Hong Kong, a 'barren land' over 150 years ago, has become a world-class financial, trading and business centre and, indeed, a great world metropolis. Hongkong is also a hot tourist city of the world with its unique tourist attractions, such as the Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Harbour, Avenue of Stars, Disneyland, Ocean Park, Giant Buddha, Tsing Ma Bridge, Lan Kwui Fong, and so on. Hong Kong has no natural resources, except one of the finest deep-water ports in the world. A hardworking, adaptable and well-educated workforce of about 3.58 million, coupled with entrepreneurial flair, is the bedrock of Hong Kong's productivity and creativity.
Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on July 1, 1997, after a century and a half of British administration. Under Hong Kong's constitutional document, the Basic Law, the existing economic, legal and social systems will be maintained for 50 years. The SAR enjoys a high degree of autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs.
High above Hong Kong Island stands the Victoria Peak. It's Hong Kong's premier visitor attraction... >>more
Repulse Bay, located south of Stanley, is famous for its long, broad beach, its clean water, fresh sand, calm tide and gentle waves... >>more
One of the oldest and most famous temples in Hong Kong. Man Mo Temple is located at the intersection of Hollywood Road and Ladder Street... >>more
Standing on a small hill in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Park, covering an area of 14 hectares, is former site of a military barracks. ... >>more
Hong Kong Ocean Park is the largest leisure paradise in Southeast Asia, and one of the largest marine parks in the world.... >>more
Happy Valley is where the people of Hongkong gather to enjoy the excitement of horse racing and gambling on races.... >>more
Disneyland Resort is home to Hong Kong Disneyland Park and two Disney Hotels. 4 lands of fantasy, adventure, space and America in the Park...>>more
The Lantau Big Buddha in Hong Kong is the world's largest seated bronze statue. This majestic figure measures 26 meters and 220 tons... >>more
Location
Situated at the south-eastern tip of China, Hong Kong is ideally positioned at the centre of rapidly developing East Asia. With a total area of 1 104 square kilometers, it covers Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula just opposite, and the New Territories – the more rural section of Hong Kong, which also includes 262 outlying islands.
Population
Hong Kong's population was about 6.94 million in mid-2005. The population density was 6 420 people per square kilometer. Hong Kong had a large foreign population of about 517 560. The top three nationalities came from the Philippines (130 810), Indonesia (114 020) and Thailand (28 360).
Language
Chinese and English are the official languages. English is widely used in the Government and by the legal, professional and business sectors. There is no shortage of well- educated competent bilingual or even trilingual professionals who speak English, Cantonese and Putonghua. These are vital staff for any enterprise trading in Hong Kong or doing business with the Mainland and Taiwan.
Shopping in Hongkong is economical as Hongkong is a free port. Therefore, no sales tax is charged, but bargaining is common for many items. It's most popular buys are jewelry, Chinese antiques, porcelain, pottery, electric gadgetry, cameras, watches, beading work, and knitted wear. Among these articles, jewelry is the first choice of the tourist. So, if you plan a Hongkong trip, you'd better take your shopping budget into consideration in case of you cannot overcome their temptation.
Global Services Center
Hong Kong was the world's 11th largest exporter of services in 2005. Travel and tourism, trade-related services, transportation services, financial and banking services and professional services are the main components of trade in services.
International Corporate Base
About 3 900 international corporations have established regional headquarters or offices in Hong Kong. The major types of business include the wholesale/retail and import/export trades, other business services (e.g. accounting, advertising and legal services), finance and banking, manufacturing, transport and related services.
Free Trade & Free Market
Hong Kong advocates and practices free trade – a free and liberal investment regime, the absence of trade barriers, no discrimination against overseas investors, freedom of capital movement, well-established rule of law, transparent regulations, and low and predictable taxation.
Hongkong Self-Government
Hong Kong has a small and efficient government structure. Corporate and personal taxes are low and simple to calculate. The HKSAR Government is well known for its efficiency, transparency and fairness. It is ready to lend a helping hand to business people and companies under a long-established philosophy of 'maximum help and minimum interference' for business.
