the Central People's Government five days later.

[edit] Politics and government

Main article: Politics of Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is headed by its Chief Executive, the head of government. This office is presently held by Donald Tsang, who was declared winner on June 16, 2005 as the only candidate in the byelection securing the required nominations from at least 100 members of an 800-member election collage¹. Tsang had held the post of Chief Secretary for Administration prior. Tsang was appointed on 21 June 2005, and official sworn in three days later in Beijing. He will finish the remainder of the term of Tung Chee Hwa, which will end on 30 June 2007, according to the interpretation of Annex I and Article 46 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in Beijing.

Tung Chee Hwa, the first chief executive, assumed office on July 1, 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 candidate with the required nomination from 100 members from an 800-member electoral college, and declared elected unopposed.

The PRC set up a provisional legislative council six months before the handover, and moved it to Hong Kong to have its meetings after the handover. It reverted some laws passed by the last term of office of colonial legislative council, which members were all elected. It also passed some laws which stripped various civil rights away from the Hong Kong people, for example, the Public Order Ordinance requires a seven-day prior notice to the police, and a "notice of no objection" from the commissioner of police, to hold a public meeting or procession where the number of people who participates exceeds 50 (for public meeting) or 30 (for public procession)².

Legislative Council elections were held on May 24, 1998 September 10, 2000, and September 12, 2004, with the next scheduled for 2008. According to the Basic Law, Hong Kong's "mini-constitution", the present third term of the Legislative Council has 30 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-democracy' 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 civil service of Hong Kong maintains its quality and neutrality, operating without discernible direction from Beijing. Many government and administrative operations are located in Central on Hong Kong Island, within the 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 on 1 July 2003, after which the government shelved³ the drafted law⁴ brought forth by Article 23. The focus of controversies⁵ shifted⁶ to the issue of universal suffrage⁷ towards the end of 2003 and in 2004, which was the slogan of another peaceful mass demonstration on 1 July 2004.

[edit] Legal system and the judiciary

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

In contrast to mainland China's socialist law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the common law traditions 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 foreign jurisdictions and to invite foreign judges to participate in proceedings of Hong Kong's court of last resort - the Court of Final Appeal. Respecting court decisions from foreign courts is important because of the possibility that a judgment or award given in Hong Kong may have to be enforced in other countries such as Australia.

Inter-jurisdictional proceedings are not uncommon in Hong Kong's court system. Many Chinese consider Hong Kong courts to be more "honest" compared to those in the mainland because the legal principles of rule of law and judicial independence are more entrenched and readily observed in the now former British colony. It is not strange to see mainland Chinese trying to launch their lawsuits in a Hong Kong court in hope of a more fair and predictable judgment.

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 Courts, which includes the Family Court. Other adjudicative bodies include the Lands Tribunal, the Magistrates' Courts, the Juvenille 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 the chief executive. The current Chief Justice is the Honourable Mr. Justice Andrew Li.

The Basic Law of Hong Kong is subject to interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in Beijing. 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 made of barristers and solicitors where one can choose to practice as one or the other but not both. The vast majority of lawyers are solicitors who are licensed and regulated by the Law Society of Hong Kong. Barristers, meanwhile, 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. There are many established foreign law firms in Hong Kong, and foreign lawyers may apply to the Law Society for a special practising license. 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. English and Chinese are the offical languages of the courts.

[edit] Geography

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

The name "Hong Kong", literally meaning fragrant harbour, is derived from the area around present-day Aberdeen and Wong Chuk Hang on Hong Kong Island, where fragrant trees were once abundant and exported. The Hong Kong Island is located in the South China Sea at the mouth of the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang).

Other territories that were added later include the Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street) and the New Territories, which includes over 200 surrounding smaller islands. The body of water between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula is Victoria Harbour, one of the finest deep water ports in the world. The landscape of Hong Kong is fairly hilly to mountainous with steep slopes. The highest point in the territory is Tai Mo Shan, at a height of 958 metres. Lowlands exist in the northwestern part of the New Territories.

Hong Kong is 60km to the east of Macao on the opposite side of the Pearl River estuary. Hong Kong has a land border with the Chinese city of Shenzhen to the north. Of the territory's 1,102 km², only less than 25 percent is developed. The remaining has been reserved as country parks and nature reserves.

