Hongkong - Harbour - eight

Hongkong - Harbour - eight

OLYMPUS DIGITAL Hong Kong (香港; "Aromatic Harbour"), formally Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area of the Folks's Republic of China, is an self sustaining territory at the southern coast of China on the Pearl River Estuary and the South China Sea. Hong Kong is understood for its skyline and deep herbal harbour. It has a space of 1104 km2 and stocks its northern border with the Guangdong Province of Mainland China. With round 7.2 million Hongkongers of more than a few nationalities, Hong Kong is likely one of the international's maximum densely populated metropolises.

After the First Opium Struggle (1839–42), Hong Kong become a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island, adopted by way of Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year rent of the New Territories from 1898. Hong Kong remained beneath British keep an eye on for approximately a century till the 2nd International Struggle, when Japan occupied the colony from December 1941 to August 1945. After the Give up of Japan, the British resumed keep an eye on. Within the 1980s, negotiations between the UK and the Folks's Republic of China resulted within the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which supplied for the switch of sovereignty of Hong Kong on 30 June 1997. The territory become a different administrative area of China with a excessive stage of autonomy on 1 July 1997 beneath the primary of 1 nation, two programs. Disputes over the perceived misapplication of this theory have contributed to widespread protests, together with the 2014 Umbrella Revolution.

Within the overdue 1970s, Hong Kong become a big entrepôt in Asia-Pacific. The territory has advanced into a big world industry hub and fiscal centre. The 44th-largest economic system on the earth, Hong Kong ranks most sensible 10 in GDP (PPP) in line with capita, but additionally has essentially the most critical revenue inequality amongst complex economies. Hong Kong is likely one of the 3 maximum vital monetary centres along New York and London, and the sector's primary vacationer vacation spot town. The territory has been named the freest marketplace economic system. The provider economic system, characterized by way of unfastened industry and coffee taxation, has been considered probably the most international's maximum laissez-faire financial insurance policies, and the foreign money, the Hong Kong greenback, is the 13th maximum traded foreign money on the earth.

The Hong Kong Elementary Legislation empowers the area to increase members of the family and make agreements at once with overseas states and areas, in addition to world organizations, in a extensive vary of suitable fields. It's an unbiased member of APEC, the IMF, WTO, FIFA and Global Olympic Committee amongst others.

Restricted land created a dense infrastructure and the territory become a centre of contemporary structure, and probably the most international's maximum vertical towns. Hong Kong has a extremely advanced public transportation community overlaying 90 in line with cent of the inhabitants, the absolute best on the earth, and is dependent upon mass transit by way of highway or rail. Air air pollution stays a significant issue. Free emissions requirements have led to a excessive stage of atmospheric particulates. Nonetheless, Hongkongers benefit from the international's longest or 2nd longest existence expectations.

NAME
It's not recognized who used to be accountable for the Romanisation of the title "Hong Kong" however it's most often believed to be an early vague phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka title 香港, which means "Aromatic Harbour". Sooner than 1842, the title referred to a small inlet—now Aberdeen Harbour (香港仔, Sidney Lau: heung1gong2 jai2, Jyutping: hoeng1gong2 zai2, or Hiong1gong3 zai3 in a type of Hakka, actually approach "Little Hong Kong")—between Aberdeen Island and the south facet of Hong Kong Island, which used to be probably the most first issues of touch between British sailors and native fishermen. As the ones early contacts are prone to were with Hong Kong's early population, the Tankas (水上人), it's similarly possible that the early Romanisation used to be a loyal execution in their speech, i.e. hong1, no longer heung1. Detailed and correct Romanisation programs for Cantonese had been to be had and in use on the time.

The connection with perfume might discuss with the candy style of the harbour's recent water estuarine inflow of the Pearl River, or to the incense from factories, lining the coast to the north of Kowloon, which used to be saved close to Aberdeen Harbour for export prior to the advance of the Victoria Harbour.

In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking used to be signed and the title, Hong Kong, used to be first recorded on legitimate paperwork to surround the whole thing of the island.

The title had regularly been written as the only observe Hongkong till the federal government followed the present shape in 1926. Nonetheless, quite a few century-old establishments nonetheless retain the single-word shape, such because the Hongkong Put up, Hongkong Electrical and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Company.

The entire legitimate title, after 1997, is "Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area of the Folks's Republic of China". That is the legitimate identify as discussed within the Hong Kong Elementary Legislation and the Hong Kong Govt's website online; alternatively, "Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area" and "Hong Kong" are extensively accredited.

