Hong Kong

Sovereign stateChinaBritish possession26 January 1841Treaty of Nanking29 August 1842Convention of Peking24 October 1860New Territories lease9 June 1898Imperial Japanese occupation25 December 1941 to 30 August 1945Re-designated as a British Dependent Territory1 January 1981Sino-British Joint Declaration19 December 1984Handover to China1 July 1997Administrative centreTamarLargest district
by populationSha TinOfficial languagesTraditional Chinese
English alphabetEthnic groups91.6% Chinese
2.7% Filipino
1.9% Indonesian
0.8% White
0.6% Indian
0.4% Nepalese
2% otherDemonym(s)GovernmentDevolved executive-led government within a unitary stateJohn LeeEric ChanStarry LeeAndrew CheungLegislatureLegislative CouncilNational representation36 deputies203 delegatesArea2,754.97 km (1,063.70 sq mi) (168th)59.70
(1,640.62 km;
633.45 sq mi)1,114.35 km
(430.25 sq mi)Highest elevation957 m (3,140 ft)Lowest elevation0 m (0 ft)Population 7,498,100 (102th) 7,413,0706,801/km (17,614.5/sq mi) (4th)GDP(PPP)2026 estimate $635.594 billion (50th) $84,212 (17th)GDP(nominal)2026 estimate $450.138 billion (42th) $59,640 (23th)Gini(2024) 45.7
mediumHDI(2023) 0.955
very high Â· 8thCurrencyHong Kong dollar (HK$) (HKD)Time zoneUTC+08:00 (HKT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyy
yyyy年mm月dd日Mains electricity220 V–50 HzCalling code+852ISO 3166 codeInternet TLDNumber plate prefixes粤ZClimateMonsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Cwa)

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.

Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island in 1841–1842 as a result of losing the First Opium War. The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and was further extended when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. The territory was handed over from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from those of mainland China under the principle of one country, two systems.

Originally an area of farming and fishing villages, Hong Kong is now one of the world's most significant financial centres and commercial ports. Hong Kong is the world's third-ranked global financial centre behind New York City and London, the ninth-largest exporter, and the eighth-largest importer in the world. Its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the globally. Home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world, Hong Kong has the second largest number of ultra high-net-worth individuals. The city has one of the highest per capita incomes, although severe income inequality still exists among the population.

Hong Kong is the region with the most skyscrapers in the world. Housing is consistently in high demand, making the city of Hong Kong the most expensive residential property market in the world and one of the most expensive cities in the world. It is also one of the most visited cities in the world.

Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.955, ranking eighth in the world, and is currently the only place in Asia to be in the top ten. Hong Kong is categorized as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. The city has the highest life expectancy in the world, and has a public transport usage exceeding 90 percent.