The local climate is tropical and prone to monsoon. It is cool and dry in winter time which lasts from around January to March, and is hot and rainy from spring through summer. It is warm, sunny and dry in the autumn. Hong Kong is occassionally visited by typhoons. The highest temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory was 36.1 degrees Celsius while the lowest recorded temperature was 0.0 degrees. Mean temperature in July is 28.8 degrees while in January is 15.8 degrees⁸. In January 1893 a temperature as low as -5C was recorded on the top of the highest hill. The highest ever recorded temperature of the whole territory is 40C.

The ecology of Hong Kong is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's climate is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer. Hong Kong is geologically stable for millions of years. However, flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change, sea level alternation and human impact.

[edit] Administrative divisions

Main article: Districts of Hong Kong

Hong Kong consists of 18 administrative districts, each with a district council:

• Central and Western
• Eastern
• Islands
• Kowloon City
• Kwai Tsing
• Kwun Tong
• North
• Sai Kung
• Sham Shui Po
• Sha Tin
• Southern
• Tai Po
• Tsuen Wan
• Tuen Mun
• Wan Chai
• Wong Tai Sin
• Yau Tsim Mong
• Yuen Long

[edit] Economy

Main articles: Economy of Hong Kong and Employment in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a vibrant economy that is highly dependent on international trade as a major port. The dominant presence of international trade is reflected in the number of consulates located in the territory: As of June 2005, Hong Kong had 107 consulates and consulates-general, more than any other metropolitan in the world. Even New York City, host of the United Nations, only has 93 consulates. Hong Kong has one of the world's least restricted economies, and is the world's 10th largest trading entity⁹ and 11th largest banking centre¹⁰.

The objective of Hong Kong's monetary policy is to maintain currency stability. Given the highly externally oriented nature of the economy, this objective is further defined as a stable external value for the Hong Kong Dollar in terms of a linked exchange rate against the US dollar at the rate of HK$7.80 to to one United States Dollar. This objective is achieved through the linked exchange rate system introduced in October 1983.

Hong Kong has limited natural resources. Food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports (including re-exports), each exceed the GDP of Hong Kong. Hong Kong has extensive trade and investment ties with the People's Republic of China which existed even before the transfer of sovereignty on July 1, 1997. The tertiary sector represented 86.5 percent of the GDP in 2001¹¹. The territory, with a highly sophisticated banking sector and good communication links, houses the Asian headquarters of many multinational corporations.

At USD 24,626 (2005), the nominal per capita GDP of Hong Kong is comparable to that of western European economies. However, it would be ranked 11th in terms of per capita GDP (PPP) in the world (USD 32,292), which is even higher than Japan (USD 31,384), making Hong Kong the richest territorial regions in Asia. Growth averaged a strong five percent between 1989 and 1997¹², although the Asian financial crisis in 1998 damaged the trade-dependant economy badly, prompting the economy to shrink by five percent in a year. However, the economy, which grew by 10 percent in 2000, recovered rapidly, although the recent world-wide global downturn has decreased the market for Hong Kong's exports, reducing economig growth to 2.3 percent in 2002.

The outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) greatly weakened the Hong Kong economy, as tourism numbers plummeted as tourists were afraid of catching the virus. After Hong Kong was declared SARS-free, tourism numbers resumed to the pre-2003 levels.

Mainland China and Hong Kong signed the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) on 29 June 2003. The CEPA, concluded within the WTO frameworks, allows Hong Kong services providers in 18 different fields to enter the mainland market at least one year ahead of other foreign competitors. The arrangement has created a platform for Hong Kong professionals to practice in the mainland, and also allows Hong Kong citizens and permanent residents to establish individually owned retail stores in Guangdong Province.

To further increase economic co-operation between Hong Kong and the mainland, the Individual Visit Scheme was started on 28 July 2003, which allows travellers from some cities in mainland China to visit Hong Kong without an accompanying tour group. As a result, the tourism industry in Hong Kong is booming due to an exponential increase in the number of visitors from mainland China.

A revival in both external and domestic demand led to a strong upswing in growth in 2004, surging to 8.2 percent for the year. The domestic sector completely shrugged off its earlier slugishness, and the general weakness of the Hong Kong Dollar, when included with the still modest cost and price pressures in Hong Kong, has resulted in a strengthening in Hong Kong's external price competativeness. In addition, Hong Kong's 68 month long deflationary spiral, the longest and highest deflation according to Guiness World Records, ended in mid-2004, with consumer price inflation hovering at near zero levels.

[edit] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the fourth largest metropolitan area of the PRC by population. 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 6,700 people per km².