Hong Kong has carried many nicknames: essentially the most well-known amongst the ones is the "Pearl of the Orient", which mirrored the spectacular night-view of town's mild decorations at the skyscrapers alongside each side of the Victoria Harbour. The territory is often referred to as "Asia's International Town".

HISTORY
PRE-BRITISH
Archaeological research toughen human presence within the Chek Lap Kok space (now Hong Kong Global Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years in the past and on Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years in the past.

Wong Tei Tung and 3 Fathoms Cove are the earliest websites of human habitation in Hong Kong right through the Paleolithic Duration. It's believed that the 3 Fathom Cove used to be a river-valley agreement and Wong Tei Tung used to be a lithic production web site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts steered cultural variations from the Longshan tradition of northern China and agreement by way of the Che folks, previous to the migration of the Baiyue (Viets) to Hong Kong. 8 petroglyphs, which dated to the Shang dynasty in China, had been found out at the surrounding islands.

ANCIENT CHINA
In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the primary emperor of China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (trendy Liangguang area and Vietnam) and integrated the territory into imperial China for the primary time. Fashionable Hong Kong used to be assigned to the Nanhai commandery (trendy Nanhai District), close to the commandery's capital town Panyu. In Qin dynasty, the territory used to be dominated by way of Panyu County(番禺縣) up until Jin Dynasty.

The realm of Hong Kong used to be consolidated beneath the dominion of Nanyue (Southern Viet), based by way of basic Zhao Tuo in 204 BC after the cave in of the short-lived Qin dynasty. When the dominion of Nanyue used to be conquered by way of the Han Dynasty in 111 BC, Hong Kong used to be assigned to the Jiaozhi commandery. Archaeological proof signifies that the inhabitants higher and early salt manufacturing flourished in this period of time. Lei Cheng United kingdom Han Tomb at the Kowloon Peninsula is assumed to were constructed right through the Han dynasty.

IMPERIAL CHINA
Began from Jin dynasty to early duration of Tang dynasty, the territory that now contains Hong Kong used to be ruled by way of Bao'an County (寶安縣). In Tang dynasty, the Guangdong area flourished as a world buying and selling heart. The Tuen Mun area in what's now Hong Kong's New Territories served as a port, naval base, salt manufacturing centre and later, base for the exploitation of pearls. Lantau Island used to be additionally a salt manufacturing centre, the place the salt smugglers riots broke out towards the federal government.

Below the Tang dynasty, the Guangdong (Canton) area flourished as a regional buying and selling centre. In 736 AD, the primary Emperor of Tang established an army stronghold in Tuen Mun in western Hong Kong to protect the coastal space of the area. The primary village college, Li Ying School, used to be established round 1075 AD within the modern day New Territories beneath the Northern Track dynasty. After their defeat by way of the Mongols, the Southern Track courtroom in short moved to modern day Kowloon Town (the Sung Wong Toi web site), prior to its ultimate defeat on the Combat of Yamen.

From the mid-Tang dynasty to early Ming dynasty, the territory that now contains Hong Kong used to be ruled by way of Dongguan County (東莞縣/ 東官縣). In Ming dynasty, the world used to be ruled by way of Xin'an County (新安縣) prior to it used to be colonized by way of the British govt. The indigenous population of what's now Hong Kong are known with a number of ethnicities, together with Punti, Hakka, Tanka) and Hoklo.

The earliest Eu customer on report used to be Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer who arrived in 1513. Having based an established order in Macau by way of 1557, Portuguese traders started buying and selling in southern China. On the other hand, next army clashes between China and Portugal resulted in the expulsion of all Portuguese traders from the remainder of China.

Within the mid-16th century, the Haijin order (closed-door, isolation coverage) used to be enforced and it strictly forbade all maritime actions with a view to save you touch from foreigners by way of sea. From 1661 to 1669, Hong Kong used to be at once suffering from the Nice Clearance of the Kangxi Emperor, who required the evacuation of coastal spaces of Guangdong. About 16,000 folks from Hong Kong and Bao'an County had been compelled to to migrate inland; 1,648 of those that evacuated had been stated to have returned after the evacuation used to be rescinded in 1669.

