Everything about Hong Kong China totally explained
Hong Kong, officially the
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region [pronunciation], is one of the two
special administrative regions of the
People's Republic of China, the other being
Macau. The territory lies on the eastern side of the
Pearl River Delta, bordering
Guangdong province in the north and facing the
South China Sea in the east, west and south. Beginning as a trading port in the 19th century, Hong Kong has developed into a leading
financial centre.
Hong Kong was a
Crown colony of the
United Kingdom from 1842 to 1981 and was a
British dependent territory from 1981 until the
transfer of its sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997. The
Sino-British Joint Declaration and the
Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of
autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "
one country, two systems", the
Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while the
Government of Hong Kong is responsible for its own
legal system,
police force,
monetary system,
customs policy,
immigration policy, and
delegates to international organisations and events.
History
Human settlement in the location now known as Hong Kong dates back to the
Paleolithic era. The region was first incorporated into
Imperial China in the
Qin Dynasty, and served as a trading post and naval base during the
Tang Dynasty and the
Song Dynasty. The area's earliest recorded European visitor was
Jorge Álvares, a
Portuguese mariner who arrived in 1513.
In 1839 the refusal by
Qing Dynasty authorities to import
opium resulted in the
First Opium War between China and Britain.
Hong Kong Island was occupied by British forces in 1841, and then formally ceded to Britain under the
Treaty of Nanking at the end of the war. The British established a
Crown Colony with the founding of
Victoria City the following year. In 1860, after China's defeat in the
Second Opium War, the
Kowloon Peninsula south of
Boundary Street and
Stonecutter's Island were ceded to Britain under the
Convention of Peking. In 1898 Britain obtained a 99-year lease of
Lantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the
New Territories.
Hong Kong was declared a
free port to serve as an
entrepôt of the
British Empire. The
Kowloon-Canton Railway opened in 1910 with a southern terminus in
Tsim Sha Tsui. An education system based on the British model was introduced. The local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy
tai-pans settled near
Victoria Peak.
Hong Kong's population recovered quickly as a wave of mainland migrants arrived for refuge from the ongoing
Chinese Civil War. With the proclamation of the
People's Republic of China in 1949 more migrants fled to Hong Kong from fear of persecution by the
Communist Party.
The textile and manufacturing industries grew with the help of population growth and low cost of labour. As Hong Kong rapidly industrialised, its economy became driven by exports to international markets. Living standards rose steadily with industrial growth. The construction of
Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 marked the beginning of the
public housing estate program. Hong Kong was disrupted by a year of chaos during the
riots of 1967 following the commencement of the
Cultural Revolution in 1966 in communist China. That year half a million people participated in a march to voice disapproval of the Tung administration and the proposal to implement
Article 23 of the Basic Law, which had raised concerns over infringements on civil liberties. The proposal was later abandoned by the administration. In 2005 Tung submitted his resignation as chief executive.
Donald Tsang, the
Chief Secretary for Administration, was selected as chief executive to complete the term.
Geography and climate
Hong Kong is located on
China's south coast, east of
Macau on the opposite side of the
Pearl River Delta. It is surrounded by the
South China Sea on the east, south, and west, and borders the
city of
Shenzhen in
Guangdong Province to the north over the
Sham Chun River. The territory consists primarily of
Hong Kong Island,
Lantau Island,
Kowloon Peninsula and the
New Territories as well as some 260 other islands. While
Lantau is the largest island, Hong Kong Island is the second largest and the most populated.
Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated island in the world.
Much of Hong Kong remains undeveloped as the terrain is mostly hilly to mountainous with steep slopes. Of the territory's, less than 25% is developed. The remaining land is remarkably green with about 40% of the landmass reserved as
country parks and
nature reserves. Most of the territory's
urban development exists on Kowloon peninsula, along the northern shores of Hong Kong Island and in scattered settlements throughout the New Territories. The highest elevation in the territory is at
Tai Mo Shan, at a height of above sea level. Hong Kong's long, irregular and curvaceous
coastline also affords the territory with many bays, rivers and
beaches. Lowlands exist in the northwestern part of the New Territories.
