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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

2 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 radio networks, one of which is government-funded, operate about 15 radio stations (2010)

Internet country code [time series]

.hk

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

870,041 (2012) country comparison to the world: 48

Internet users [time series]

4.873 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 47

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

4.342 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 38

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

15.293 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 55

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $50.46 billion expenditures: $47.56 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

1.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 27

Central bank discount rate [time series]

0.5% (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 140 0.5% (31 December 2010)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

5% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 5% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$12.87 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $12.91 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$903.2 billion (30 June 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $750.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

53.3 (2007) country comparison to the world: 13

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of re-exports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong's open economy left it exposed to the global economic slowdown that began in 2008. Although increasing integration with China, through trade, tourism, and financial links, helped it to make an initial recovery more quickly than many observers anticipated, it again faces a possible slowdown as exports to the Euro zone and US slump. The Hong Kong government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the site for Chinese renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts; RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong; and RMB trade settlement is allowed. The territory far exceeded the RMB conversion quota set by Beijing for trade settlements in 2010 due to the growth of earnings from exports to the mainland. RMB deposits grew to roughly 7.8% of total system deposits in Hong Kong by the end of 2011, an increase of over 59% since the beginning of the year. The government is pursuing efforts to introduce additional use of RMB in Hong Kong financial markets and is seeking to expand the RMB quota. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's exports by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 28 million in 2011, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2011 mainland Chinese companies constituted about 43% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 56% of the Exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. Growth slowed to 5% in 2011, and less than 2% in 2012. Credit expansion and tight housing supply conditions caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly in 2010 and inflation to rise 5.3% in 2011, but the tempo slowed in 2012. Lower and middle income segments of the population are increasingly unable to afford adequate housing. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Exchange rates [time series]

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.8 (2012 est.) 7.784 (2011 est.) 7.77 (2010 est.) 7.75 (2009) 7.751 (2008)

Exports [time series]

$439 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 $438 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners [time series]

China 52.4%, US 9.9%, Japan 4% (2011 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$258 billion (2012 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$363.7 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $357.2 billion (2011 est.) $340.1 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 0% industry: 7% services: 93% (2012 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$50,700 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $50,200 (2011 est.) $48,200 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

1.8% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 5% (2011 est.) 7.1% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$499.4 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $494.1 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

Imports - partners [time series]

China 44.9%, Japan 8.9%, Taiwan 7.5%, US 4.9% (2011 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.8% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 5.3% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

21.2% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Labor force [time series]

3.705 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

manufacturing: 4.3% construction: 2.4% wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 41.4% financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5% transport and communications: 6.3% community and social services: 16.8% note: above data exclude public sector (2011 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$2.24 trillion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 6 $2.711 trillion (31 December 2010) $2.292 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

30% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 39.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$299.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $285.4 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$1.028 trillion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 19 $917.5 billion (31 December 2010)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$1.112 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $1.046 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$1.2 trillion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.138 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$544.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $515.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$143.8 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 $130.4 billion (31 December 2010)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

19.6% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 3.4% (2011 est.)

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

83.78 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 43

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Electricity - consumption [time series]

43.14 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Electricity - exports [time series]

2.75 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - imports [time series]

10.75 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

12.62 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - production [time series]

41.22 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

3.46 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - imports [time series]

3.195 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

291,400 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

16,620 bbl/day (2011) country comparison to the world: 78

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

375,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,104 sq km country comparison to the world: 184 land: 1,054 sq km water: 50 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

six times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

subtropical 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 [time series]

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Geography - note [time series]

composed of more than 200 islands

Irrigated land [time series]

NA; note - included in the total for China (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)

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]

The Basic Law, approved March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's charter

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Hong Kong official long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu official short form: Xianggang abbreviation: HK

Dependency status [time series]

special administrative region of China

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Consul General Stephen M. YOUNG consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (special administrative region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison and communication with the US Government and other US entities representative: Donald TONG office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] 202 331-8947 FAX: [1] 202 331-0318 HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) head of government: Chief Executive LEUNG Chun-ying (since 1 July 2012) cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo consists of 15 official members and 14 non-official members (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by a 800-member electoral committee; the election of Donald TSANG was held on 25 March 2007; on 25 March 2012 LEUNG Chun-ying [C.Y.LEUNG] was elected chief executive by a 1,193-member electoral committee; he will take office on 1 July 2012; (next election to be held in March 2017) note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the electoral committee to 1,200 seats for the 2012 election election results: LEUNG Chun-ying was elected with 689 votes; Henry TANG received 285 votes, and Albert HO received 76 of the 1,132 votes cast; 82 ballots were deemed invalid most were blank

