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East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Hong Kong Print
Page last updated on December 28, 2018
The World Factbook Country/Location Flag Modal
East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Hong Kong Print
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
The World Factbook Country/Location Locator Map Modal
East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Hong Kong Print
The World Factbook Country/Location Photo Gallery Modal
East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Hong Kong
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View of the Hong Kong skyline from Victoria Peak.
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View of Victoria Harbor and the Hong Kong skyline from Kowloon Island.
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A Hong Kong Star Ferry.
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A street scene in downtown Kowloon in Hong Kong.
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A street scene on Nathan Road in downtown Kowloon in Hong Kong. Double-decker buses are popular.
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A Hong Kong street scene.
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The Hong Kong Museum of Art.
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Fruit for sale in Tai Po, Hong Kong.
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Nuts for sale in a market in Tai Po, Hong Kong.
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The Hong Kong skyline at night.
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A nighttime view of Hong Kong.
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The Man Mo Temple in Tai Po, Hong Kong is 26 km (16 mi) from the harbor. The temple, dedicated to Man (literature) and Mo (military), was built in 1893 in the style of a central walled compound to emphasize seclusion.
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The Man Mo Temple in Tai Po, Hong Kong is 26 km (16 mi) from the harbor. The incense-filled temple is dedicated to Man (literature) and Mo (military). It was built in 1893 in the style of a central walled compound to emphasize seclusion.
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The Man Mo Temple in Tai Po, Hong Kong. Dedicated to Man (literature) and Mo (military), the incense-filled temple was built in 1893 in the style of a central walled compound to emphasize seclusion.
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The Man Mo Temple in Tai Po, Hong Kong. The incense-filled temple, dedicated to Man (literature) and Mo (military), was built in 1893 in the style of a central walled compound to emphasize seclusion.
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Huge incense coils hang from the ceiling of the Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong, one of the oldest and most famous temples in the city.
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These golden Buddhas are just a few of the many found at the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas in Hong Kong. Life-size statues line the steep flight of over 400 steps leading to the Temple. The actual number of Buddhas is more than 13,000.
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One of the many life-size statues lining the steep staircase leading to the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas in Hong Kong.
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Tang Chung Ling Ancestral Hall in Hong Kong was built in the early 16th century to honor the Tang clan's founding ancestor.
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Lo Wai walled village in Hong Kong was the first of five walled villages built by the Tang clan.
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Lo Wai walled village in Hong Kong was the first of five walled villages built by the Tang clan.
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Tai Fu Tai Mansion in Yuen Long, Hong Kong dates to 1865. It was built by Man Chung Lien of the Man Clan. The building is regarded as a fine example of a traditional dwelling of the scholar-gentry class and one of the most elegant buildings in Hong Kong.
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The Peak Tramway is a funicular railway that carries tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island.
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The Tian Tan Great Buddha on Lantau Island is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha.
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Close up of the Tian Tan Great Buddha on Lantau Island.
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- Introduction :: Hong Kong
- Background: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.
  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 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 subsequent 50 years.
- Geography :: Hong Kong
- Location: This entry identifies the country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
  Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the centroid or center point of a country expressed in degrees and minutes; it is based on the locations provided in the Geographic Names Server (GNS), maintained by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency on behalf of the US Board on Geographic Names.
  22 15 N, 114 10 E
  Map references: This entry includes the name of the Factbook reference map on which a country may be found. Note that boundary representations on these maps are not necessarily authoritative. The entry on Geographic coordinates may be helpful in finding some smaller countries.
  Southeast Asia
  Area: This entry includes three subfields. Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Water area is the sum of the surfaces of all inland water bodies, such as lakes, reservoirs, or rivers, as delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines.
  total: 1,108 sq km
  land: 1,073 sq km
  water: 35 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 184