Despite Hong Kong's reputation of being intensely
urbanised, the territory has made much effort to promote a green environment, and recent growing public concern has prompted the severe restriction of further
land reclamation from Hong Kong's most famous natural landmark,
Victoria Harbour. Awareness of the environment is growing as Hong Kong suffers from increasing
pollution compounded by its geography and tall buildings. Approximately 80% of the
city's smog originates from other parts of the Pearl River Delta.
Situated just south of the
Tropic of Cancer,
Hong Kong's climate is
subtropical (
Köppen climate classification Cwa), and is known for being unpredictable. Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers and
thunderstorms, with warm air coming in from the southwest. It is also the time when
tropical cyclones are most likely, sometimes resulting in
flooding or
landslips. Winter weather usually starts sunny and becomes cloudier towards February, with the occasional
cold front bringing strong, cooling winds from the north. The most pleasant seasons are spring, although changeable, and autumn, which is generally sunny and dry. Hong Kong averages 1,948 hours of sunshine per year, while the highest and lowest ever recorded temperatures at the
Hong Kong Observatory are and, respectively.
Frost occurs only once or twice a year inland and on higher ground, and
snow is almost unheard of. Hong Kong doesn't observe
daylight saving time.
Politics and government
In accordance with the
Sino-British Joint Declaration, and reflecting the policy known as "
one country, two systems" by the
People's Republic of China, Hong Kong enjoys autonomy as a
special administrative region except in defence and foreign affairs. The declaration stipulates that the region maintain its capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of its people for at least 50 years beyond the
transfer of sovereignty. The
Basic Law is the
constitutional document that outlines executive, legislative and judicial authorities of government.
The
Chief Executive is the
head of government and the region's principal representative, chosen by the
Election Committee to serve no more than two five-year terms. The candidate chosen by the Election Committee must receive appointment by the
Central People's Government to assume office. The Chief Executive appoints senior officers under the
Principal Officials Accountability System and directs government policies with consultation from the
Executive Council, the
cabinet body. In addition, the Chief Executive appoints judges, signs legislation and may pardon or commute setences. Debate also surrounds the issue of reforming the electoral system for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council, and the timeframe for such political reforms. The Basic Law states that the ultimate aim is the election of the Chief Executive and the entire membership of the legislature by universal suffrage. A proposal for political reform was defeated in the legislature in 2005.
Legal system and judiciary
In contrast to
mainland China's
civil law system, Hong Kong continues to follow the
common law tradition 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 other common law jurisdictions. Articles 82 and 92 allow judges from other common law jurisdictions to participate in proceedings of Hong Kong's
Court of Final Appeal and sit as Hong Kong judges.
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 Court, which includes the
Family Court. Other adjudicative bodies include the Lands Tribunal, the Magistrates' Courts, the Juvenile 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 Hong Kong's Chief Executive. The
Basic Law of Hong Kong is subject to interpretation by the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC:SC) and 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 classified as either
barristers or
solicitors, where one can choose to practice as either one but not both (but it's possible to switch from one to another.) The vast majority of
lawyers are
solicitors, who are licensed and regulated by
the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Barristers, on the other hand, 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. 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.
According to the Article 63 of the
Basic Law of Hong Kong, the
Department of Justice controls criminal
prosecutions, free from any interference. It is the largest legal institution in Hong Kong, and its responsibilities involve
legislation, judicial administration, prosecution, civil representation, legal and policy drafting and reform, and the legal profession. Aside from prosecuting criminal cases in Hong Kong, officials of the Department of Justice also appear in court on behalf of the government in all civil and administrative lawsuits against the government. As the protector of
public interests, it may apply for
judicial reviews and assign legal representation on behalf of public interest to take part in the trial of cases that involve material public interests.