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

Government type [time series]

limited democracy

Independence [time series]

none (special administrative region of China)

International organization participation [time series]

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Final Appeal, High Court (Court of Appeal and the Court of the First Instance), district courts, magistrates' courts, and other special courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (60 seats; 30 members indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) note: the LegCo voted in June 2010 to expand to 70 seats for the 2012 election; the measure was approved by the National People's Congress Standing Committee in August 2010; the 10 new seats will be elected by popular vote elections: last held on 7 September 2008 (next to be held on 9 September 2012) election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 57%; pro-Beijing 40%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 35) DAB 13, Liberal Party 7, FTU 1, others 14; (pro-democracy 23) Democratic Party 8, Civic Party 5, CTU 3, League of Social Democrats 3, ADPL 2, The Frontier 1, NWSC 1; others 11; independents 2

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyonggjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

National holiday [time series]

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

National symbol(s) [time series]

orchid tree flower

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

parties: Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [LIU Sung Lee]; Civic Party [LEONG Ka-kit]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu Cheng]; Democratic Party [Albert HO Chun-yan]; Labor Party [LEE Cheuk-yan]; League of Social Democrats or LSD [LEONG Kwok-hung]; Liberal Party [Miriam LAU Kin-yee]; New People's Party [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]; People Power [Raymond WONG Yuk-man]; The Frontier (disbanded) others: Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU; Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party, Democratic Party, League of Social Democrats, People Power; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party, New People's Party, The Professional Forum (an informal group of three generally pro-government and pro-business LegCo members from functional constituencies and one independent elected from a geographic constituency), and Economic Synergy; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [LEE Cheuk-yan, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [FUNG Wai-wah, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yiu-chung, LegCo member] (pro-democracy); Civic Act-up [Cyd HO Sau-lan, LegCo member] (pro-democracy)

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age in direct elections for half the legislature and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and an 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

Introduction

Background [time series]

Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,704,090 females age 16-49: 1,873,175 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,387,213 females age 16-49: 1,505,875 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 39,579 female: 36,554 (2010 est.)

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of China

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region (2009)

Military expenditures [time series]

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 11.4% (male 427,250/ female 390,856) 15-64 years: 74.6% (male 2,573,116/ female 2,766,169) 65 years and over: 13.9% (male 467,199/ female 528,929) (2012 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

7.54 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

Death rate [time series]

7.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 122

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.5% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

Ethnic groups [time series]

Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1% (2006 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

2,600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 2.9 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 218 male: 3.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages [time series]

Cantonese (official) 90.8%, English (official) 2.8%, Putonghua (Mandarin) 0.9%, other Chinese dialects 4.4%, other 1.1% (2006 census)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 82.12 years country comparison to the world: 8 male: 79.39 years female: 85.05 years (2012 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002)

Median age [time series]

total: 43.9 years male: 43.3 years female: 44.4 years (2012 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Net migration rate [time series]

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Population [time series]

7,153,519 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 99

Population growth rate [time series]

0.421% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Religions [time series]

eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 16 years male: 15 years female: 16 years (2009)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.09 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 222

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 12.6% country comparison to the world: 88 male: 15.1% female: 10.3% (2009)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people

Transportation

Airports [time series]

2 (2012) country comparison to the world: 199

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2012)

Heliports [time series]

9 (2012)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1,644 country comparison to the world: 5 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 785, cargo 198, carrier 10, chemical tanker 149, container 288, liquefied gas 31, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 156, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 7 foreign-owned: 976 (Bangladesh 1, Belgium 26, Bermuda 20, Canada 77, China 500, Cyprus 3, Denmark 42, France 4, Germany 10, Greece 27, Indonesia 10, Iran 3, Japan 79, Libya 1, Norway 48, Russia 1, Singapore 13, South Korea 3, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 25, UAE 1, UK 33, US 44) registered in other countries: 341 (Bahamas 3, Bermuda 4, Cambodia 10, China 18, Curacao 1, Cyprus 2, Georgia 3, India 2, Kiribati 2, Liberia 48, Malaysia 8, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 3, NZ 1, Panama 144, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Seychelles 1, Sierra Leone 7, Singapore 46, Thailand 1, UK 12, unknown 16) (2010)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Hong Kong

Roadways [time series]

total: 2,067 km country comparison to the world: 172 paved: 2,067 km (2010)