Hong
Kong is a fast-paced, exciting exotic city that mixes east
and west beautifully and skillfully. It is famous for Kung
Fu movies, Cantonese and heart-pounding adventures. It is
the only feature that is both a city and an island. With
a population of close to 7 million people in that small
of a place, you know its crowded. Hong Kong is located on
the southern coast of the Peoples Republic of China and
consists of a narrow peninsula of land and 234 islands,
many uninhabited.
The
largest island is called Lantau and is packed with more
than 70,000 people. Lantau is known for the lengthy walking
trail along rocky scenery. The trail passes over the top
of two of the highest peaks of the island, forests and seas.
The
most populated of these islands is Hong Kong Island, where
you will find most of the action. Another island is Kowloon,
which is beautiful and thriving with 2.1 million people
making this island home. A few other islands in Hong Kong
worth visiting include Peng Chau, Poi Toi, and Tung Lung
Chau, which remains to this day an uninhibited island.
Located
in the South China Sea, the city has a subtropical climate,
with an average annual rainfall of more than 86 inches.
The fall and winter are the nicest times to visit Hong Kong,
when the air is dry and temperatures range from about 64
to 80 degrees. Most people head to Hong Kong during November
and December, although both January and February are also
good options. Just remember when scheduling your trip that
traveling in late January and early February is the Chinese
New Year, which is sure to be packed with thousands of revelers.
Since the city of Hong Kong is settled within the tropics,
the climate, although generally nice, is very wet. The spring
and summer months in Hong Kong are much the same: hot, humid,
and wet. This part of China experiences what is known as
the Southwest Monsoon. However, just like the spring and
summer monsoon, the Northern Monsoon affects these times
of the year, occasionally bringing with it the dreaded typhoon.
The
city of Hong Kong is divided into four primary sections.
These include Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territories,
and Outlying Islands. This city is centered around Victoria
Harbor with the business district being known as Central
and located on Hong Kong Island. The commercial district
is directly east of Central. Causeway Bay has great shopping,
Wan Chai has restaurants and clubs of all types, and the
Peak is a beautiful scenic outlook as well as residential
area.
History
Although Hong Kong has a strong colonial past, it has always
stood firm and proud of its Chinese heritage. After 100
years of British colonial rule, In 1997, the British turned
Hong Kong back over to its motherland, China. The remnants
of British rule are sleek modernity, architectural stability,
and first-world conditions. For a long time, Hong Kong was
China's little economic powerhouse, even after mainland
China was closed during Communist rule. Now that Hong Kong
is China's once again, the Chinese government is careful
not to clamp down too tightly on Hong Kong's freedoms, as
they don't want to disrupt the economic power of Hong Kong.
Ethnicity
The people of Hong Kong are comprised of 95% Chinese
and the remaining 5% a mix of various nationalities. Although
the official language is Cantonese, both Chinese and English
are widely spoken. Especially in the business sections of
the city, the majority of people speak English well. The
two primary religions are Buddhism and Taoism. However,
many of the Chinese people do live by a group of moral codes
from the religion of Confucianism. Throughout the city,
more than 600 Chinese temples stand where Buddhism is actively
practiced. Of all the idols worshiped, the two that are
the most honored is the sea and weather. Many other religions
are in existence in Hong Kong, some of which includes Sikh,
Judaism, Islamic, Christianity, and Hinduism. You will also
find many Protestant and Catholic churches throughout the
city where you can go to worship.
Government
Today,
Hong Kong is very much a part of the Special Administrative
Region (SAR), which falls under the leadership of the People's
Republic of China. The Basic Law is what governs Hong Kong
with a Chief Executive holding executive power and answerable
to the State Council of the People's Republic of China.
The Selection Committee who falls under the Chief Executive
is comprised of 400 members.
To help
assist with the administration of Hong Kong and other cities
within this region, the Chief Executive is responsible for
appointing a 15-member Executive Council. In all, through
the many constituencies, more than 800 people act as representatives
for the community of Hong Kong.
