Hong Kong

The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.

land

1,073 sq km

total

1,108 sq km

water

35 sq km

six times the size of Washington, DC

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

733 km

highest point

Tai Mo Shan 958 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

22 15 N, 114 10 E

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

10 sq km (2012)

regional borders

China 33 km

total

33 km

agricultural land

5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

95% (2018 est.)

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Southeast Asia

territorial sea

12 nm

occasional typhoons

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

population fairly evenly distributed

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

0-14 years

13.2% (male 505,718/female 459,956)

15-64 years

64.8% (male 2,123,216/female 2,609,102)

65 years and over

21.9% (2024 est.) (male 738,878/female 860,951)

7.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

66.7% (2017)

NA

47.7% (2023 est.)

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

28.7

potential support ratio

3.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

46.6

youth dependency ratio

17.8

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Chinese 91.6%, Filipino 2.7%, Indonesian 1.9%, other 3.7% (2021 est.)

0.6 (2024 est.)

4.9 beds/1,000 population (2020)

female

2.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, other 2%, persons under 5 or mute 3.2% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s)

世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: data represent population by usual spoken language

female

86.8 years

male

81.3 years

total population

84 years (2024 est.)

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

7.685 million Hong Kong (2023)

female

48.6 years

male

45.3 years

total

47.2 years (2024 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

adjective

Chinese/Hong Kong

noun

Chinese/Hong Konger

1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

3,930,009 (2024 est.)

male

3,367,812

total

7,297,821

population fairly evenly distributed

0.12% (2024 est.)

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.)

note

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 96.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 3.6% of population (2017)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.6% of population

female

17 years (2021)

male

17 years

total

17 years

0-14 years

1.1 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.81 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.86 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

1.24 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

see China

amendments

proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, or the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

history

several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

abbreviation

HK

conventional long form

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form

Hong Kong

etymology

probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

local long form

Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)

local short form

Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

chief of mission

Consul General Gregory MAY (since September 2022); note - also accredited to Macau

email address and website

acshk@state.govhttps://hk.usconsulate.gov/

embassy

26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong

FAX

[852] 2845-1598

mailing address

8000 Hong Kong Place, Washington DC  20521-8000

telephone

[852] 2523-9011

chief of mission

none (Special Administrative Region of China)

HKETO offices

New York, San Francisco, Washington DC

note

Note:  Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China and does not have a diplomatic presence; the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities; the position of the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vacant; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947; FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; email:  hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk; website: https://www.hketowashington.gov.hk/

cabinet

Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

chief of state

President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

election results

2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee2017: Carrie LAM elected; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast)

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 May 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

head of government

Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu (since 1 July 2022)

note

note: electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

none (special administrative region of China)

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s)

Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office

all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges serve until normal retirement at age 65, but term can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts

High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure); PRC imposition of National Security Law incorporates elements of Chinese civil law

description

unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (90 seats); 20 members directly elected, 70 indirectly elected; members serve 4-year terms

election results

percent of vote by bloc: pro-Beijing 93.8%, non-establishment 6.2%; seats by association/bloc/party - pro-Beijing 89 (DAB 19, HKFTU 8, BPA 7, NPP 5, LP 4, NTAS 4, HKFEW 2, HKFLU 2, CF 2, RT 1, PP 1, KWND 1, NPHK 1, NCF-1; other/independent 41), non-aligned 1 (Third Side); composition - men 73, women 17, percentage women 18.9%

elections

last held on 19 Dec 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

note

note 1: all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), which was established in April 2022; CERC members are all appointed by the chief executivenote 2: Hong Kong's leading pro-democracy political parties boycotted the 2021 election

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA Civil Force or CF Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWNDLiberal Party or LP New Century Forum or NCF New People's Party or NPPNew Prospect for Hong Kong or NPHK New Territories Association of Societies or NTAS Professional Power or PP Roundtable or RT Third Side or TS

note

note 1: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companiesnote 2: by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law; in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed; as of 2023, nearly all politically active groups were pro-Beijing

18 years of age in direct elections for 20 of the 90 Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other 70 legislature seats and a 1,500-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

pork, chicken, spinach, vegetables, game meat, pork offal, fruits, onions, lettuce, pork fat (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

0.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

11.7% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$105.849 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$70.124 billion (2020 est.)