Although the government has been actively encouraging the residents to have children (Hong Kong has no one-child policy, which is enforced only in mainland China), Hong Kong has a fertility rate of 0.94 children per woman¹³, one of the lowest in the world, and far below the 2.1 children per woman required to maintain an even population level. However, population is continuously growing due to immigration from mainland China.

Despite the population density, Hong Kong was reported to be one of the greenest cities in Asia¹⁴. The majority of people live in flats in high-rise buildings. The rest of the open spaces are often covered with parks, woods and shrubs. About 60 percent of the land is designated as country parks and nature reserves¹⁵. Hiking and camping are popular outdoor activities in Hong Kong's hilly country parks. The irregular and long coastline of Hong Kong also provides many bays and fine beaches for its inhabitants. Environmental concern and awareness is growing, however, as Hong Kong ranks as one of the most (air-)polluted cities in the world.

Cantonese, the Chinese language used in Hong Kong government matters, is spoken by most of the local Chinese population at home and at work. But English is quite widely understood; it is spoken, mostly at work, by more than one-third of the population.

About 95 percent of Hong Kong residents claim primarily Chinese ancestry¹⁶. Caucasians make up about 1.5% of the population¹⁷. The top three nationalities are Filipinos (132,770), Indonesians (95,460), and Americans (31,330).

Every major religion is freely practised in Hong Kong. Ancestor worship is predominant due to the strong Confucian influence, whereas Christianity is practised by a mere 10% of the population. The Christian community is roughly equally divided between Catholics and Protestants. The are also an estimated 70,000 Muslims in Hong Kong. There are between 2,000 and 3,000 Jews living in Hong Kong.

[edit] Education

Main article: Education in Hong Kong

As Hong Kong was a British colony, its educational system follows that of the United Kingdom, and in particular, the education system in England. In Hong Kong, there is a non-compulsory three-year kindergarten, which is followed by compulsory six-year primary education, three-year junior secondary education, and a non-compulsory two-year senior secondary education leading to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examinations and a two-year matriculation course leading to the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examinations. There are also tertiary institutions offering various bachelor, masters' and doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas, and associate degree courses.

In general, three types of comprehensive schools exist in Hong Kong. There are government schools, which are relatively fewer, and subsidised schools, run by charitable (often Christian) organisations with government funding, to which most students go. Most private schools are run by Christian organisations as well; admissions are based more on academic merit than on financial resources.

Outside this system are the private international schools, which provide an alternative to the high-pressured mainstream education in exchange for much higher tuition fees.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Hong Kong

Hong Kong is often described as a city where the East and the West meets, yet 96 percent of its population is Chinese, the majority of which are Cantonese. Therefore, while the colony was ruled by the British for nearly 150 years, its psyche is firmly Chinese.

A small influx of immigrants from mainland China in recent years have increased the diversity of the Chinese population in the territory. The remaining four percent of the population is composed of non-Chinese, who form a highly visible group despite their small numbers. While Hong Kong was British territory for 150 years, not many British citizens remain today. Of some 30,000 British citizens who live in Hong Kong, the majority are Chinese. There is also a very important South Asiann population, which includes some of Hong Kong's wealthiest families. Some Nepalis are Gurkhas who chose to stay, or their descendants. There are also more than 15,000 Vietnamese refugees staying and absorbed as residents, the majority of which survive on casual manual jobs. There are also over 120,000 Filipinas working in Hong Kong as domestic helpers, who are known in Hong Kong as amahs, or much more often feiyungs. Some domestic helpers are from Thailand and Indonesia. On Sundays and on public holidays, thousands of feiyungs gather in Central to socialise.

Hongkongers traditionally spend their leisure time playing games. Mah Jong is extremely popular in Hong Kong, and it is possible to see people playing almost everywhere, especially during holidays. Chinese chess is mostly played by elderly Chinese men across Hong Kong, who are usually surrounded by crowds betting on the winner, and it is also popular among secondary school students. The martial art of tai chi is also popular, especially among the elderly. There are groups of people who practice tai chi in every park in Hong Kong at dawn, making the slow and graceful movements associated with the practice.

Every district in Hong Kong has old-fashioned stores that sell Chinese herbal medicine. The largest concentration of these shops is along Bonham Strand and Bonham Strand West in Sheung Wan, where all types of pills, plants, and dried animals are for sale.