BRITSH CROWN COLONY 1842–1941
In 1839, the refusal of Qing government to toughen opium imports led to the outbreak of the First Opium Struggle between the British Empire and the Qing Empire. Qing's defeat resulted within the profession of Hong Kong Island by way of British forces on 20 January 1841. It used to be to begin with ceded beneath the Conference of Chuenpee, as a part of a ceasefire settlement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan. Whilst a dispute between high-ranking officers of each nations resulted in the failure of the treaty's ratification, on 29 August 1842, Hong Kong Island used to be officially ceded in perpetuity to the UK of Nice Britain and Eire beneath the Treaty of Nanking. The British formally established a Crown colony and based the Town of Victoria within the following yr.

The inhabitants of Hong Kong Island used to be 7,450 when the Union Flag raised over Ownership Level on 26 January 1841. It most commonly consisted of Tanka fishermen and Hakka charcoal burners, whose settlements scattered alongside a number of coastal hamlets. Within the 1850s, numerous Chinese language immigrants crossed the then-free border to flee from the Taiping Rebel. Different herbal screw ups, comparable to flooding, typhoons and famine in mainland China would play a task in setting up Hong Kong as a spot for secure refuge.

Additional conflicts over the opium industry between Britain and Qing temporarily escalated into the 2nd Opium Struggle. Following the Anglo-French victory, the Crown Colony used to be expanded to incorporate Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Side road) and Stonecutter's Island, either one of which have been ceded to the British in perpetuity beneath the Conference of Beijing in 1860.

In 1898, Britain got a 99-year rent from Qing beneath the Conference for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, by which Hong Kong got a 99-year rent of the Lantau Island, the world north of Boundary Side road in Kowloon as much as Shenzhen River and over 200 different outlying islands.

Hong Kong quickly become a big entrepôt due to its unfastened port standing, attracting new immigrants to settle from each China and Europe alike. The society, alternatively, remained racially segregated and polarised beneath British colonial insurance policies. Regardless of the upward push of a British-educated Chinese language upper-class by way of the late-19th century, race rules such because the Top Reservation Ordinance avoided ethnic Chinese language in Hong Kong from obtaining properties in reserved spaces, such because the Victoria Top. At the moment, nearly all of the Chinese language inhabitants in Hong Kong had no political illustration within the British colonial govt. There have been, alternatively, a small selection of Chinese language elites whom the British governors trusted, comparable to Sir Kai Ho and Robert Hotung, who served as communicators and mediators between the federal government and native inhabitants.

Hong Kong persisted to revel in modest expansion right through the primary part of the 20th century. The College of Hong Kong used to be established in 1911 because the territory's oldest upper schooling institute. Whilst there used to be an exodus of 60,000 citizens for worry of a German assault at the British colony right through the First International Struggle, Hong Kong remained non violent. Its inhabitants higher from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925 and reached 1.6 million by way of 1941.

In 1925, Cecil Clementi become the 17th Governor of Hong Kong. Fluent in Cantonese and with no want for translator, Clementi offered the primary ethnic Chinese language, Shouson Chow, into the Govt Council as an unofficial member. Below his tenure, Kai Tak Airport entered operation as RAF Kai Tak and a number of other aviation golf equipment. In 1937, the 2nd Sino-Eastern Struggle broke out when the Eastern Empire expanded its territories from northeastern China into the mainland correct. To safeguard Hong Kong as a freeport, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared the Crown Colony as a impartial zone.

JAPANESE OCCUPATION 1941–45
As a part of its army marketing campaign in Southeast Asia right through 2nd International Struggle, the Eastern military moved south from Guangzhou of mainland China and attacked Hong Kong on eight December 1941. The Combat of Hong Kong ended with the British and Canadian defenders surrendering keep an eye on of Hong Kong to Japan on 25 December 1941 in what used to be appeared by way of locals as Black Christmas.

All the way through the Eastern profession of Hong Kong, the Eastern military dedicated atrocities towards civilians and POWs, such because the St. Stephen's School bloodbath. Native citizens additionally suffered common meals shortages, restricted rationing and hyper-inflation coming up from the compelled trade of foreign money from Hong Kong Bucks to Eastern army banknotes. The preliminary ratio of two:1 used to be step by step devalued to four:1 and possession of Hong Kong Bucks used to be declared unlawful and punishable by way of harsh torture. Because of hunger and compelled deportation for slave labour to mainland China, the inhabitants of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when Britain resumed keep an eye on of the colony on 30 August 1945.