Fitch rating

AA- (2020)

Moody's rating

Aa3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AA+ (2017)

Current account balance 2021

$43.659 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$36.525 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$35.366 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income tourism- and services-based economy; global financial hub; COVID-19 and political protests fueled recent recession; ongoing recovery but lower-skilled unemployment remains high; investing in job-reskilling programs

Currency

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

7.836 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

7.757 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

7.773 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

7.831 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

7.83 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$752.621 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$697.583 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$673.305 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, integrated circuits, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, machine parts (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

China 21%, India 13%, Netherlands 6%, Switzerland 4%, US 3% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

176.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

13.2% (2023 est.)

household consumption

70.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-175.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.7% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-1% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

0.1% (2022 est.)

industry

6.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

91% (2022 est.)

$382.055 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

53.9 (2016 est.)

highest 10%

38.1% (2016)

lowest 10%

1.8%

Imports 2021

$732.087 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$682.881 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$670.085 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, machine parts, gold, jewelry (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

China 44%, Taiwan 11%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 5%, Japan 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

5.06% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.57% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

1.88% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

3.825 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

19.9% (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

0.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$488.412 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$470.434 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$485.559 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.45% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-3.68% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.22% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$65,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$64,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$64,400 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.12% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.12% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.11% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$496.856 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$424.025 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$425.553 billion (2023 est.)

23.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

5.17% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

4.32% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.93% (2023 est.)

female

9.6% (2023 est.)

male

11.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

10.5% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

14.039 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

9.484 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

63.975 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

87.498 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

6.217 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

800 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

5.681 million metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

44.677 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

12.573 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

13.388 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

3.834 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

0.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

99.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

167.815 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

4.835 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

4.835 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

414,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

96 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

39 (2020 est.)

total

2,885,586 (2020 est.)

34 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2019)

.hk

percent of population

93% (2021 est.)

total

6.975 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line is over 51 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 319 subscriptions per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Hong Kong’s telecommunications sector continues to stay near the top of world rankings for the industry; it has kept its #1 spot in the Asian region in terms of the maturity of its telecom market – a reflection of the high penetration rates across mobile, mobile broadband, and fixed broadband; even fixed-line teledensity in Hong Kong is impressive at over 50%, although it too has started a gradual decline in keeping with most other telecom markets around the world, as consumers slowly transition over to the mobile platform for all of their communication needs (2022)

international

country code - 852; landing points for the AAE-1, AAG, APCN-2, APG, ASE, FEA, FNAL, RNAL, H2HE, SeaMeWe-3, SJC and TGN-IA submarine cables that provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2022)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

49 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

3.673 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

292 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

21.861 million (2022 est.)

3 (2024)

B-H

94 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 1,047, container ship 560, general cargo 144, oil tanker 394, other 392

total

2,537 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

12,676,720,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

47,101,822 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

275 (registered in China)

number of registered air carriers

12 (2020) (registered in China)

key ports

Hong Kong

large

1

ports with oil terminals

1

total ports

1 (2024)

paved

2,193 km (2021)

total

2,193 km

defense is the responsibility of China

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong Police Force (specialized units include the Police Counterterrorism Response Unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, the Special Duties Unit, the Airport Security Unit, and the VIP Protection Unit) (2024)

note

note: the Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command

modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; groups involved in money laundering range from local street organizations to sophisticated international syndicates involved in assorted criminal activities, including drug trafficking; major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Hong Kong was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/hong-kong/

carbon dioxide emissions

43.64 megatons (2016 est.)

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization; urban waste pollution; industrial pollution

agricultural land

5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)

forest

0% (2018 est.)

other

95% (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.58% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

5,679,816 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,931,138 tons (2016 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

34% (2016 est.)