Hong Kong: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Hong Kong |
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Background:
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Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. |
| Geography | Hong Kong |
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
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Geographic coordinates:
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22 15 N, 114 10 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia |
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Area:
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total: 1,092 sq km
water: 50 sq km land: 1,042 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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six times the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km |
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Coastline:
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733 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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territorial sea: 3 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall |
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Terrain:
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hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
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Natural resources:
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outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar |
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Land use:
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arable land: 5.05%
other: 93.94% (1998 est.) permanent crops: 1.01% |
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional typhoons |
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Environment - current issues:
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air and water pollution from rapid urbanization |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Marine Dumping (associate member) |
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Geography - note:
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more than 200 islands |