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Overview
Prior to the
arrival of the British, Hong Kong was a small
fishing community and a haven for travelers and
pirates in the South China Sea. Following the end
of the first Opium War, the territory was ceded to
Britain in perpetuity. After additional conflicts
with the Chinese in 1860 Britain gained Kowloon and
Stonecutters Island. In 1898 Britain acquired the
New Territories on a 99-year lease. In 1984,
Britain and China reached an agreement that Hong
Kong would revert back to Chinese sovereignty in
1997. However, the commercial, social and legal
life of Hong Kong would remain as it is until
2047.
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Hong Kong comprises
235 islands including one with the largest Buddha
in the world. The Kowloon peninsula seethes with
shops, temples, markets and restaurants; the New
Territories offers a contrast of scenic beauty and
man-made achievements, it's unique gardens and
parks bursting with birds, wildlife and
plants.
Hong Kong's success
has been achieved in a city with an area of less
than 1,100 square kilometers and endowed with no
natural resources except a fine, deep-water harbor
and an industrious, entrepreneurial population of
almost 7 million.
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Industry
and Commerce
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Hong Kong is an
international city which blends the best from the
East and West, creating a unique personality.
Strategically located at the heart of Asia, it is
the world's seventh largest merchandise trading
economy. More than 2,000 multinational companies
have regional headquarters or offices in Hong Kong.
Its per capita GDP is one of the highest in Asia.
It is one of the world's top 10 exporters of
services embracing a wide spectrum of
activities--finance and banking, accounting and
legal, tourism, telecommunications and media,
importing and exporting to name a few. Hong Kong is
the world's fifth largest foreign exchange market.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the second largest
in Asia and the seventh largest in the world. The
gold market is in the top four of the world and
Hong Kong is also a regional leader in loan
syndication and investment management business. In
addition, Hong Kong is also one of the world's most
prolific film and entertainment production
centers.
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In communications
and information technology, Hong Kong is the leader
in the region. It is an important satellite and
fiber-optic communications hub in the Pacific,
providing links for instant, efficient and cheap
communications around the globe. Hong Kong also has
one of the world's first completely digitized
telephone systems, and the density of fax lines
ranks second in the world. The Internet community
in Hong Kong has grown rapidly with some 100
licensed Internet service providers in
operation.
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Access
Hong Kong is the
most popular tourist destination in Asia. Tourism
receipts are Hong Kong's second largest earner of
foreign exchange. Hong Kong has many attributes
that have led to its development as the most
popular travel destination in Asia. In terms of
accommodation, Hong Kong has many hotels of a high
standard providing a total of more than 33,500
rooms. In terms of transport Hong Kong is
conveniently linked by air to all major cities
worldwide; it is also the major gateway for travel
to China. Its free-port status makes it one of the
most attractive shopping destinations in the
world.
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Given its central
location in the region and excellent
telecommunications and air links with other cities,
Hong Kong has become a popular choice for
international exhibitions and conventions. Hong
Kong has the world's busiest airport in terms of
international cargo and third busiest in terms of
international passengers. Flights take off from,
and arrive in, Hong Kong every two minutes. Some 60
airlines operate more than 1,600 scheduled and
nonscheduled flights weekly between Hong Kong and
more than 100 cities. The new international airport
at Chek Lap Kok, can initially handle 35 million
passengers a year and has an ultimate capacity of
87 million passengers a year.
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China
All visitors to Mainland
China must have valid travel documents. Please contact your
local Chinese Embassy for information regarding visas for
China. Alternatively, arrangements can generally be made for
the issue of these visas at the China Travel Service (HK)
Ltd. in Hong Kong.
If you intend to spend a day
across the border, the Kowloon-Canton
Railway runs
scheduled train service daily to Lo Wu. For other major
cities and tourist attractions in China, please contact the
China
Travel Net for
details.
Macau
All visitors to Macau must
have a passport or other valid travel document. No visas are
required to enter Macau for American, Australian, British,
Canadian, French, Japanese and Portuguese passport holders.
For more information, please check the web page of the
Macau
Government.
If you intend to spend a day
or two in Macau, scheduled ferry sailings leave daily at the
Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal on Hong Kong Island, and the
China (HK) Ferry Terminal on Kowloon side (limited
service).
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Hong Kong has an excellent
public transportation system, so travel is generally quick
and easy. Like most major cities, it is best to avoid rush
hours: 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., if
possible. Taxis,
buses, ferries, trams and
trains are all quick
and convenient ways to get to your destinations around Hong
Kong.
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