Hong Kong Country Background

Hong Kong has a population of 7,055,071 whose ethnic groups are comprised of 95% Chinese,
less than 2% each Filipino and Indonesian, and 2% various mixed. Chinese (Cantonese) is the
official language, 6.4% of the populous speaks other Chinese dialects, and 3.2% speak English.
Religion is a mixture of eclectic local groups and 10% Christianity. With a population of seven
million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Of the age
group 15 and over, few have ever attended school; only 7% from this group have gone to any
school for any length of time. Education expenditures for the 2006 were only 3.9% of gross
domestic product.

Situated in Eastern Asia, Hong Kong; shares borders with the South China Sea and the country of
China. Hong Kong has more than 200 islands. Of Hong Kong’s 426 sq miles, 18 miles are a shared
boarder with China; 455 miles are part of the South China Sea coastline. For size comparison
Hong Kong roughly six times the size of Washington, DC. Hong Kong’s climate is rated as
subtropical monsoon. Cool and dry in the winter season (mid Dec-Feb). Spring (Mar to mid May)
is full of rain and showers. Summer (late may to Mid Sept) is hot, steamy, and rainy. Leaving
autumn (late Sept to early Dec) clear, warm and sunny. Typhoons are the only natural hazard
Hong Kong has a problem with. From Sea level to 3150 (approx) feet above sea level the terrain
of Hong Kong ranges from hilly to steep mountain slopes with lowlands in the north. Its lowest
point is the South China Sea and it’s highest Tai Mo Shan (Big Hat Mountain). Hong Kong’s best
natural resources are its outstanding deepwater harbor and feldspar. One example of Hong Kong’s
use of their feldspar is the production of porcelain.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. Its government is a
limited democracy; its legal system is based on English common law. It has no regular indigenous
military forces; their military might is a portion of People’s Liberation Army Ground Forces,
People’s Liberation Navy, and People’s Liberation Air Force. These are under the direct leadership
of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under the administrative control of the
Guangzhou Military Region.

Hong Kong’s free market economy is predominantly dependent on the international trade and
finance. It is a global city that is a company and business hub, as well as being home to many
famous banks and Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It has a major capitalist service economy with low
taxation, free trade and minimum government intervention (Positive Non Intervention). Hong
Kong has become increasingly integrated with China through trade, tourism, and finances. China
has for a long time been their main trade partner accounting for almost 49% of Hong Kong’s
export trade in 2008. Since the easing of China’s travel restrictions, the number of mainland
tourist entering Hong Kong has approximately quadrupled between 2001 and 2008. Hong Kong is
the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. Mainland Chinese companies
now make up more than 33% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, they account
for three-fifths of the Exchange’s market capitalization. In the last yen years Hong Kong’s
manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, as a result its service industry grew rapidly and
now is reflects more than ninety-percent of the territory’s gross domestic product. Foods and raw
material must be imported due to Hong Kong’s limited natural resources. Hong Kong Dollar (HK$)
as it is called it linked closely to the US Dollar.

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