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Background:
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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 China
on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its
"one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system
will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high
degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs
for the next 50 years. |
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Location:
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Eastern Asia, bordering
the South China Sea and China |
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Geographic coordinates:
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22 15 N, 114 10 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia |
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Area:
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total: 1,092 sq
km
water: 50 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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six times the size of
Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 30 km
border countries: China 30 km |
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Coastline:
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733 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea:
3 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical monsoon; cool
and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm
and sunny in fall |
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Terrain:
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hilly to mountainous
with steep slopes; lowlands in north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
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Natural resources:
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outstanding deepwater
harbor, feldspar |
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Land use:
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arable land: 5%
other: 94% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1% |
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998 est.)
|
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Natural hazards:
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occasional typhoons
|
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Environment - current issues:
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air and water pollution
from rapid urbanization |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Marine
Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member) |
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Geography - note:
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more than 200 islands
|
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Population:
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7,303,334 (July 2002
est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
17.5% (male 679,311; female 599,811)
15-64 years: 71.6% (male 2,587,509; female 2,641,418)
65 years and over: 10.9% (male 364,864; female 430,421) (2002
est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.26% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.92 births/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.11 deaths/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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7.76 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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5.73 deaths/1,000 live
births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
79.8 years
female: 82.69 years (2002 est.)
male: 77.1 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.3 children born/woman
(2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.06% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2,500 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Chinese
adjective: Chinese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese 95%, other 5%
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Religions:
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eclectic mixture of
local religions 90%, Christian 10% |
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Languages:
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Chinese (Cantonese),
English; both are official |
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Literacy:
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definition: age
15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2% (1996 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long
form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
conventional short form: Hong Kong
local short form: Xianggang
local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
abbreviation: HK |
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Dependency status:
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special administrative
region of China |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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Independence:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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Basic Law approved in
March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's
"mini-constitution" |
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Legal system:
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based on English common
law |
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Suffrage:
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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 committee drawn from broad regional groupings,
municipal organizations, and central government bodies |
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Executive branch:
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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
Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony
LEUNG (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since
1 July 1997)
elections: NA |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative
Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional
constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an
800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held NA
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of
Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive
Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy
and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19 |
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Judicial branch:
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The Court of Final
Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman];
Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the
Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic
Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU
Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and
People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance
[Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun,
chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party,
Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New
Century Forum |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Chinese General Chamber
of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong
Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek,
president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong
Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim,
president]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic
Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade
Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce;
Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president];
Liberal Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman] |
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International organization participation:
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APEC, AsDB, BIS, CCC,
ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau),
IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (special
administrative region of China) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission:
Consul General Michael KLOSSON
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
mailing address: PSC 464, Box 30, FPO AP 96522-0002
telephone: [852] 2523-9011
FAX: [852] 2845-1598 |
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Flag description:
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red with a stylized,
white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center |
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Economy - overview:
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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. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese
administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment
ties with China. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four
big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in
1989-97. The widespread Asian economic difficulties in 1998 hit this
trade-dependent economy quite hard, with GDP down 5%. The economy,
with growth of 10% in 2000, recovered rapidly from the Asian financial
crisis. The recent global downturn has badly hurt Hong Kong's exports
and GDP growth is estimated to be 0% in 2001. Private sector analysts
project 2002 GDP growth to be 1.8%. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity
- $180 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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0% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity
- $25,000 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
0.1%
industry: 14.3%
services: 85.6% (1999 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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-1.6% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.44 million (2001
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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wholesale and retail
trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing, insurance, and real
estate 13%, community and social services 11%, manufacturing 7%,
transport and communications 6%, construction 2%, other 30% (2001
est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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5.2% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $22.9
billion
expenditures: $24.6 billion, including capital expenditures of
$465 million (FY00/01) |
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Industries:
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textiles, clothing,
tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches,
clocks |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-9% (2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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29.449 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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35,401.57 million kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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1.181 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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9.195 billion kWh
(2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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fresh vegetables;
poultry, fish, pork |
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Exports:
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$191 billion (including
reexports; f.o.b., 2001 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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clothing, textiles,
footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys, plastics,
precious stones |
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Exports - partners:
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China 34%, US 23%,
Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 4%, Taiwan 3%, Singapore 2% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$203 billion (2001
est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, transport
equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics,
machinery, electrical equipment; a large share is reexported |
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Imports - partners:
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China 43%, Japan 12%,
Taiwan 8%, US 7%, South Korea 5%, Singapore 3% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$58.8 billion (2001
est.) |
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Currency:
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Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
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Currency code:
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HKD |
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Exchange rates:
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Hong Kong dollars per
US dollar - 7.798 (January 2002), 7.7994 (2001), 7.7918 (2000), 7.7589
(1999), 7.7462 (1998), 7.7425 (1997); note - the Hong Kong dollar is
linked to the US dollar at a rate of about 7.8 Hong Kong dollars per
US dollar |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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3.839 million (1999)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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3.7 million (December
1999) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment:
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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 7, FM 13, shortwave
0 (1998) |
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Radios:
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4.45 million (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 (plus two repeaters)
(1997) |
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Televisions:
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1.84 million (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.hk |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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17 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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3.93 million (2001)
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Railways:
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total: 34 km
standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and
double-tracked)
note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China
border (2001) |
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Highways:
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total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1997) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Hong Kong |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 433 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,539,257 GRT/22,682,757 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 264, cargo 38, chemical
tanker 10, combination bulk 2, container 73, liquefied gas 8,
multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 32,
refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a
flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin Islands 1,
China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8, Japan 8, Liberia
1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5, Singapore 7, South
Korea 2, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1 (2002
est.) |
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Airports:
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3 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001) |
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Heliports:
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2 (2001) |
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Military branches:
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no regular indigenous
military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation
Army (PLA) including 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 |
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Military manpower - military age:
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18 years of age (2002
est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49:
2,028,208 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49:
1,523,378 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males: 47,139
(2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA% |
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Military - note:
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defense is the
responsibility of China |
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Transnational Issues |
Hong Kong |
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Disputes - international:
|
none |
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Illicit drugs:
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strenuous law
enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling
transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets;
money laundering center; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
especially among young people |
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