2. About me and Hong Kong
Today, I am going to introduce you my favorite city -- my
home town Hong Kong.
3. Geography
• Hong Kong is located on China's south coast
o It is surrounded by the South China Sea on the east, south, and west, and borders
the Guangdong city of Shenzhen to the north over the Shenzhen River
• The territory of Hong Kong is about 426 Miles2
o Spanning over three main areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and the
New Territories
o High population in Hong Kong
• Hilly to Mountainous
o Much of Hong Kong's terrain is hilly to mountainous with steep slopes, less than
25% of the territory's landmass is developed
o The highest elevation in the territory is at Tai Mo Shan, at a height of 3,140 ft above
sea level.
4. People
Demographics
Population: 7.03 million.
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 79.8
years for males and 86.1 years for
females. Among the highest in the
world.
About 95% of the people of Hong
Kong are of Chinese descent
Major ethnicities are:
Cantonese, Taishanese, Hakka
and Chiu Chow
Residents from Mainland China are
not allowed to enter, or relocate to
Hong Kong freely
A daily quota of 150 people
from Mainland China with family
ties in Hong Kong are granted a
'one way permit'.
5. People (Cont.)
• Languages
o Hong Kong's de facto official language is
Cantonese
o English is an official language
o 3.1% of the population use English
as an everyday language and by 34.9%
of the population as a second
language.
o Mandarin is becoming more common, as
more people come from the mainland
• Denonym: Hong Konger
o People who live in Hong Kong can be
referred to as “Hong Kongers”
6. Population
Million
6.80
6.60
6.40
6.20
Million
6.00
5.80
5.60
5.40
5.20
5.00
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
7. Culture
• Religion
o Freedom of Religion in Hong Kong, unlike in Mainland
China
o 90% of Hong Kong practices a mix of local religions
o Predominately Buddhist (Mahayana)
o 8% of the population identify as Christian (600k People)
• Legal System
o Based on British Common Law (Unlike China’s Civil Law
System)
o The legal system is just one of the major British
cultural remnants left over after HK was handed over to
China.
• Special Autonomous Region
o the Hong Kong government is responsible for all governing
issues except those regarding diplomatic relations and
defense.
o Hong Kong has it’s own constitution, with three distinct
branches of government: The Executive, The Legislature, and
The Judiciary.
8. Culture (Cont.)
• Food
o Hong Kong is truly an international city, and
the diverse cuisine is a reflection of this.
o East + West = Fusion
o From the roadside stalls to the most
upscale restaurants, Hong Kong provides an
unlimited variety of food in every class.
o Cantonese: Since the predominant culture
group is Cantonese, Hong Kong often
identifies with Cantonese Cuisine; Dim sum is
an example.
o Pop Culture
o Hong Kong has one of the biggest movie
industries in the world.
o Cantopop – a distinct Hong Kong style of
Cantonese Pop Music
9. History
• In 1839, the refusal by Qing Dynasty authorities to import opium resulted in the First Opium
War between China and Britain.
• Hong Kong Island became occupied by British forces in 1841, and was formally ceded to
Britain under the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the war.
• In 1860, after China's defeat in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula and
Stonecutter's Island were ceded to Britain under the Convention of Peking
• When the People's Republic of China was proclaimed in 1949, more migrants fled to Hong
Kong in fear of persecution by the Communist Party.
• In 1983, Hong Kong was reclassified from a British crown colony to a dependent territory
• In 1984 the two countries signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, agreeing to transfer
sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997
10. History (Cont.)
• The transfer of sovereignty occurred at midnight on 1 July 1997
• Hong Kong's economy was affected by the Asian financial crisis, and the
H5N1 avian influenza, both in 1997.
• Hong Kong suffered again due to an outbreak of SARS in 2003.
• Today, Hong Kong continues to serve as an important global financial
centre, but faces uncertainty over its future role with a growing mainland
China economy, and its relationship with the PRC government in areas such
as democratic reform and universal suffrage.