  Area - comparative: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  six times the size of Washington, DC
  Land boundaries: This entry contains the total length of all land boundaries and the individual lengths for each of the contiguous border countries. When available, official lengths published by national statistical agencies are used. Because surveying methods may differ, country border lengths reported by contiguous countries may differ.
  total: 33 km
  regional borders (1): China 33 km
  Coastline: This entry gives the total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  733 km
  Maritime claims: This entry includes the following claims, the definitions of which are excerpted from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which alone contains the full and definitive descriptions: territorial sea - the sovereignty of a coastal state extends beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea in the UNCLOS (Part II); this sovereignty extends to the air space over the territorial sea as well as its . . . more
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  Climate: This entry includes a brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
  Terrain: This entry contains a brief description of the topography.
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
  Elevation: This entry includes both the mean elevation and the elevation extremes.
  0 m lowest point: South China Sea
  958 highest point: Tai Mo Shan
  Natural resources: This entry lists a country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance, such as rare earth elements (REEs). In general, products appear only if they make a significant contribution to the economy, or are likely to do so in the future.
  outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
  Land use: This entry contains the percentage shares of total land area for three different types of land use: agricultural land, forest, and other; agricultural land is further divided into arable land - land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest, permanent crops - land cultivated for crops like citrus, coffee, and rubber that are not replanted after each harvest, and includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, and permane . . . more
  agricultural land: 5% (2011 est.)
  arable land: 3.2% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.9% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0.9% (2011 est.)
  forest: 0% (2011 est.)
  other: 95% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land: This entry gives the number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
  10 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  population fairly evenly distributed
  Natural hazards: This entry lists potential natural disasters. For countries where volcanic activity is common, a volcanism subfield highlights historically active volcanoes.
  occasional typhoons
  Environment - current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Acidification - the lowering of soil and water pH due to acid precipitation and deposition usually through precipitation; this process disrupts ecosystem nutrient flows and may kill freshwater fish and plants dependent on more neutral or alkaline conditions (see acid rain). Acid rain - characterized as containing harmful levels of sulfur dioxi . . . more
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization; urban waste pollution; industrial pollution
  Environment - international agreements: This entry separates country participation in international environmental agreements into two levels - party to and signed, but not ratified. Agreements are listed in alphabetical order by the abbreviated form of the full name.
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
  Geography - note: This entry includes miscellaneous geographic information of significance not included elsewhere.
  consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands
- People and Society :: Hong Kong
- Population: This entry gives an estimate from the US Bureau of the Census based on statistics from population censuses, vital statistics registration systems, or sample surveys pertaining to the recent past and on assumptions about future trends. The total population presents one overall measure of the potential impact of the country on the world and within its region. Note: Starting with the 1993 Factbook, demographic estimates for some countries (mostly African) have explicitly taken into account t . . . more
  7,213,338 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Nationality: This entry provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
  noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
  adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
  Ethnic groups: This entry provides an ordered listing of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
  Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)
  Languages: This entry provides a listing of languages spoken in each country and specifies any that are official national or regional languages. When data is available, the languages spoken in each country are broken down according to the percent of the total population speaking each language as a first language. For those countries without available data, languages are listed in rank order based on prevalence, starting with the most-spoken language.
  Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)
  Religions: This entry is an ordered listing of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population. The core characteristics and beliefs of the world's major religions are described below. Baha'i - Founded by Mirza Husayn-Ali (known as Baha'u'llah) in Iran in 1852, Baha'i faith emphasizes monotheism and believes in one eternal transcendent God. Its guiding focus is to encourage the unity of all peoples on the earth so that justice and peace m . . . more
  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: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation

