Kowloon City
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- For the administrative district of Hong Kong. See Kowloon City District
Kowloon City (traditional Chinese: 九龍城) is an area in New Kowloon of Hong Kong. It is part of Kowloon City District. Its name comes from Kowloon Walled City with in the area.
Comparing with the administrative Kowloon City District, the Kowloon City area is vaguely bounded south by Prince Edward Road West and Prince Edward Road East, north with Lo Fu Ngam, east with Kai Tak Nullah and west with Kowloon Tsai.
[edit] History
Part of the district was the location the original Kowloon City, see Kowloon Walled City. This is now Walled City Park. The former Kai Tak International Airport was also located in the district.
In 1982, Hong Kong was divided into 18 administrative districts, and Kowloon City and its neighbouring areas, such as Hung Hom, belong to the Kowloon City District since then.
Prior to 1998, a strict building height restriction was imposed in Kowloon City to minimize the hazards of air traffic commuting through the Kai Tak Airport. The closure of Kai Tak as a result of the opening of the new Hong Kong International Airport lifted the height restriction, and high-rise apartments started to appear and reshape Kowloon City from being a slum.
In contrast, others believe the new high-rise buildings are destroying Kowloon City's sky line and many new buildings have arisen due to speculation and property bubbles. Several new apartment buildings have remained mostly empty, bought out by investors and offering little to the community apart from a decreased view of the sky. Far from being a slum, the densely packed streets of Kowloon City have always been some of the most active and exciting in Hong Kong (decreased by the loss of the local airport) featuring a busy wet market and a complex bike park in the old walled city where one can rent a bicycle for a small fee. It seems however that the 'dirty' look of the city, so characteristic of Hong Kong and loved by so many, may not agree to the tastes of those who have not grown up amidst it.[citation needed]
