Hong Kong is a vibrant city, and a major gateway to Mainland China. Hong Kong's economy is characterised by free trade, low taxation and minimum government intervention. It is the world's tenth largest trading economy, with the mainland of China as its most significant trading partner. Hong Kong is also a major service economy, with particularly strong links to mainland China and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.
On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law came into effect. The Basic Law is the constitutional document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). It enshrines within a legal document the important concepts of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy. The rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong are based on the impartial rule of law and an independent judiciary. Since 1997, the HKSAR has continued to prosper and thrive as an international financial and trading centre and Asia’s world city.
The HKSAR is headed by the Chief Executive (CE). According to the Basic Law, the CE shall be selected by election or through consultations held in Hong Kong, and be appointed by the Central People’s Government. The Executive Council assists the CE in policy making, and the CE shall consult the Executive Council before making important policy decisions, introducing bills to the Legislative Council (LegCo), making subordinate legislation, or dissolving the LegCo. The LegCo shall exercise the powers and functions, which include to enact, amend or repeal laws in accordance with the Basic Law and legal procedures; examine and approve budgets introduced by the government; approve taxation and public expenditure; and raise questions on the work of the government.
At the south-eastern tip of China, Hong Kong, with a total land area of more than 1,110 square kilometres, covers Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, including 262 outlying islands. Between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula lies Victoria Harbour, one of the world's most renowned deep-water harbours. Although Hong Kong is a major metropolis, about three-quarters of its total land area is countryside.
Hong Kong's climate is sub-tropical, with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in winter and exceeding 31 degrees Celsius in summer. It is warm, sunny and dry in autumn, cool and dry in winter, warm and humid in spring, and hot and rainy in summer. Please refer to the Hong Kong Observatory’s website for more on Hong Kong’s climate.
Hong Kong time is UTC+8, which is 4 hours ahead of Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UTC+4), and 5 hours ahead of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia (UTC+3).
Hong Kong’s population was about 7.5 million in 2023. Please refer to the Census and Statistics Department’s website for more on Hong Kong’s population statistics.
The Basic Law guarantees religious freedom, allowing a diversity of faiths to coexist harmoniously. Among those, Buddhism is one of the main religions practiced in Hong Kong with around one million followers, while an estimate of 300,000 Muslims, comprising 150,000 Indonesians, 50,000 Chinese, 30,000 Pakistanis and people from India, Malaysia, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere, are living in the city. Local Islamic activities are coordinated by the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong, which forms a charity managing five mosques, two cemeteries and a kindergarten. They announce the dates of festivals including Ramadan, make funeral arrangements, and conduct inspections and issue certificates for halal food in Hong Kong and parts of the Mainland.
There are five Muslim mosques in Hong Kong, namely the Jamia Masjid in Mid-Levels; Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre in Wan Chai; the Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui; Stanley Mosque inside Stanley Prison, as well as Chai Wan Mosque at Cape Collinson.
Chinese and English are the official languages of Hong Kong. English is widely used in the Government and by the legal, professional and business sectors. Trilingual professionals who speak English, Cantonese and Putonghua play a vital role in the numerous enterprises trading in Hong Kong or doing business with mainland China and Taiwan.
More on Hong Kong:
www.gov.hk/en/about/abouthk/index.htm