  Age structure: This entry provides the distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group as follows: 0-14 years (children), 15-24 years (early working age), 25-54 years (prime working age), 55-64 years (mature working age), 65 years and over (elderly). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older population . . . more
  0-14 years: 12.38% (male 471,983 /female 420,977)
  15-24 years: 9.89% (male 372,991 /female 340,221)
  25-54 years: 43.96% (male 1,354,676 /female 1,816,303)
  55-64 years: 16.64% (male 571,329 /female 628,774)
  65 years and over: 17.14% (male 580,248 /female 655,836) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Hong Kong Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Hong Kong. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios: Dependency ratios are a measure of the age structure of a population. They relate the number of individuals that are likely to be economically "dependent" on the support of others. Dependency ratios contrast the ratio of youths (ages 0-14) and the elderly (ages 65+) to the number of those in the working-age group (ages 15-64). Changes in the dependency ratio provide an indication of potential social support requirements resulting from changes in population age structures. As fertility lev . . . more
  total dependency ratio: 35.9 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 15.2 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 20.7 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)
  Median age: This entry is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups; that is, half the people are younger than this age and half are older. It is a single index that summarizes the age distribution of a population. Currently, the median age ranges from a low of about 15 in Niger and Uganda to 40 or more in several European countries and Japan. See the entry for "Age structure" for the importance of a young versus an older age structure and, by implication, a low versus a high . . . more
  total: 44.8 years
  male: 43.7 years
  female: 45.5 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as . . . more
  0.29% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Birth rate: This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
  8.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 209
  Death rate: This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining . . . more
  7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Net migration rate: This entry includes the figure for the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population chan . . . more
  1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Population distribution: This entry provides a summary description of the population dispersion within a country. While it may suggest population density, it does not provide density figures.
  population fairly evenly distributed
  Urbanization: This entry provides two measures of the degree of urbanization of a population. The first, urban population, describes the percentage of the total population living in urban areas, as defined by the country. The second, rate of urbanization, describes the projected average rate of change of the size of the urban population over the given period of time. Additionally, the World entry includes a list of the ten largest urban agglomerations. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising th . . . more
  urban population: 100% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 0.82% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population: This entry provides the population of the capital and up to six major cities defined as urban agglomerations with populations of at least 750,000 people. An urban agglomeration is defined as comprising the city or town proper and also the suburban fringe or thickly settled territory lying outside of, but adjacent to, the boundaries of the city. For smaller countries, lacking urban centers of 750,000 or more, only the population of the capital is presented.
  7.429 million Hong Kong (2018)
  Sex ratio: This entry includes the number of males for each female in five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertilit . . . more
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth: This entry provides the mean (average) age of mothers at the birth of their first child. It is a useful indicator for gauging the success of family planning programs aiming to reduce maternal mortality, increase contraceptive use – particularly among married and unmarried adolescents – delay age at first marriage, and improve the health of newborns.
  29.8 years (2008 est.)
  Infant mortality rate: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
  total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 213
  Life expectancy at birth: This entry contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
  total population: 83.1 years (2018 est.)
  male: 80.4 years (2018 est.)
  female: 86 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Total fertility rate: This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replaceme . . . more
  1.2 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 221
  Contraceptive prevalence rate: This field gives the percent of women of reproductive age (15-49) who are married or in union and are using, or whose sexual partner is using, a method of contraception according to the date of the most recent available data. The contraceptive prevalence rate is an indicator of health services, development, and women’s empowerment. It is also useful in understanding, past, present, and future fertility trends, especially in developing countries.
  74.8% (2012)
  Physicians density: This entry gives the number of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1,000 of the population. Medical doctors are defined as doctors that study, diagnose, treat, and prevent illness, disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans through the application of modern medicine. They also plan, supervise, and evaluate care and treatment plans by other health care providers. The World Health Organization estimates that f . . . more
  1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
  Hospital bed density: This entry provides the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people; it serves as a general measure of inpatient service availability. Hospital beds include inpatient beds available in public, private, general, and specialized hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In most cases, beds for both acute and chronic care are included. Because the level of inpatient services required for individual countries depends on several factors - such as demographic issues and the burden of disease - there is . . . more
  5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. The adult prevalence rate is calculated by dividing the estimated number of adults living with HIV/AIDS at yearend by the total adult population at yearend.
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: This entry gives an estimate of all people (adults and children) alive at yearend with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS.
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths: This entry gives an estimate of the number of adults and children who died of AIDS during a given calendar year.
  NA
  Education expenditures: This entry provides the public expenditure on education as a percent of GDP.
  3.3% of GDP (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): School life expectancy (SLE) is the total number of years of schooling (primary to tertiary) that a child can expect to receive, assuming that the probability of his or her being enrolled in school at any particular future age is equal to the current enrollment ratio at that age. Caution must be maintained when utilizing this indicator in international comparisons. For example, a year or grade completed in one country is not necessarily the same in terms of educational content or qualit . . . more
  total: 16 years (2014)
  male: 16 years (2014)
  female: 16 years (2014)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: This entry gives the percent of the total labor force ages 15-24 unemployed during a specified year.
  total: 9.8% (2016 est.)
  male: 11% (2016 est.)
  female: 8.6% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 129
- Government :: Hong Kong
- Country name: This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)
  local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)
  abbreviation: HK
  etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"
  Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin) Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)
  Dependency status: This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
  special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
  Government type: This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.): Absolute monarchy - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized opposition. Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority. Authoritarian - a form of government in whic . . . more
  presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
  Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted. Geographic names conform to spellings approved by the BGN with the exception of the omission of diacritical marks and special characters.
  none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)
  Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. For a number of countries, the establishment of statehood . . . more
  none (special administrative region of China)
  National holiday: This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
  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
  Constitution: This entry provides information on a country’s constitution and includes two subfields. The history subfield includes the dates of previous constitutions and the main steps and dates in formulating and implementing the latest constitution. For countries with 1-3 previous constitutions, the years are listed; for those with 4-9 previous, the entry is listed as “several previous,” and for those with 10 or more, the entry is “many previous.” The amendments subfield summarizes the process of am . . . more
  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
  amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and 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
  Legal system: This entry provides the description of a country's legal system. A statement on judicial review of legislative acts is also included for a number of countries. The legal systems of nearly all countries are generally modeled upon elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law); common law (including United State law); customary law; mixed or pluralistic law; and religious law (including Islamic law). An addition . . . more
  mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)
  Citizenship: This entry provides information related to the acquisition and exercise of citizenship; it includes four subfields: citizenship by birth describes the acquisition of citizenship based on place of birth, known as Jus soli, regardless of the citizenship of parents. citizenship by descent only describes the acquisition of citizenship based on the principle of Jus sanguinis, or by descent, where at least one parent is a citizen of the state and being born within the territorial limits of the . . . more
  see China
  Suffrage: This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
  18 years of age in direct elections for half of the 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 half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials
  Judicial branch: This entry includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing j . . . more
  highest courts: 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 and 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 appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but 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
  Executive branch: This entry includes five subentries: chief of state; head of government; cabinet; elections/appointments; election results. Chief of state includes the name, title, and beginning date in office of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name, title of the top executive designated to manage the executive branch of the government, a . . . more
  chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)
  head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)
  cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive
  elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023); 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 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
  election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

