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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 (2012)

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 (2012)

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

4.362 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 39

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

16.403 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 57

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $59.33 billion expenditures: $54.23 billion (2013 est.)

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

1.8% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Central bank discount rate [time series]

0.5% (31 December 2013) country comparison to the world: 136 0.5% (31 December 2012)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

5% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 5% (31 December 2012 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$5.614 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $4.122 billion (2012 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$1.159 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $1.024 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

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

53.7 (2011) country comparison to the world: 12 53.3 (2007)

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 has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. 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, its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment leaves it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy. 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 12% of total system deposits in Hong Kong by the end of 2013. 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 total trade 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 34.9 million in 2012, 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 2012 mainland Chinese companies constituted about 46.6% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 57.4% 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. Credit expansion and tight housing supply conditions have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly; consumer prices increased by more than 4% in 2013. 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. In 2013, Hong Kong and China signed new agreements under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement, adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, effective from January 2014, cover services and trade facilitation, and will improve access to the mainland's service sector for Hong Kong-based companies.

Exchange rates [time series]

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar - 7.772 (2013 est.) 7.756 (2012 est.) 7.77 (2010 est.) 7.75 (2009) 7.751 (2008)

Exports [time series]

$456.4 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $440.3 billion (2012 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 57.7%, US 8.9%, Japan 4.2% (2012 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$272.1 billion (2013 est.)

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

$381.3 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 36 $370.6 billion (2012 est.) $365.1 billion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 66.1% government consumption: 9.4% investment in fixed capital: 23.7% investment in inventories: 0.1% exports of goods and services: 230% imports of goods and services: -229% (2013 est.)

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

agriculture: 0% industry: 6.9% services: 93% (2013 est.)

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

$52,700 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $51,600 (2012 est.) $51,300 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

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

2.9% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 1.5% (2012 est.) 4.8% (2011 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

28.6% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 28.3% of GDP (2012 est.) 29.7% of GDP (2011 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$520.6 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $501.6 billion (2012 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

China 44.5%, Japan 8%, Taiwan 6.8%, South Korea 5.5%, US 4.9% (2012 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Industries [time series]

textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.4% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 4.1% (2012 est.)

Labor force [time series]

3.873 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

manufacturing: 3.8% construction: 2.8% wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3% financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5% transport and communications: 10.1% community and social services: 17.1% note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$3.082 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $2.814 trillion (31 December 2012) $2.248 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

19.6% (2012)

Public debt [time series]

35.6% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 107 37.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$311.2 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 $317.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$1.289 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $1.148 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$1.392 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $1.155 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

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

$1.502 trillion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 3 $1.237 trillion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$827.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $714 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$193.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $176.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

21.2% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.1% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 3.3% (2012 est.)

Energy

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

92.91 million Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 180

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Electricity - consumption [time series]

44.21 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - exports [time series]

1.65 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

100% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - imports [time series]

11.47 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 18

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

10.67 million kW (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - production [time series]

39.97 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

3.097 billion cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 116

Natural gas - imports [time series]

3.097 billion cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

333,900 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

12,010 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

345,900 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

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

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 33 km regional border: China 33 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2011)

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]

several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, promulgated 4 April 1990 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law (2013)

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 Clifford A. HART Jr. (since 30 July 2013); note - also accredited to Macau consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO 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 commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] 202 331-8947 FAX: [1] 202 331-8958 HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013) head of government: Chief Executive LEUNG Chun-ying [C.Y. LEUNG] (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 1,200-member election committee; LEUNG Chun-ying [C.Y.LEUNG] was elected chief executiveon 25 March 2012 and took office on 1 July 2012; (next 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 selection election results: LEUNG Chun-ying was elected with 689 votes; Henry TANG with 285 votes, and Albert HO with 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]

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent and 1 non-permanent judges judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice and other judges, judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

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 (70 seats; 35 members indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 35 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 elections: last held on 9 September 2012 (next to be held in September 2016) election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 56%; pro-Beijing 41%, independent 3%; seats by parties - (pro-Beijing 43) DAB 13, BPA 7, FTU 6, Liberal Party 5, NPP 2, others 10; (pro-democracy 27) Democratic Party 6, Civic Party 6, Labor Party 4, People Power 3, Professional Commons 2, League of Social Democrats 1, ADPL 1, PTU 1, Neo Democrats 1, NWSC 1; independent 2

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

as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun 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 [Bruce LIU Sing-lee] Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [Andrew LEUNG] Civic Party [EU Audrey] Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [TAM Yiu-chung] Democratic Party [Emily LAU] Labor Party [LEE Cheuk-yan] League of Social Democrats or LSD [LEUNG Kwok-hung] Liberal Party [James TIEN] Neo Democrats [joint leaders] New People's Party [Regina IP Lau Su-yee] People Power [Erica YUEN Mi-ming] others: Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU Federation of Trade Unions or FTU Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK] Professional Teachers Union or PTU note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, People Power, Professional Commons; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, New People's Party, BPA; 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 a 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 subsequent 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 (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 12.1% (male 456,638/female 402,462) 15-24 years: 11.5% (male 417,300/female 398,270) 25-54 years: 46.9% (male 1,430,036/female 1,905,585) 55-64 years: 14.8% (male 517,045/female 537,290) 65 years and over: 14.4% (male 493,399/female 554,663) (2014 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

9.38 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

79.5% (2007)

Death rate [time series]

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 35.5 % youth dependency ratio: 15.9 % elderly dependency ratio: 19.6 % potential support ratio: 5.1 (2014 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.5% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 124

Ethnic groups [time series]

Chinese 93.1%, Indonesian 1.9%, Filipino 1.9%, other 3% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

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

2,600 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 2.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 217 male: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

Languages [time series]

Cantonese (official) 89.5%, English (official) 3.5%, Putonghua (Mandarin) 1.4%, other Chinese dialects 4%, other 1.6% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 82.78 years country comparison to the world: 6 male: 80.18 years female: 85.71 years (2014 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: 43.2 years male: 42.8 years female: 43.4 years (2014 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

29.8 (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

1.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Population [time series]

7,112,688 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Population growth rate [time series]

0.41% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

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: 15 years (2012)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.13 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.75 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.17 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 221

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

total: 9.3% country comparison to the world: 115 male: 10.9% female: 7.8% (2012)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 100% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 1.04% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

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 (2013) country comparison to the world: 201

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports [time series]

9 (2013)

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]

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

Roadways [time series]

total: 2,090 km country comparison to the world: 174 paved: 2,090 km (2012)