[edit] Religion

Main article: Religion in Hong Kong

Religion plays an important role in many Hongkonger's lives. Unlike the mainland, Hong Kong enjoys total freedom of religion. Most of Hong Kong's population is either Buddhist or Taoist, and ancestor worship is predominant due to the strong Confucian influence, but there are also about half a million Christians or about ten percent of the total population, who are roughly equally divided between Catholics and Protestants. There are also an estimated 100,000 Muslims, between 2,000 and 3,000 Jews, and a few Hindus and Sikhs. Apart from offering religious instructions, many major religious bodies have established schools and provided social welfare facilities.

There are some fears, however, that Beijing may interfere with this in the future, particularly in light of the crackdown on the Falun Gong.

The religious beliefs are tied to the region's first needs, those of the fishing community. Tin Hau, the protector of seafarers, is honoured with several temples throughout Hong Kong. The average Hong Konger goes to taoist or Buddhist temples to appease the deities and, usually, to ask for compassion or good fortune. Gifts of food, and in particular fruit, are presented, and incense and paper offerings are burnt in respect.

There are some major Chinese festivals celebrated in the calendar, the Lunar New year, the Tuen Ng Festival (Dragon Boat Festival), the Yu Lan Festival (Hungry Ghost Festival), the Mid-Autumn Festival, Ching Ming Festival and the Winter Solstice. These festivals give people breaks from work.

Gifts and visits are exchanged among friends and relatives, and children receive lai see, or ‘lucky money’. During the Ching Ming Festival in spring, ancestral graves are visited. In early summer (forth or fifth day of the fifth lunar month), the Tuen Ng Festival is celebrated with dragon boat races and by eating cooked glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Gifts of mooncakes, wine and fruit are exchanged and adults and children go into parks and the countryside at night with colourful lanterns. Apart from the above traditional festivals, quite a number of important religious festivals, including Buddha's Birthday and Christian observances such as Good Friday, Easter and Christmas, have been listed as public holidays. Adherents hold special celebrations or memorial ceremonies on these occasions.

[edit] Architecture

Due to the lack of available space, few historical buildings remain in the urban areas of Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong has become a centre for modern architecture as older buildings are cleared away to make space for newer, larger buildings. Historically, the demand for high-end buildings has been in and around Central. After decades of development, Central has become a district with plenty of tall business buildings. These buildings comprise the skyline along the coast of the Victoria Harbour, which is a famous tourist attraction in Hong Kong. But until Kai Tak Airport closed in 1998, strict height restrictions were in force in Kowloon so that aeroplanes could come in to land. These restrictions have now been lifted, and several new buildings in Kowloon are being planned, including a massive tower at the West Kowloon reclamation.

Hong Kong's best-known building is probably Ieoh Ming Pei's Bank of China Tower. The building attracted heated controversy from the moment its design was released to the public, which continued for years after the building's completion in 1990. The building was said to cast negative feng shui energy into the heart of Hong Kong due to the building's sharp angles. One rumour even went so far as to say that the negative energy was concentrated on the Government House as a Chinese plot to foil any decisions taken there. The two white aerials on top on the building were deemed inauspicious as two sticks of incense are burned for the dead.

Predating the Bank of China Tower, the HSBC Headquarters Building was finished in 1985 as the third incarnation of the HSBC headquarters on the site. The building is featured on many of Hong Kong's banknotes. The building was built on the site of Hong Kong's first skyscraper, which was finished in 1935 and was the first building in Hong Kong to have centralised air conditioning. The Hong Kong Club Building was built atop a smaller structure that was built in an Italian Renaissance style in 1897. The building was the subject of a bitter heritage conservation struggle in the late 1970s, which ultimately failed to save the building.

One of the largest construction projects in Hong Kong has been the construction of the new Hong Kong International Airport on Chek Lap Kok near Lantau, which was the most extensive single civil engineering project ever undertaken. Designed by Sir Norman Foster, the huge land reclamation project is linked to the centre of Hong Kong by three huge new bridges: the Tsing Ma Bridge which was built in 1997, connecting the islands of Tsing Yi and Ma Wan, the smaller Kap Shui Mun Bridge, which links Ma Wan and Lantau, and the Ting Kau Bridge, which connects Tsing Yi and the mainland New Territories.

[edit] Transport

Main article: Transport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transport network, encompassing both public and private transport. The Octopus card stored value smart card payment system can be used to pay for fares on almost all railways, buses and ferries in Hong Kong. Most parking metres in Hong Kong only accept payment by Octopus card, and Octopus card payment can be made at various carparks.