ECONOMY
As probably the most international's main world monetary centres, Hong Kong has a big capitalist provider economic system characterized by way of low taxation and unfastened industry. The foreign money, Hong Kong greenback, is the 8th maximum traded foreign money on the earth as of 2010. Hong Kong used to be as soon as described by way of Milton Friedman as the sector's largest experiment in laissez-faire capitalism, however has since instituted a regime of rules together with a minimal salary. It maintains a extremely advanced capitalist economic system, ranked the freest on the earth by way of the Index of Financial Freedom annually since 1995. It's a very powerful centre for world finance and industry, with probably the most largest concentrations of company headquarters within the Asia-Pacific area, and is referred to as probably the most 4 Asian Tigers for its excessive expansion charges and speedy building from the 1960s to the 1990s. Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross home product grew 180 occasions whilst per-capita GDP higher 87 occasions over.

The Hong Kong Inventory Trade is the 7th greatest on the earth and has a marketplace capitalisation of US$2.three trillion as of December 2009. In that yr, Hong Kong raised 22 p.c of globally preliminary public providing (IPO) capital, making it the biggest centre of IPOs on the earth and the perfect position to lift capital. The Hong Kong greenback has been pegged to the USA greenback since 1983.

The Hong Kong Govt has historically performed a most commonly passive function within the economic system, with little by the use of business coverage and nearly no import or export controls. Marketplace forces and the personal sector had been allowed to resolve sensible building. Below the legitimate coverage of "certain non-interventionism", Hong Kong is regularly cited for instance of laissez-faire capitalism. Following the 2nd International Struggle, Hong Kong industrialised abruptly as a producing centre pushed by way of exports, after which underwent a speedy transition to a service-based economic system within the 1980s. Since then, it has grown to develop into a number one centre for control, monetary, IT, trade session services and products.

Hong Kong matured to develop into a monetary centre within the 1990s, however used to be very much suffering from the Asian monetary disaster in 1998, and once more in 2003 by way of the SARS outbreak. A revival of exterior and home call for has resulted in a powerful restoration, as value decreases reinforced the competitiveness of Hong Kong exports and a protracted deflationary duration ended. Govt intervention, initiated by way of the later colonial governments and persisted since 1997, has regularly higher, with the advent of export credit score promises, a mandatory pension scheme, a minimal salary, anti-discrimination rules, and a state loan backer.

The territory has little arable land and few herbal sources, so it imports maximum of its meals and uncooked fabrics. Imports account for greater than 90% of Hong Kong's meals provide, together with just about all the meat and rice to be had there. Agricultural task - slightly unimportant to Hong Kong's economic system and contributing simply zero.1% of its GDP - essentially is composed of rising top rate meals and flower types. Hong Kong is the sector's 11th greatest buying and selling entity, with the whole worth of imports and exports exceeding its gross home product. It's the international's greatest re-export centre. A lot of Hong Kong's exports encompass re-exports, which might be merchandise made out of doors of the territory, particularly in mainland China, and disbursed by way of Hong Kong. Its bodily location has allowed town to determine a transportation and logistics infrastructure that comes with the sector's 2nd busiest container port and the sector's busiest airport for world shipment. Even prior to the switch of sovereignty, Hong Kong had established in depth industry and funding ties with the mainland, which now permit it to function some extent of access for funding flowing into the mainland. On the finish of 2007, there have been three.46 million folks hired full-time, with the unemployment fee averaging four.1% for the fourth directly yr of decline. Hong Kong's economic system is ruled by way of the provider sector, which accounts for over 90% of its GDP, whilst business constitutes nine%. Inflation used to be at 2.five% in 2007. Hong Kong's greatest export markets are mainland China, the US, and Japan.

As of 2010 Hong Kong is the 8th costliest town for expatriates, falling from 5th place within the earlier yr. Hong Kong is ranked fourth on the subject of the absolute best share of millionaire families, in the back of Switzerland, Qatar, and Singapore with eight.five p.c of all families proudly owning no less than 1,000,000 US bucks. Hong Kong may be ranked 2nd on the earth by way of essentially the most billionaires in line with capita (one in line with 132,075 folks), in the back of Monaco. In 2011, Hong Kong used to be ranked 2nd within the Ease of Doing Industry Index, in the back of Singapore.

Hong Kong is ranked No. 1 on the earth within the Crony Capitalism Index by way of the Economist.

In 2014, Hong Kong used to be the 11th hottest vacation spot for world vacationers amongst nations and territories international, with a complete of 27.eight million guests contributing a complete of US$38,376 million in world tourism receipts. Hong Kong may be the most well liked town for vacationers, just about two occasions of its nearest competitor Macau.