  note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

  Legislative branch: This entry has three subfields. The description subfield provides the legislative structure (unicameral – single house; bicameral – an upper and a lower house); formal name(s); number of member seats; types of constituencies or voting districts (single seat, multi-seat, nationwide); electoral voting system(s); and member term of office. The elections subfield includes the dates of the last election and next election. The election results subfield lists percent of vote by party/coalition an . . . more
  description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; 5 at large "super-seat" members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - byelection held on 11 March and 25 November 2018 to fill 5 seats left vacant after 5 legislators were removed from office
  election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; composition - men 59, women 11, percent of women 15.7%; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017; two pan-democratic, two DAB, and one pro-establishment candidates won the byelections in 2018 to fill the seats vacated by the 5 legislators removed from office; one pro-democracy seat remains unfilled pending a court appeal
  Political parties and leaders: This entry includes a listing of significant political parties, coalitions, and electoral lists as of each country's last legislative election, unless otherwise noted.
  parties:
  ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups);
  Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok];
  Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG];
  Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election);
  Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai];
  Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king];
  Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai];
  Demosisto [Ivan LAM];
  Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei];
  Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin];
  League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen];
  Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan];
  Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung];
  New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee];
  People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN];
  Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang];
  others:
  Professional Commons [Charles Peter MOK] (think tank);
  Professional Teachers Union or PTU

  note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

  International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery address, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations. The use of the annotated title Appointed Ambassador refers to a new ambassador who has presented his/her credentials to the secretary of state but not the US president. Such ambassadors fulfill all diplomatic functions except meeting with or appearing at functions attended by the president until such time as they formally present their credentials at a White Hou . . . more
  telephone: [1] 202 331-8947
  FAX: [1] 202 331-8958
  commissioner:

  Eddie MAK (since 3 July 2018)

  office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco
  none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities
  Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau
  mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006
  telephone: [852] 2523-9011
  FAX: [852] 2845-1598
  consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
  Flag description: This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  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
  National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white
  National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

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

- Economy :: Hong Kong
- Economy - overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.