Hong Kong Island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, which required the development of unusual methods of transport up and down the slopes. There are extensive systems of escalators, footbriges and moving sidewalks in different parts of Hong Kong, including the longest outdoor covered elevator system in the world, the Mid-levels Escalator.

Hong Kong has several different modes of public rail transport. Public transport trains, MTR and KCR, are operated by the MTR Corporation Limited and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation respectively. The Hong Kong Tramways on Hong Kong Island is the only tram (streetcar) system run exclusively with double deckers. The Peak Tram is a funicular railway.

Five separate companies operate franchised public bus services in Hong Kong, namely the Kowloon Motor Bus, Long Win Bus, New World First Bus, Citybus and New Lantao Bus. Double-decker buses were introduced to Hong Kong in 1949. They are now used intensively in Hong Kong. But still, there are also single-decker buses for the bus routes with fewer passengers. Most normal franchised bus routes in Hong Kong operate at least until midnight. Public light buses, or minibuses, carry a maxmum of 16 passengers, run the length and breadth of Hong Kong, through some areas which standard bus lines cannot or do not reach as frequently, quickly or directly. Different coloured taxis, which are also widely used, serve different areas.

Most ferry services are provided by licensed ferry operators. 27 regular licensed passenger ferry services operated by 11 licensees serve outlying islands, new towns and within the Victoria Harbour. The two routes operated by the Star Ferry are franchised. Additionally, 78 "kai-to" ferries are licensed to serve remote coastal settlements.

Hong Kong has one active international airport since the famous former Hong Kong International Airport at Kai Tak was retired and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport, also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport in 1998. The airport now serves as a transport hub for East and Southeast Asia, and as the hub for Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair and Air Hong Kong.

[edit] Military

Main article: Military of Hong Kong

The PRC resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on July 1, 1997, and stationed a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to manage of its defence affairs. The stationing of the PLA troops in Hong Kong is a significant symbol of the PRC's resumption of exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong. It is also an imperative guarantee for the conservation of state sovereignty and sanctuary and the upholding of Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

The Basic Law provides that the Central People's Government shall be responsible for the defence of Hong Kong and shall bear the expenditure for the garrison. The Basic law also contains specific provisions on the duties and rules of discipline of the garrison personnel, the judicature and other questions, fundamentally guaranteeing that the Hong Kong Garrison fulfils its defense functions along legal lines. Military forces stationed in Hong Kong shall not interfere in the local affairs and the Hong Kong government shall be responsible for the maintenance of public order. The Hong Kong Garrison formally stationed in Hong Kong assumed defence responsibility for Hong Kong immediately as of midnight on 1 July 1997.

The Hong Kong Garrison, composed of ground, naval, and air forces, is under the direction of the Chinese Central Military Commission. While performing its defence duties, the Hong Kong Garrison must abide by both national and Hong Kong laws, as well as the current rules and regulations of the PLA.

After its entry into Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Garrison abided by the Basic Law and the Garrison Law, actively organising military training. According to the Garrison Law, the Garrison established working contacts with the Hong Kong Government, and opened the barracks on the Stonecutter's Island and Stanley to the public to promote understanding of and trust in the garrison troops among Hongkongers.

[edit] See also

History	First Opium War | Sino-British Joint Declaration | One Country, Two Systems | 1967 riots | Japanese Occupation | Battle of Hong Kong
Geography	Climate | Ecology | Country parks and conservation | Marine Parks | Public parks and gardens | Harbours | Channels | Beaches | Rivers | Reservoirs | Lakes | Bays | Islands and peninsulas | Mountains and peaks | Administrative divisions | Cities and towns | Areas | Villages | Buildings and structures
Politics	Basic Law | Sino-British Joint Declaration | One Country, Two Systems | Political parties (DAB, Democratic Party, Liberal Party) | Elections | Foreign relations | Judiciary | Military | Legislative Council | Districts | District Council | Government | Departments and agencies
Public services	Education | Health and Welfare | Police | Fire services | Others
Culture	Hong Kong English | Cinema | Cuisine | Cantopop | Tea culture | Media | Music | Opera | Languages | Museums | Philharmonic Orchestra | Jockey Club | Hong Kong Sevens | General holidays | Celebrities
Economy	Banks | Companies | Hong Kong dollar | Stock Exchange
Tourism	Disneyland | Landmarks and tourist attractions
Transport	Airport | Port | Ferries | Rail | Taxis | Buses | Public light buses | Major roads
Others	Communications | Honours system | Representative football team | Current events in Hong Kong