Administrative districts
Hong Kong is subdivided into 18 geographic districts for administrative purposes:
Each district is represented by a
District Council that advises the Government of Hong Kong on local matters such as public facilities, community programmes, cultural activities and environmental improvements. The
Home Affairs Department is the governmental body responsible for coordinating services and communicating government policies and plans to the public. It interacts with the public at the local level through corresponding district offices.
As the territory is governed by
unitary authority, there are no formal definitions for
cities and towns in Hong Kong and no
capital city has been designated. The historic boundaries of
Victoria City,
Kowloon and
New Kowloon remain stated in law, but these entities have not had any legal or administrative status since the implementation of the District Administration Scheme in 1982. Previously some colonial-era texts had considered Victoria City to be the capital.
Economy
Hong Kong maintains a highly
capitalist economy built on a policy of
free markets, low
taxation and
government non-intervention. It is an important centre for international finance and trade, with the greatest concentration of corporate headquarters in the
Asia-Pacific region. In terms of
gross domestic product per capita and
gross metropolitan product, Hong Kong is the wealthiest urban centre in the People's Republic of China. The
per capita GDP of Hong Kong exceeds those of the
United Kingdom,
France,
Germany,
Italy,
Switzerland,
Denmark and
Japan. Hong Kong is considered a
global city by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC).
Continuing the practice established under the British administration, the Government of Hong Kong mostly leaves the direction of the economy to market forces and the private sector. Since 1980, the government has generally played a passive role under the official policy of
positive non-interventionism. Hong Kong has often been cited as a prime example of
laissez-faire capitalism in practice, most notably by economist
Milton Friedman. It has ranked as the most free economy in the world in the
Index of Economic Freedom for 14 consecutive years, since the inception of the index in 1995. It also places first in the Economic Freedom of the World Report. Together with
Singapore,
South Korea, and
Taiwan, Hong Kong is known as one of the
Four Asian Tigers, or Dragons for its high growth rates and rapid industrialisation between the 1960s and the 1990s.
Hong Kong has little arable land and few natural resources within its borders, and must therefore import most of its
food and raw materials. Hong Kong is the world's eleventh largest trading entity, with the total value of
imports and
exports exceeding its
gross domestic product. As of 2007, there are
115 countries that maintain
consulates in Hong Kong, more than any other city in the world. Much of Hong Kong's exports consists of re-exports, which are products made outside of the territory, especially in
mainland China, and distributed via Hong Kong. Even before the
transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong had established extensive trade and investment ties with mainland China. The territory's autonomous status enables it to serve as a point of entry for investments and resources flowing into the mainland. It is also a connecting point for flights from
Taiwan destined for the mainland.
The currency used in Hong Kong is the
Hong Kong dollar. Since 1983 it has been pegged at a
fixed exchange rate to the
United States dollar. The currency is allowed to trade within a range between 7.75 and 7.85 Hong Kong dollars to one United States dollar. The
Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the
sixth largest in the world, with a
market capitalisation of about
US$2.97 trillion as of October 2007. In 2006 the value of
initial public offerings conducted in Hong Kong was second highest in the world after
London. The City of London Corporation's Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) 2007, which evaluates the competitiveness of 46 financial centres worldwide, ranks Hong Kong as the third-best financial centre globally and the strongest centre in
Asia.
Hong Kong's economy is dominated by services, which account for over 90 percent of its gross domestic product. In the past manufacturing had been the most important sector of the economy, as Hong Kong industrialised following the Second World War. Driven by exports the economy grew at an average annual rate of 8.9 percent in the 1970s. Hong Kong underwent a rapid transition to a service-based economy in the 1980s, when annual growth averaged 7.2 percent. Many manufacturing operations moved to mainland China during this period, and industry now constitutes just 9 percent of the economy. As Hong Kong matured to become a financial centre, growth slowed to an average of 2.7 percent annually in the 1990s.