  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 reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

  Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

  Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

  Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade 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 surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

  The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for 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, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

  Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% 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. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

  Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

  GDP (purchasing power parity): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States in the year noted. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measur . . . more
  $455.9 billion (2017 est.)
  $439.2 billion (2016 est.)
  $429.9 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 43
  GDP (official exchange rate): This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at official exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis- . . . more
  $341.4 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate: This entry gives GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent. The growth rates are year-over-year, and not compounded.
  3.8% (2017 est.)
  2.2% (2016 est.)
  2.4% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 87
  GDP - per capita (PPP): This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
  $61,500 (2017 est.)
  $59,500 (2016 est.)
  $58,800 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 18
  Gross national saving: Gross national saving is derived by deducting final consumption expenditure (household plus government) from Gross national disposable income, and consists of personal saving, plus business saving (the sum of the capital consumption allowance and retained business profits), plus government saving (the excess of tax revenues over expenditures), but excludes foreign saving (the excess of imports of goods and services over exports). The figures are presented as a percent of GDP. A negative . . . more
  26.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
  25.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
  24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 47
  GDP - composition, by end use: This entry shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit insti . . . more
  household consumption: 67% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 9.9% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 188% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -187.1% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin: This entry shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not prod . . . more
  agriculture: 0.1% (2017 est.)
  industry: 7.6% (2017 est.)
  services: 92.3% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products: This entry is an ordered listing of major crops and products starting with the most important.
  fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish
  Industries: This entry provides a rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
  trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches
  Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  1.7% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.
  3.965 million (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Labor force - by occupation: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by sector of occupation. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other economic activities that do not produce material goods. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete and may range from 99-101 percent due to rounding. more
  agriculture: 3.8% (2013 est.)
  industry: 2% (2016 est.)
  services: 54.5% (2016 est.)
  industry and services: 12.5% (2013 est.)
  agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining: 10.1% (2013)
  manufacturing: 17.1% (2013 est.)

