ARCHIVE // HK // 1998

Hong Kong

1998 Edition — special_admin

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Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]
fresh vegetables; poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $19 billion expenditures: $14.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $289 million (FY95/96 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]
none (1996)
Economic aid [time series]
$NA
Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]
Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Indeed, imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Real GDP growth averaged a remarkable 8% in 1987-88, slowed to 3.0% in 1989-90, and picked up to 4.2% in 1991, 5.0% in 1992, 5.2% in 1993, 5.5% in 1994, 4.8% in 1995, 4.7% in 1996, and an estimated 5.5% in 1997. A shortage of labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China.
Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]
11.3 million kW (1996)
Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]
3,968 kWh (1995)
Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]
28 billion kWh (1996)
Exchange rates [time series]
Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$-7.74 (1997), 7.730 (1996), 7.800 (1995), 7.800 (1994), 7.800 (1993), 7.741 (1992); note-linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$
Exports [time series]
total value: $180.7 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1996) commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys partners: China 34%, US 21%, Japan 7%, Germany 4%, UK 3% (1996)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 April-31 March Communications
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$175.2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 0.1% industry: 16.1% services: 83.8% (1996 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity-$26,800 (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]
5.5% (1997 est.)
Imports [time series]
total value: $198.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported partners: China 37%, Japan 14%, Taiwan 8%, US 8%, Singapore 5% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
-3.2% (1997 est.)
Industries [time series]
textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]
5.1% (1997 est.)
Labor force [time series]
total: 3.183 million (1997) by occupation: wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 32.4%, social services 9.9%, manufacturing 9.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13.0%, transport and communications 5.7%, construction 2.6%, other 26.5% (June 1997)
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
3 million (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations-3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
4.37 million (1997 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
4 (British Broadcasting Corporation repeater 1; British Forces Broadcasting Service repeater 1)
Televisions [time series]
1.75 million (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
3.1% (1996 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 1,092 sq km land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]
six times the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline [time series]
733 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]
air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
22 15 N, 114 10 E
Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]
more than 200 islands
Irrigated land [time series]
20 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 30 km border countries: China 30 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 6% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 22% other: 70% (1993 est.)
Location [time series]
Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references [time series]
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 3 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
occasional typhoons
Natural resources [time series]
outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Terrain [time series]
hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (special administrative region of China)
Constitution [time series]
Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu local short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK
Data code [time series]
HK
Dependency status [time series]
special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Consul General Richard A. BOUCHER consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002 telephone: [852] 2523-9011
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (special administrative region of China)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Anson CHAN (since 29 November 1993), Financial Secretary Donald TSANG (since NA 1995), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since NA 1997) elections: NA
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[852] 2845-1598
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (special administrative region of China)
International organization participation [time series]
APEC, AsDB, BIS (pending member), CCC, ESCAP (associate), ICFTU, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WTrO
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court
Legal system [time series]
based on English common law
Legislative branch [time series]
a provisional legislature replaced the unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 20 elected by popular vote, and 10 elected by election committee; members served four-year terms) on 1 July 1997 elections: indirect and direct elections for the Legislative Council were last held on 17 September 1995; elections for the first Special Administrative Region Legislative Council are scheduled to be held in May 1998 election results: the following are results of the 1995 election of the Legislative Council - percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-Democratic Party 21, Liberal Party 10, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 6, other parties and independents 23
Capital (National capital) [time series]
Victoria
National holiday [time series]
National Day, 1-2 October note: 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Party, Martin LEE, chairman; Liberal Party, Allen LEE, chairman; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, TSANG Yuk-shing, chairman; Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, Dr. Patrick SHIU Kin-ying, chairman; The Frontier, Emily LAN Wai-hang, chairwoman
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL), Frederick FUNG Kin Kee, chairman; Liberal Democratic Federation, HU Fa-kuang, chairman; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China), LEE Chark-tim, president; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy), LEE Cheuk-yan, chairman; Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, CHEUNG Man-kwong, president; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China, Szeto WAH, chairman
Suffrage [time series]
direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member Election Commission drawn from broad regional groupings and other central government bodies
Military
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has a low-profile presence in Hong Kong
Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]
$NA
Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]
NA%
Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]
males age 15-49: 1,908,604 (1998 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]
males: 1,442,870 (1998 est.)
Military manpower - military age (Military manpower-military age) [time series]
18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually (Military manpower-reaching military age annually) [time series]
males: 45,276 (1998 est.)
Military - note (Military-note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of China
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 18% (male 637,808; female 591,900) 15-64 years: 71% (male 2,360,878; female 2,425,291) 65 years and over: 11% (male 312,033; female 379,055) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
12.85 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate [time series]
5.87 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Chinese 95%, other 5%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
5.24 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages [time series]
Chinese (Cantonese), English
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.81 years male: 76.07 years female: 81.74 years (1998 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 92.2% male: 96% female: 88.2% (1996 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Net migration rate [time series]
15.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population [time series]
6,706,965 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.24% (1998 est.)
Religions [time series]
eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.36 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and money-laundering center; increasing indigenous amphetamine abuse HOWLAND ISLAND (territory of the US)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
3 (1998)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998)
Heliports [time series]
1 (1997 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 1,760 km paved: 1,760 km unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,644,279 GRT/9,287,704 DWT ships by type: bulk 104, cargo 23, combination bulk 2, container 42, liquefied gas tanker 1, multifunction large load carrier 2, oil tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 13 countries among which are UK 26, South Africa 9, China 9, Japan 8, Bermuda 3, Germany 3, Israel 2, Canada 2, Belgium 1, and Norway 1; Hong Kong owns an additional 459 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,179,262 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, and Vanuatu (1997 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Hong Kong
Railways [time series]
total: 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (1996 est.) note: also has 43 km of metro with 38 stations