DEMOGRAPHICS
The territory's inhabitants in mid-2015 is 7.30 million, with a median annual expansion fee of zero.eight% over the former five years. The present inhabitants of Hong Kong contains 91% ethnic Chinese language. A big a part of Hong Kong's Cantonese-speaking majority originated from the neighbouring Guangdong province, from the place many fled right through the 2nd Sino-Eastern Struggle, the Chinese language Civil Struggle, and the communist rule in China.

Citizens of the Mainland don't robotically obtain the Proper of Home, and lots of would possibly not input the territory freely. Like different non-natives, they are going to practice for the Proper of Home after seven years of constant residency. One of the vital rights will also be received by way of marriage (e.g., the suitable to paintings), however those don't come with the suitable to vote or stand for place of job. On the other hand, the inflow of immigrants from mainland China, approximating 45,000 in line with yr, is a vital contributor to its inhabitants expansion – a day-to-day quota of 150 Mainland Chinese language with circle of relatives ties in Hong Kong are granted a "a method allow". Lifestyles expectancy in Hong Kong is 81.2 years for men and 86.nine years for women as of 2014, making it the absolute best existence expectancy on the earth.

About 91% of the folks of Hong Kong are of Chinese language descent, nearly all of whom are Taishanese, Chiu Chow, different Cantonese folks, and Hakka. Hong Kong's Han majority originate principally from the Guangzhou and Taishan areas in Guangdong province. The rest 6.nine% of the inhabitants consists of non-ethnic Chinese language. There's a South Asian inhabitants of Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese; some Vietnamese refugees have develop into everlasting citizens of Hong Kong. There also are Britons, American citizens, Canadians, Eastern, and Koreans running within the town's business and fiscal sector. In 2011, 133,377 overseas home helpers from Indonesia and 132,935 from the Philippines had been running in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's de facto legitimate language is Cantonese, various Chinese language originating from Guangdong province to the north of Hong Kong. English may be an legitimate language, and in line with a 1996 by-census is spoken by way of three.1 p.c of the inhabitants as an on a regular basis language and by way of 34.nine p.c of the inhabitants as a 2nd language. Indicators exhibiting each Chinese language and English are not unusual right through the territory. Because the 1997 Handover, an build up in immigrants from communist China and bigger interplay with the mainland's economic system have introduced more and more Mandarin audio system to Hong Kong.

RELIGION
A majority of citizens of Hong Kong haven't any non secular association, professing a type of agnosticism or atheism. In keeping with the USA Division of State 43 p.c of the inhabitants practices some type of faith. Some figures put it upper, in line with a Gallup ballot, 64% of Hong Kong citizens don't imagine in any faith, and in all probability 80% of Hong Kong declare no faith. In Hong Kong educating evolution gained out in curriculum dispute about whether or not to show different explanations, and that creationism and clever design will shape no a part of the senior secondary biology curriculum.

Hong Kong enjoys a excessive stage of non secular freedom, assured by way of the Elementary Legislation. Hong Kong's primary religions are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism; a neighborhood non secular student involved with main denominations estimates there are roughly 1.five million Buddhists and Taoists. A Christian group of round 833,000 paperwork about 11.7% of the whole inhabitants; Protestants paperwork a bigger quantity than Roman Catholics at a fee of four:three, even though smaller Christian communities exist, together with the Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses. The Anglican and Roman Catholic church buildings every freely appoint their very own bishops, in contrast to in mainland China. There also are Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Bahá'í communities. The observe of Falun Gong is tolerated.

PERSONAL INCOME
Statistically Hong Kong's revenue hole is the best in Asia Pacific. In keeping with a document by way of the United Countries Human Settlements Programme in 2008, Hong Kong's Gini coefficient, at zero.53, used to be the absolute best in Asia and "slightly excessive by way of world requirements". On the other hand, the federal government has wired that revenue disparity does no longer equate to worsening of the poverty scenario, and that the Gini coefficient isn't strictly related between areas. The federal government has named financial restructuring, adjustments in family sizes, and the rise of high-income jobs as elements that experience skewed the Gini coefficient.

WIKIPEDIA CAMERA

Posted by way of asienman on 2013-12-07 15:44:53

Tagged: , Hongkong , Harbour , Pearl River , asienman-photography , South China Sea