Hong Kong
The region with the most skyscrapers in the world.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen. It consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre territory, it is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world. Originally an area of farming and fishing villages, it is now one of the world's most significant financial centres and commercial ports, ranking as the third-ranked global financial centre behind New York City and London. The city has the highest life expectancy in the world, a Human Development Index of 0.955 (ranking eighth globally), and public transport usage exceeding 90 percent.
- Status
- Special Administrative Region of China
- Role
- Global Financial Center & Major Port
- Geography
- Coastal Metropolis comprising Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island in 1841–1842 following the First Opium War. The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and extended further when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Japan occupied the territory from 1941 to 1945 during World War II before it was handed over to China in 1997. Under the principle of one country, two systems, Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from mainland China.
In Their Own Story
The earliest known human traces date back 35,000–39,000 years to the Paleolithic period at Wong Tei Tung. By the Middle Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, semi-coastal Austronesian and later Yue people inhabited the region. The Qin dynasty incorporated Hong Kong into China in 214 BCE. Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares arrived in 1513, establishing a trading post before military clashes in the 1520s. Following the Great Clearance from 1661 to 1683, the population rebounded after the maritime trade ban was lifted in 1684. The First Opium War led to the cession of Hong Kong Island in 1842, transforming it into a major entrepôt.
Reader's Guide
Victoria Harbour developed after incense stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export shifted focus from northern Kowloon. The name 'Hong Kong' originally referred to a small inlet between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island, derived from the Cantonese phrase hēung góng meaning 'fragrant harbour'. By 1810, the simplified name was frequently used, officially adopted as two words in 1926. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911, and Kai Tak Airport began operation in 1924.
Did You Know?
- Hong Kong has the highest life expectancy in the world.
- The territory contains the most skyscrapers of any region globally.
- Public transport usage exceeds 90 percent across the city.
- It is currently the only place in Asia ranked in the top ten for Human Development Index.
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