The economy suffered a 5.3 percent decline in 1998, in the aftermath of the
Asian financial crisis. A period of recovery followed, with growth rate reaching 10 percent in 2000, although
deflation persisted. In 2003 the economy was greatly affected by the outbreak of SARS, which reduced economic growth to 2.3 percent. A revival of external and domestic demand led to a strong recovery the following year, as cost decreases strengthened the competitiveness of Hong Kong exports. The 68-month-long deflationary period ended in mid-2004, with consumer price
inflation close to zero. From 2003 the
Individual Visit Scheme has allowed travellers from some cities in mainland China to visit Hong Kong without being part of a tour group. As a result the
tourism industry of Hong Kong has benefitted from an increase in mainland visitors, further aided by the opening of
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in 2005. The economy continues to grow strongly with the return of consumer confidence and rising trade. Hong Kong has low rates of both personal and corporate taxation.
Demographics
Residents of Hong Kong are sometimes referred to as
Hongkongers. Hong Kong's population increased sharply throughout the 1990s, reaching 6.99 million in 2006. About 95% of Hong Kong's population is of
Chinese descent, the majority of which is
Cantonese or from ethnic groups such as
Hakka and
Teochew.
Cantonese, a Chinese language originating from Guangdong province to the north of Hong Kong, is Hong Kong's
de-facto official dialect and 95% of the population speaks Cantonese as their first language.
English is also an official language widely spoken by more than 38% of the population. According to the 1996 Hong Kong Government by-census, some 3.1% regard English as their 'usual' language with 34.9% claiming to speak English as 'another' language. Signs displaying both Chinese and English are common throughout the territory. Since the 1997 handover, new groups of mainland Chinese immigrants have arrived. The usage of
Mandarin, the official dialect of People's Republic of China and
Republic of China (Taiwan), has also increased. The integration with mainland economy led to a demand in Mandarin speakers.
The remaining 5% of the population is composed of non-ethnic Chinese forming a highly visible group despite their smaller numbers. A
South Asian population of
Sindhis,
Indians,
Pakistanis and
Nepalese are found.
Vietnamese refugees have become permanent residents. Approximately 140,000
Filipinos live and work in Hong Kong with the majority as
foreign domestic helpers. An increasing number of domestic workers also originate from
Indonesia. There are also a number of
Europeans,
Americans,
Australians,
Canadians,
Japanese, and
Koreans working in Hong Kong's commercial and financial sector.
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 6,200 people per km². Hong Kong has a
fertility rate of 0.95 children per woman, one of the lowest in the world and far below the 2.1 children per woman required to sustain the current population. However, population in Hong Kong continues to grow due to the influx of immigrants from mainland China approximating 45,000 per year.
Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 81.6 years as of 2006, 2nd highest in the world.
Hong Kong's population has an extremely dense urban core, consisting of
Kowloon and the north of
Hong Kong Island. The rest of Hong Kong is relatively sparsely populated, with millions of residents scattered irregularly throughout the
New Territories, south Hong Kong island and Lantau Island. An increasing number of citizens are commuting from
Shenzhen in mainland China.
Education
A former
Crown colony, Hong Kong's
education system has roughly followed the system
of the United Kingdom, and in particular, the
education system in England. At the higher education levels, both British and American systems exist. The
University of Hong Kong (HKU), the oldest institution of tertiary education in Hong Kong, has traditionally been based on the British model but has incorporated elements of the American model in recent years. The second oldest university,
Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), follows the American model with a characteristically British college system. The
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) was established on the American model of higher education. There are
nine public universities in Hong Kong, and a number of
private higher institutions.
Hong Kong's public schools are operated by the
Education Bureau. The system features a non-compulsory three-year
kindergarten, followed by a compulsory six-year primary education, three-year junior
secondary education; 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. A new "3+3+4" curriculum, consisting of a three-year junior secondary, three-year senior secondary and four-year undergraduate academic system, will be implemented from 2009 (for senior secondary) and 2012 (for tertiary) onwards. There are also
tertiary institutions offering various Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees, other
higher diplomas, and
associate degree courses.