  note: above data exclude public sector

  Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  3.1% (2017 est.)
  3.4% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Population below poverty line: National estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
  19.9% (2016 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share: Data on household income or consumption come from household surveys, the results adjusted for household size. Nations use different standards and procedures in collecting and adjusting the data. Surveys based on income will normally show a more unequal distribution than surveys based on consumption. The quality of surveys is improving with time, yet caution is still necessary in making inter-country comparisons.
  lowest 10%: 38.1% NA (2016)
  highest 10%: NA
  Distribution of family income - Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the richest. The index is the ratio of (a) the area between a country's Lorenz curve and the 45 degree helping line to (b) the entire triangular area under the 45 degree line. The more nearly equal a country's income distribution, the closer its . . . more
  53.9 (2016)
  53.7 (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Budget: This entry includes revenues, expenditures, and capital expenditures. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  revenues: 79.34 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 61.64 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues: This entry records total taxes and other revenues received by the national government during the time period indicated, expressed as a percent of GDP. Taxes include personal and corporate income taxes, value added taxes, excise taxes, and tariffs. Other revenues include social contributions - such as payments for social security and hospital insurance - grants, and net revenues from public enterprises. Normalizing the data, by dividing total revenues by GDP, enables easy comparisons acr . . . more
  23.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 128
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relat . . . more
  5.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 6
  Public debt: This entry records the cumulative total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
  0.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
  0.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Fiscal year: This entry identifies the beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
  1 April - 31 March
  Inflation rate (consumer prices): This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  1.5% (2017 est.)
  2.4% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 81
  Central bank discount rate: This entry provides the annualized interest rate a country's central bank charges commercial, depository banks for loans to meet temporary shortages of funds.
  1.75% (31 December 2017)
  1% (31 December 2016)
  country comparison to the world: 123
  Commercial bank prime lending rate: This entry provides a simple average of annualized interest rates commercial banks charge on new loans, denominated in the national currency, to their most credit-worthy customers.
  5% (31 December 2017 est.)
  5% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Stock of narrow money: This entry, also known as "M1," comprises the total quantity of currency in circulation (notes and coins) plus demand deposits denominated in the national currency held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy, measured at a specific point in time. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate for the date of the information. Because of exchange rate moveme . . . more
  $311.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Stock of broad money: This entry covers all of "Narrow money," plus the total quantity of time and savings deposits, credit union deposits, institutional money market funds, short-term repurchase agreements between the central bank and commercial deposit banks, and other large liquid assets held by nonbank financial institutions, state and local governments, nonfinancial public enterprises, and the private sector of the economy. National currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange r . . . more
  $311.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 16
  Stock of domestic credit: This entry is the total quantity of credit, denominated in the domestic currency, provided by financial institutions to the central bank, state and local governments, public non-financial corporations, and the private sector. The national currency units have been converted to US dollars at the closing exchange rate on the date of the information.
  $825.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Market value of publicly traded shares: This entry gives the value of shares issued by publicly traded companies at a price determined in the national stock markets on the final day of the period indicated. It is simply the latest price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares, cumulated over all companies listed on the particular exchange.
  $4.359 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $3.175 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  $3.165 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 4
  Current account balance: This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $14.75 billion (2017 est.)
  $12.71 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $537.8 billion (2017 est.)
  $460 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Exports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  China 54.1%, US 7.7% (2017)
  Exports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrepot to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland
  Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $561.8 billion (2017 est.)
  $518.2 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Imports - commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)
  Imports - partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  China 44.6%, Singapore 6.4%, Japan 6.1%, South Korea 5.5%, US 5.2% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
  $431.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $386.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
  Debt - external: This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in internationally accepted currencies, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  $633.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.349 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 18
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $2.2 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.616 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in foreign countries made directly by residents - primarily companies - of the home country, as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  $2.036 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.538 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Exchange rates: This entry provides the average annual price of a country's monetary unit for the time period specified, expressed in units of local currency per US dollar, as determined by international market forces or by official fiat. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for the national medium of exchange is presented in parenthesis. Closing daily exchange rates are not presented in The World Factbook, but are used to convert stock values - e.g., the . . . more
  Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -
  7.82 (2017 est.)
  7.76 (2016 est.)
  7.762 (2015 est.)
  7.752 (2014 est.)
  7.754 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Hong Kong
- Electricity access: This entry provides information on access to electricity. Electrification data – collected from industry reports, national surveys, and international sources – consists of four subfields. Population without electricity provides an estimate of the number of citizens that do not have access to electricity. Electrification – total population is the percent of a country’s total population with access to electricity, electrification – urban areas is the percent of a country’s urban population w . . . more
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  35.97 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Electricity - consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  41.84 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 54
  Electricity - exports: This entry is the total exported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Electricity - imports: This entry is the total imported electricity in kilowatt-hours.
  11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 21
  Electricity - installed generating capacity: This entry is the total capacity of currently installed generators, expressed in kilowatts (kW), to produce electricity. A 10-kilowatt (kW) generator will produce 10 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, if it runs continuously for one hour.
  12.63 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Electricity - from fossil fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by burning fossil fuels (such as coal, petroleum products, and natural gas), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity through radioactive decay of nuclear fuel, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by water-driven turbines, expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 178
  Electricity - from other renewable sources: This entry measures the capacity of plants that generate electricity by using renewable energy sources other than hydroelectric (including, for example, wind, waves, solar, and geothermal), expressed as a share of the country's total generating capacity.
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Crude oil - production: This entry is the total amount of crude oil produced, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 149
  Crude oil - exports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil exported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Crude oil - imports: This entry is the total amount of crude oil imported, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 142
