Hong Kong

Broadcast media

2 commercial terrestrial television networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems are available; 3 radio networks, one of which is government-funded, operate about 15 radio stations (2010)

Internet country code

.hk

Internet hosts

817,701 (2010) country comparison to the world: 45

Internet users

4.873 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 47

Telephone system

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

Telephones - main lines in use

4.345 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 37

Telephones - mobile cellular

13.416 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 54

Agriculture - products

fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Budget

revenues: $45.4 billion expenditures: $38.94 billion (2010 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

2.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Central bank discount rate

0.5% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 162 5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

$14.8 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $17.96 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$903.2 billion (30 June 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 16 $750.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

53.3 (2007) country comparison to the world: 15

Economy - overview

Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of re-exports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong's open economy left it exposed to the global economic slowdown, but its increasing integration with China, through trade, tourism, and financial links, helped it recover more quickly than many observers anticipated. The Hong Kong government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the site for Chinese renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts; RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong; and RMB trade settlement is allowed. The territory far exceeded the RMB conversion quota set by Beijing for trade settlements in 2010 due to the growth of earnings from exports to the mainland. RMB deposits grew to roughly 4.6% of total system deposits in Hong Kong by the end of 2010, an increase of over 392% since the beginning of the year. The government is pursuing efforts to introduce additional use of RMB in Hong Kong financial markets and is seeking to expand the RMB quota for 2011. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's exports by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 22.5 million in 2010, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2010 mainland Chinese companies constituted about 19% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for 62% of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly and in 2009 accounted for more than 90% of the territory's GDP. GDP growth averaged a strong 3.8% from 1989 to 2010. Hong Kong's GDP fell in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but a recovery began in third quarter 2009, and the economy grew nearly 6.8% in 2010. The Hong Kong government adopted several temporary fiscal policy support measures in response to the crisis that it may discontinue if strong growth is sustained. Credit expansion and tight housing supply conditions caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly in 2010, and some lower income segments of the population are increasingly unable to afford adequate housing. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Electricity - consumption

42.64 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - exports

2.23 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - imports

12.26 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - production

38.23 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Exchange rates

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.78 (2010) 7.75 (2009) 7.751 (2008) 7.802 (2007) 7.7678 (2006)

Exports

$394 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 12 $321.8 billion (2009)

Exports - commodities

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners

China 52.7%, US 11%, Japan 4.2% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$225 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$325.8 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $305 billion (2009 est.) $313.3 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry: 7.4% services: 92.5% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$45,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $43,200 (2009 est.) $44,600 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 -2.7% (2009 est.) 2.3% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$437 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $348.7 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

Imports - partners

China 45.1%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 7.6%, Singapore 4.8%, US 4.7% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Industries

textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72 0.6% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Labor force

3.676 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing: 4.7% construction: 2.2% wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 41.7% financing, insurance, and real estate: 12% transport and communications: 6.3% community and social services: 17% note: above data exclude public sector (2010 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.711 trillion (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 6 $2.292 trillion (31 December 2009) $1.329 trillion (31 December 2008 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

4.02 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - imports

4.02 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Oil - consumption

333,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Oil - exports

22,670 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - imports

428,200 bbl/day (2010) country comparison to the world: 29

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

17.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 37.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$268.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $255.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$914.9 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 18 $846.5 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$948.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $832.1 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$1.098 trillion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $936.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$445.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $351 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$82.18 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $75.45 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Unemployment rate

4.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 5.2% (2009 est.)

Area

total: 1,104 sq km country comparison to the world: 184 land: 1,054 sq km water: 50 sq km

Area - comparative

six times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

733 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Environment - current issues

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geographic coordinates

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Geography - note

composed of more than 200 islands

Irrigated land

NA; note - included in the total for China (2008)

Land boundaries

total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Land use

arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons

Natural resources

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Terrain

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Administrative divisions

none (special administrative region of China)

Constitution

The Basic Law, approved March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's charter

Country name

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong official long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu official short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK

