Introduction to Hong Kong

Hong Kong SAR（Special Administrative Region）functions as a ma jor regional and intemational financial and commercial center and an important gateway for trade into and from Mainland China，It is located to the south of the Chinese mainland bordered by Guangdong province and the South China sea.

Hong Kong occupies a relatively small area of 1098 square kilometers compared to its population of around 7.0 million，giving it one of the world’s highest population densities.The territory consists of Hong Kong Island，the Kowloo Peninsula，the New Territories，and 235 other islands.The region’s climate is sub-tropical tending to be temperate for nearly half the year.Tropical cyclones often affect Hong Kong with，on average，six hitting its shores annually.

History

Hong Kong’s political borders were established by a string of treaties between China and Great Britain.Hong Kong Island was originally ceded by China in 1841 in the treaty of Nanking.In 1860，the Kowloon Peninsula was added by the Treaty of Peking.Finally，in 1898 Great Britain obtained a 99 year lease on the New Territories.An agreement signed by China and Great Britain in 1984 changed this，handing the region over to China from July 1，1997，ending 150 years of Bedtish rule.Hong Kong became the Hong Kong SAR of China.

The hand-over was based upon a commitment from China to implement a political arrangement known as”One country，Two systems”under which Beijing promised to give Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy in allmatters except foreign and defense affairs for 50 years.

qingquang

See author's posts