  Crude oil - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil, in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 146
  Refined petroleum products - production: This entry is the country's total output of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  Refined petroleum products - consumption: This entry is the country's total consumption of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of refined petroleum products produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  403,100 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 38
  Refined petroleum products - exports: This entry is the country's total exports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  13,570 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 76
  Refined petroleum products - imports: This entry is the country's total imports of refined petroleum products, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
  402,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 22
  Natural gas - production: This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 147
  Natural gas - consumption: This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  3.37 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Natural gas - exports: This entry is the total natural gas exported in cubic meters (cu m).
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Natural gas - imports: This entry is the total natural gas imported in cubic meters (cu m).
  3.37 billion cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Natural gas - proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  0 cu m (1 January 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 148
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: This entry is the total amount of carbon dioxide, measured in metric tons, released by burning fossil fuels in the process of producing and consuming energy.
  102.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
- Communications :: Hong Kong
- Telephones - fixed lines: This entry gives the total number of fixed telephone lines in use, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
  total subscriptions: 4,266,837 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 59 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 32
  Telephones - mobile cellular: This entry gives the total number of mobile cellular telephone subscribers, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Note that because of the ubiquity of mobile phone use in developed countries, the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants can exceed 100.
  total subscriptions: 18,340,347 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 255 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 61
  Telephone system: This entry includes a brief general assessment of the system with details on the domestic and international components. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry: Arabsat - Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Autodin - Automatic Digital Network (US Department of Defense). CB - citizen's band mobile radio communications. Cellular telephone system - the telephones in this system are radio transceivers, with each instrument having its o . . . more
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services; some of the highest peak average broadband speeds in the world; HK will be the earliest adopters of 5G mobile technology in 2020; almost all households have access to high-speed broadband connectivity; in the next five years the government has organized the development of 'smart cities' in six areas - "smart mobility", "smart living", and "smart envirnoment" by 2022 (2017)
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network; fixed-line is 59 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 255 per 100 (2017)
  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 (2015)
  Broadcast media: This entry provides information on the approximate number of public and private TV and radio stations in a country, as well as basic information on the availability of satellite and cable TV services.
  4 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 (2018)
  Internet country code: This entry includes the two-letter codes maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).
  .hk
  Internet users: This entry gives the total number of individuals within a country who can access the Internet at home, via any device type (computer or mobile) and connection. The percent of population with Internet access (i.e., the penetration rate) helps gauge how widespread Internet use is within a country. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months.
  total: 6.066 million (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 68
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions: This entry gives the total number of fixed-broadband subscriptions, as well as the number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Fixed broadband is a physical wired connection to the Internet (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber) at speeds equal to or greater than 256 kilobits/second (256 kbit/s).
  total: 2,645,752 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
- Transportation :: Hong Kong
- National air transport system: This entry includes four subfields describing the air transport system of a given country in terms of both structure and performance. The first subfield, number of registered air carriers, indicates the total number of air carriers registered with the country’s national aviation authority and issued an air operator certificate as required by the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The second subfield, inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers, lists the total number . . . more
  number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China) (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China) (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: This entry provides the one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating the nationality of civil aircraft. Article 20 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), signed in 1944, requires that all aircraft engaged in international air navigation bear appropriate nationality marks. The aircraft registration number consists of two parts: a prefix consisting of a one- or two-character alphanumeric code indicating nationality and a registration suffix of one to fi . . . more
  B-H (2016)
  Airports: This entry gives the total number of airports or airfields recognizable from the air. The runway(s) may be paved (concrete or asphalt surfaces) or unpaved (grass, earth, sand, or gravel surfaces) and may include closed or abandoned installations. Airports or airfields that are no longer recognizable (overgrown, no facilities, etc.) are not included. Note that not all airports have accommodations for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
  2 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 201
  Airports - with paved runways: This entry gives the total number of airports with paved runways (concrete or asphalt surfaces) by length. For airports with more than one runway, only the longest runway is included according to the following five groups - (1) over 3,047 m (over 10,000 ft), (2) 2,438 to 3,047 m (8,000 to 10,000 ft), (3) 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 8,000 ft), (4) 914 to 1,523 m (3,000 to 5,000 ft), and (5) under 914 m (under 3,000 ft). Only airports with usable runways are included in this listing. Not all . . . more
  total: 2 (2017)
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
  Heliports: This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.
  9 (2013)
  Roadways: This entry gives the total length of the road network and includes the length of the paved and unpaved portions.
  total: 2,100 km (2015)
  paved: 2,100 km (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  Merchant marine: Merchant marine may be defined as all ships engaged in the carriage of goods; or all commercial vessels (as opposed to all nonmilitary ships), which excludes tugs, fishing vessels, offshore oil rigs, etc. This entry contains information in four fields - total, ships by type, foreign-owned, and registered in other countries. Total includes the number of ships (1,000 GRT or over), total DWT for those ships, and total GRT for those ships. DWT or dead weight tonnage is the total weight of ca . . . more
  total: 2,576 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 1142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 9
  Ports and terminals: This entry lists major ports and terminals primarily on the basis of the amount of cargo tonnage shipped through the facilities on an annual basis. In some instances, the number of containers handled or ship visits were also considered. Most ports service multiple classes of vessels including bulk carriers (dry and liquid), break bulk cargoes (goods loaded individually in bags, boxes, crates, or drums; sometimes palletized), containers, roll-on/roll-off, and passenger ships. The listing le . . . more
  major seaport(s): Hong Kong
  container port(s) (TEUs): Hong Kong (19,813,000) (2016)
- Military and Security :: Hong Kong
- Military branches: This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
  no regular indigenous military forces; 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 (2018)
  Military - note: This entry includes miscellaneous military information of significance not included elsewhere.
  defense is the responsibility of China
- Transnational Issues :: Hong Kong
- Disputes - international: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute . . . more
  Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods
  Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels. Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydroca . . . more
  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

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