Monetary System of Hongkong
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 $7.80 to US$1. This objective is achieved through the Linked Exchange Rate System introduced in October 1983.
The Rule of Law of Hongkong
Hong Kong has a well-established and trusted legal system based on the common law. The rights and freedoms of Hong Kong people and those living here are founded upon the impartial rule of law, an independent judiciary, a comprehensive system of legal aid, and a free and active press.
Hongkong Airport
Hong Kong is a major international and regional aviation centre. Hong Kong International Airport, one of the busiest in the world, is served by major international airlines that provide about 4 900 scheduled passenger services and 700 freight services weekly from Hong Kong to 139 cities worldwide. When fully developed, the airport will be able to handle up to 87 million passengers and 9 million tonnes of cargo a year. Hong Kong International Airport has been named the world's best airport from 2001 to 2005 in a survey conducted by British-based Skytrax Research.
Hongkong Seaport
In 2005, Hong Kong handled 22.6 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of containers, making it the world's second busiest container port. The nine container terminals at Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi are under the management of five operators. Covering an area of 270 hectares, the container terminals provide 24 berths with 8 530-metre frontage. The water depth of the Kwai Chung-Tsing Yi basin is 15.5 metres and the total handling capacity of the terminals is over 18 million TEUs per year. During 2005, some 39 140 ocean-going vessels and 192 680 river trade vessels called at Hong Kong. These vessels handled 230.1 million tonnes of cargo and 21.5 million passengers.
Hongkong Climate / Weather
Hong Kong's climate is sub-tropical, tending towards the temperate for nearly half the year. Temperatures can drop below 10 degrees Celsius in winter and exceed 31 degrees Celsius in summer. About 90 per cent of the rainfall occurs between April and September.
Major International Trading Centre
Hong Kong is the world's 11th largest trading economy, the world's sixth largest foreign exchange market, the world's 15th largest banking centre, and Asia's second biggest stock market. Hong Kong is one of the world's top exporters of garments, watches and clocks, toys, games, electronic products and certain light industrial products.
1. 3000BC - A stone tool found in New Territories verified the first settlement in this area.
2. 960-1280AD - During the latter part of Song Dynasty, large numbers of the population were driven south by the Mongols and settled in Southern China and Hong Kong.
3. 1840 - Foreign merchants gradually established offices in Macau and Hong Kong as well as in Canton, China.
4. 16th of June 1842, Hong Kong Island, with one of the finest natural harbors in the world, was ceded to Great Britain by the Treaty of Nanking after the Opium War, the Kowloon peninsula was acquired in 1860 under the Peking Convention and the New Territories were secured on a 99-year lease in 1898. A mixed cosmopolitan population, the majority of whom were Chinese, increased from around 4000 in 1840 to 24000 by 1847 and reached 1.4 million by 1941.
5. 1949 - During unrest in China, Hong Kong was flooded with two million immigrants who brought capital and skills to help establish many manufacturing industries. From this time on Hong Kong became the gateway to China.
6. Before 1997 - The population reached six million; the foreign reserves reached 100 billion US dollars with countless modern skyscrapers and infra-structures and had become a world-class commercial center.
7. On 30th of June 1997 - Following negotiations between Great Britain and China in the 1980s the British Government agreed to transfer sovereignty of Hong Kong to China on the 30th June 1997; in return the Beijing Central Government agreed that Hong Kong would be a Special Administration Region with its own economic, judicial and education systems, guaranteed for 50 years without interference. China describes this arrangement as "One Country, two systems".
8. Nowadays, Hong Kong people govern Hong Kong in much the same way as before the handover from British to Chinese rule. Although the economical situation around the globe has slowed down, Hong Kong is still the ideal place to invest and is still the vital gateway to China. It is still the same old prosperous Hong Kong; a mixture of modern living and traditional Chinese Culture. One of the principal delights are the countless varieties of local gourmet dishes that one should not miss.
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