Most comprehensive schools in Hong Kong fall under three categories: Public schools, subsidised schools and private schools. Public schools are rare, and subsidised schools are the most common, which include government aids and grant schools, run by charitable organisations often with religious affiliations. The majority of such religious affiliations are
Christian, but there are also
Buddhist,
Daoist (
Taoist),
Islamic and
Confucian ones as well. Meanwhile,
private schools, often run by Christian organisations, have admissions based on academic merit rather than on financial resources. Outside this system are the schools under the
Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) and private
international schools. The medium of instruction is mainly spoken Cantonese, written Chinese, and English.
The
Programme for International Student Assessment, coordinated by the
OECD, currently ranks Hong Kong's education as the 2nd best in the world.
Culture
Hong Kong is frequently described as a place where East meets West, a meeting reflected in its inhabitants, their customs, economic
infrastructure,
education and culture. British rule may have ended in 1997 but Western culture is deeply ingrained in Hong Kong and coexists seamlessly with traditional philosophy and practices of the Chinese. On one street corner, there may be traditional Chinese shops selling
Chinese herbal medicine,
Buddhist paraphernalia or bowls of synthetic
shark fin soup, but around the next, one may find theatres showing the latest
Hollywood blockbuster, an English-style pub, or a
Catholic Church. Hong Kong's official languages are Cantonese and English; signs in both languages are omnipresent throughout Hong Kong. The government, police and most workplaces and stores conduct business bilingually.
While Hong Kong is a global centre of trade, another famous export is its entertainment industry, particularly in the martial arts genre which gained a high level of popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s. Several Hollywood performers originate from Hong Kong cinema, notably
Bruce Lee,
Chow Yun-Fat, and
Jackie Chan. A number of Hong Kong filmmakers have also achieved widespread fame in Hollywood, such as
John Woo,
Wong Kar-wai and
Tsui Hark. Homegrown films such as
Chungking Express,
Infernal Affairs,
Shaolin Soccer,
Rumble in the Bronx,
Eros and
In the Mood for Love have also gained international recognition. Hong Kong is also the world's main hub for
Cantopop music.
The Hong Kong government also supports cultural institutions such as the
Hong Kong Heritage Museum,
Hong Kong Museum of Art, the
Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Furthermore, the government's
Leisure and Cultural Services Department also subsidises and sponsors international performers brought to Hong Kong. Many international cultural activities are organised by the government, consulates and privately.
Religion
Buddhism (mainly
Chinese Mahayana) alongside with
Taoism. but according to the International Religious Freedom Report 2007 from U.S. Department of States; there are only 700 thousand Buddhists or Taoists. Buddhists and Taoists share a common background of
Confucian theory,
Chinese folk religion (worship of folk deities and figures of
Chinese mythology) and
ancestor worship.
A sizable
Christian community of around 560,000 local adherents (320 thousand Protestant Christians, 240 thousand Roman Catholics), forming about 8% to 9% of the total population; it's roughly equally divided between
Catholics and
Protestants. Apart from the major religions, there are also a significant number of followers of other religions, including an estimated 90,000
Muslims; 22,000 members of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; 4,000
Jews; 4,600
Jehovah's Witnesses and a number of
Hindus,
Sikhs and
Bahá'ís Most of these were built in the past two decades.
Due to the lack of available space, few historical buildings remain in Hong Kong as older buildings are regularly torn down to make way for new developments. Instead, the city has become a centre for
modern architecture, especially in and around
Central. Dense commercial skyscrapers line the coast of
Victoria Harbour from Central to Causeway Bay, and Hong Kong's skyline, ranked the best skyline in the world, is a major tourist attraction. Four of the 15
tallest skyscrapers in the world are in Hong Kong. In
Kowloon, which once included the nihilistic settlement called the
Kowloon Walled City, the proximity of
Kai Tak Airport previously necessitated strict height limits for all buildings. With the closure of Kai Tak Airport in 1998, these restrictions were lifted and several new skyscrapers in Kowloon are now under construction, including
International Commerce Centre which, when completed in 2010, will become the world's fourth tallest.