[edit] International rankings

• IMD International: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005, ranked 2nd out of 60 economies (countries and regions)
• World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005 - Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking, ranked 21st out of 104 countries
• A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine: Globalization Index 2005, not ranked out of 62 countries
• United Nations Development Programme: Human Development Index 2004, ranked 23rd out of 177 countries
• Save the Children: State of the World's Mothers 2005, not ranked out of 110 countries
• Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal: 2005 Index of Economic Freedom, ranked 1st out of 155 countries
• The Economist: The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005, ranked 18th out of 111 countries
• Transparency International: Corruption Perceptions Index 2004, ranked 16th out of 146 countries
• Reporters without borders: Third annual worldwide press freedom index (2004), ranked 34th out of 167 countries

[edit] References

• A Borrowed Place: The History of Hong Kong. Frank Welsh. Kodansha America. 1 October 1993. 624 pages. ISBN 1568360029.
• Hong Kong's History: State and Society Under Colonial Rule (Asia's Transformations). Tak-Wing Ngo. Routledge. 1 August 1999. 205 pages. ISBN 0415208688.
• The Cinema of Hong Kong: History, Arts, Identity. Poshek Fu, David Deser. Cambridge University Press. 25 March 2002. 346 pages. ISBN 0521776023.
• A Modern History of Hong Kong. Steve Tsang. I. B. Tauris. 14 May 2004. 356 pages. ISBN 1860641849.
• An Outline History of Hong Kong. Kiu Shuyong. 291 pages. ISBN 7119019465.
• Forts and Pirates - A History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong History Society. Hyperion Books. December 1990. ISBN 9627489018.

[edit] Footnotes

¹ BBC News: Donald Tsang set to be HK leader
² Public Order Ordinance
³ Presentation to Legislative Council on right of abode issue
⁴ Immigration Department: Right of Abode in the Hong Kong SAR - Verification of eligibility for Permanent Identity Card
⁵ Hong Kong Government may delay universal sufferage
⁶ T-Salon: Hong Kong: Calls for universal sufferage unabated
⁷ Third annual report by the European Commission on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
⁸ Monthly air temperature recorded at the Observatory between 1961-1990 and extreme values between 1884-1939 and 1947-2004
⁹ Trade profile: Hong Kong, China
¹⁰ Century21: Learn About Hong Kong
¹¹ Hong Kong Country Commercial Guide 2004: Economic trends
¹² Sinomedia: Hong Kong turnaround
¹³ Hong Kong total fertility rate
¹⁴ Chief Executive pledges a clean, green, world-class city
¹⁵ The Fifth Group Training Course on Integrated Urban Policy 1998
¹⁶ Hong Kong in a nutshell
¹⁷ Global transformations

[edit] External links

• Wikicities has a wiki about Hong Kong: Hong Kong

Government

• Hong Kong SAR Government Information Centre - official site of the Government of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Legislative Council
• Hong Kong District Councils
• Hong Kong Yearbook 2003
• Hong Kong Fact Sheets - Quick facts about Hong Kong

News

• South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's leading English-language newspaper
• The Standard - Hong Kong's leading business newspaper
• Ming Pao News - Hong Kong's largest Chinese-language newspaper
• Metro - The Hong Kong edition of the Metro

Overviews

• BBC News - Regions and Territories: Hong Kong
• CIA World Factbook - Hong Kong

Directories

• Yahoo! Hong Kong - directory category

Other

• Hong Kong Maps CentaMap
• CountryGuide:: Hong Kong - editor-maintained directory focused on travel and vacation planning and research.
• GeoExpat.Com - Online magazine, directory and forums for residents and expats in Hong Kong.
• Travelling HK - Pictures of Hong Kong
• Hongkong-Macao.info - Online forum and resources for those who live in or have an interest in Hong Kong and Macao.

Province-level divisions administered by the People's Republic of China
Provinces:	Anhui | Fujian | Gansu | Guangdong | Guizhou | Hainan | Hebei | Heilongjiang | Henan | Hubei | Hunan | Jiangsu | Jiangxi | Jilin | Liaoning | Qinghai | Shaanxi | Shandong | Shanxi | Sichuan | Taiwan (claimed) | Yunnan | Zhejiang
Autonomous Regions:	Guangxi | Inner Mongolia | Ningxia | Tibet | Xinjiang
Municipalities:	Beijing | Chongqing | Shanghai | Tianjin
Special administrative regions:	Hong Kong | Macau
	See also: Political status of Taiwan and Taiwan Province (People's Republic of China)