Dependency status

special administrative region of China

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Consul General Stephen M. YOUNG consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities representative: Donald TONG office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] 202 331-8947 FAX: [1] 202 331-0318 HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 24 June 2005) cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo consists of 15 official members and 14 non-official members (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by a 800-member electoral committee; election last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2012) note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the electoral committee to 1,200 seats for the 2012 election election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive in 2007 receiving 84.1% of the vote of the election committee; Alan LEONG Kah-kit received 15.9%

Flag description

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

Government type

limited democracy

Independence

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Court of Final Appeal, High Court (Court of Appeal and the Court of the First Instance), district courts, magistrates' courts, and other special courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (60 seats; 30 members indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) note: the LegCo voted in June 2010 to expand to 70 seats for the 2012 election; the measure was approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee in August 2010; the 10 new seats will be elected by popular vote elections: last held on 7 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2012) election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 57%; pro-Beijing 40%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35) DAB 13, Liberal Party 7, FTU 1, others 14; (pro-democracy 23) Democratic Party 8, Civic Party 5, CTU 3, League of Social Democrats 3, ADPL 2, The Frontier 1, NWSC 1; others 11; independents 2

National anthem

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

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

orchid tree flower

Political parties and leaders

parties: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [LIU Sung Lee]; Civic Party [LEONG Ka-kit]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; League of Social Democrats or LSD; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU Kin-yee]; New People's Party [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]; People Power [Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; The Frontier (disbanded) others: Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU; Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party, Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats, People Power; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, New People's Party, The Professional Forum (an informal group of three generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from functional constituencies and one independent elected from a geographic constituency), and Economic Synergy; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Political pressure groups and leaders

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [LEE Cheuk-yan, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [FUNG Wai-wah, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yiu-chung, LegCo member] (pro-democracy); Civic Act-up [Cyd HO Sau-lan, LegCo member] (pro-democracy)

Suffrage

direct election - 18 years of age for half the legislature and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and an 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

Background

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 the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,704,090 females age 16-49: 1,873,175 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,387,213 females age 16-49: 1,505,875 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 39,579 female: 36,554 (2010 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of China

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, 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 Guangzhou Military Region (2009)

Military expenditures

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 11.6% (male 431,728/female 394,898) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 2,573,929/female 2,757,095) 65 years and over: 13.5% (male 452,278/female 512,580) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

7.49 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 219

Death rate

7.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Education expenditures

4.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Ethnic groups

Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1% (2006 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

2,600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 217 male: 3.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages

Cantonese (official) 90.8%, English (official) 2.8%, Putonghua (Mandarin) 0.9%, other Chinese dialects 4.4%, other 1.1% (2006 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.04 years country comparison to the world: 8 male: 79.32 years female: 84.97 years (2011 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002)

Median age

total: 43.4 years male: 42.8 years female: 43.8 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Net migration rate

4.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Population

7,122,508 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Population growth rate

0.448% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Religions

eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.075 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.07 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 12.6% country comparison to the world: 88 male: 15.1% female: 10.3% (2009)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

Airports

2 (2010) country comparison to the world: 201

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports

9 (2010)

Merchant marine

total: 1,429 country comparison to the world: 5 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 629, cargo 177, carrier 11, chemical tanker 134, container 274, liquefied gas 37, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 139, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 855 (Belgium 16, Bermuda 12, Canada 70, China 432, Cyprus 3, Denmark 41, France 3, Germany 10, Greece 22, Indonesia 8, Iran 1, Japan 84, Libya 1, Norway 49, Russia 1, Singapore 13, South Korea 3, Taiwan 26, UAE 2, UK 27, US 31) note: this country allows large numbers of ships owned by foreign entities to be registered in its national shipping registry and to fly its flag; these ships operate under the laws of the flag state registered in other countries: 297 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 5, Cambodia 11, China 15, Cyprus 2, Georgia 4, Honduras 1, India 1, Kiribati 1, Liberia 47, Malaysia 8, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 3, former Netherlands Antilles 1, NZ 1, Panama 125, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 4, Singapore 38, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 1, UK 8, unknown 11) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Hong Kong

Roadways

total: 2,067 km country comparison to the world: 172 paved: 2,067 km (2010)