One of the notable buildings in Hong Kong is
I. M. Pei's
Bank of China Tower, completed in 1990 and now the city's third tallest skyscraper. This building generated heated controversy from the start, as its sharp angles were said to cast negative
feng shui energy into the heart of Hong Kong. Predating the Bank of China Tower, another well-known structure is the
HSBC Headquarters Building, finished in 1985. It was built on the site of Hong Kong's first skyscraper, which was finished in 1935 and was the subject of a bitter heritage
conservation struggle in the late 1970s. Both banks' buildings are featured on many of
Hong Kong's banknotes.
The tallest building in Hong Kong is currently the
Two International Finance Centre. Other well-known projects in Hong Kong include the new
Hong Kong International Airport on
Chek Lap Kok near
Lantau, a huge land reclamation project linked to the centre of Hong Kong by the
Lantau Link, which features three new major
bridges:
Tsing Ma, the world's
sixth largest suspension bridge;
Kap Shui Mun, the world's longest
cable-stayed bridge carrying both road and railway traffic; and
Ting Kau, the world's first major four-span cable-stayed bridge.
Transport
Hong Kong has a highly developed
transportation network, encompassing both
public and private transport. Over 90% of daily travels are on public transport, making it the highest percentage in the world. 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. The Octopus card uses
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to allow users to scan their card without taking it out of their wallet or bag. All
parking meters in Hong Kong accept payment by Octopus card only, and Octopus card payment can be made at various car parks.
Seeing wide usage is the city's
metro system,
MTR, both an underground rail system and a link between Hong Kong and mainland China. It has 150 stations and moves 3.4 million people a day. The
tramway system, serving the city since 1904, covers the northern parts of Hong Kong Island and is the only
tram system in the world run exclusively with
double deckers. There are five operators running franchised public
bus services in Hong Kong.
Double-decker buses were introduced to Hong Kong in 1949, and are now almost exclusively used, with single-decker buses remaining in use for routes with lower demand or roads with lower carrying capacity. Most normal franchised bus routes in Hong Kong operate until 1 am.
Public light buses run the length and breadth of Hong Kong, through areas where standard bus lines can't reach or don't reach as frequently, quickly, or directly.
The
Star Ferry service operates four lines across
Victoria Harbour and has been in operation for over 120 years, providing a panoramic view of Hong Kong's skyline for its 53,000 daily passengers. It is considered one of the city's most treasured cultural icons and has been rated as one of the most picturesque ferry crossings in the world. Other
ferry services are provided by operators serving
outlying islands, new towns,
Macau, and cities in mainland China. Hong Kong is also famous for its
junks traversing the harbour, and small
kai-to ferries which serve remote coastal settlements.
As Hong Kong is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, some unusual methods of transport have been devised to ease movement up and down the slopes. For example, the
Peak Tram, the first public transport system in Hong Kong, has provided vertical rail transport between
Central and
Victoria Peak since 1888 by steeply ascending the side of a mountain. In
Central and Western district, there's an extensive system of
escalators and
moving pavements, including the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, the
Mid-Levels escalator.
Hong Kong International Airport is a leading air passenger gateway and logistics hub in Asia and one of the world's busiest
airports in terms of international passenger and cargo movement, serving more than 47 million passengers and handling 3.74 million tonnes of cargo in 2007. It replaced
Kai Tak Airport in
Kowloon in 1998 and has been voted the world's best airport multiple times. Over 85 airlines operate at the two-
terminal airport and it's the primary hub of
Cathay Pacific,
Dragonair,
Air Hong Kong,
Hong Kong Airlines and
Hong Kong Express.
Taxis are widely used throughout Hong Kong, all of which are obliged by law to run on
liquefied petroleum gas instead of
diesel, in order to help the city's pollution problems. Despite the effort, the level of smog and pollution in Hong Kong is very high. Of around 517,000 registered vehicles in Hong Kong, 64% are privately owned passenger cars. Compared to the population size of Hong Kong, the number of vehicles is relatively small because space is scarce and private parking spaces are very expensive. In contrast to
mainland China, the territory drives on the left and continues to use the British road sign system, both inherited from its colonial past. Hong Kong is famous for having the most
Rolls-Royce cars per capita in the world.
Healthcare
Hong Kong's medical infrastructure consists of a mixed medical economy, with 12 private hospitals and more than 50 public hospitals. There are also
polyclinics that offer primary care services, including dentistry.
Hong Kong has two medical schools, one with the
University of Hong Kong (the
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine) and the other with the
Chinese University of Hong Kong. Medical graduates obtain the
MBChB or
MBBS, based upon the British model. There are also schools of nursing, both public and private, and training for professions allied to medicine, including a school dedicated to
dentistry.
The
Hospital Authority is a statutory body established on
1 December 1990 under the Hospital Authority Ordinance to manage all 38 public hospitals and institutions in Hong Kong. It is mainly responsible for delivering a comprehensive range of secondary and tertiary specialist care and medical rehabilitation through its network of health care facilities. The Authority also provides some primary medical services in 74 primary care clinics. Hong Kong's 12 private hospitals have partnered with the United Kingdom for
international healthcare accreditation. All 12 private hospitals are "Trent Hospitals", having been surveyed and accredited by the
United Kingdom's
Trent Accreditation Scheme. The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine is an independent institution with the statutory power to organise, monitor, assess and accredit all medical specialist training and to oversee the provision of continuing medical education in Hong Kong. In addition, The
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada has also accredited the postgraduate medical education (1994-present) in Hong Kong and allowed these graduates from the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine seeking
RCPSC Certification and practising in
Canada.
The
Department of Health, under
Food and Health Bureau, is the health adviser of Hong Kong government and an executive arm in health legislation and policy. Its main role is to safeguard the health of the community through promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services in Hong Kong. The main function of the department includes child assessment service,
immunisation programmes, dental service,
forensic pathology service, registration of healthcare professionals etc, though boards and councils (for example Medical Council of Hong Kong, Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong) are independent statutory bodies established under the relevant ordinances that operate independently to discharge their statutory functions.
Hong Kong is one of the healthiest places in the world. Because of its early health education, professional health services, and well-developed health care and medication system,
Hongkongers enjoy an average 82-year-long
life expectancy, which is the second highest in the world, and 2.94 infant mortality rate, the fourth lowest in the world.
Military
Hong Kong has never had its own
military forces because it has never been a
sovereign state, except voluntary auxiliary forces like
The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers). All defence matters have been dependent on the state which is controlling Hong Kong. Before the British handover to PRC sovereignty, defence was provided by the
British military, who stationed soldiers in barracks throughout Hong Kong, including the
British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. Its finance was supported by the Hong Kong Government.
The
People's Republic of China's
State Council assumed sovereignty over Hong Kong on
1 July 1997 and stationed a
garrison of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA) to manage its defence affairs. Although the garrison has little practical military value, the stationing of the PLA troops in Hong Kong is a significant symbol of the PRC government's assumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong.
According to Hong Kong's Basic Law, military forces stationed in Hong Kong won't interfere with local civil affairs; the Hong Kong SAR Government remains responsible for the maintenance of public order. The Hong Kong Garrison, composed of
ground,
naval, and
air forces, is under the command of the Chinese
Central Military Commission. The PLA Garrison subsequently opened its barracks on
Stonecutters Island and
Stanley to the public to promote understanding and trust between the troops and residents.
Further Information
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External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://hong_kong.totallyexplained.com">Hong Kong Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
