HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
ANNEX
اس
(1)
Historical Notes
1. The land area of the whole Colony of Hong Aong is
approximately 400 square miles. Hong Kong Island (29 square
miles) was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking in
1843. Kowloon Peninsula up to Boundary Street, together with
Stone-Cutters' Island, Green Island and Ap Lei Chau Island (3 square miles) were ceded in perpetuity in 1860 under the
Convention of Peking. In 1898 the New Territories, which consist
of the rural areas north of Kowloon and some 235 islands, were
leased to Great Britain for 99 years, under the (later) Convention
of Peking.
Population
2.
The latest estimates put the population of Hong Kong at
4,035,000, of whom ethnically and on the basis of language more
than 98% are Chinese.
Approximately one-fifth of this total
population is resident in the New Territories.
Constitution
The
3. Hong Kong is a Crown Colony. In accordance with the powers
vested in him by the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions, the
Governor administers the Colony assisted by an Executive Council
and a Legislative Council. The Executive Council consists of
5 Ex Officio, 1 Official and 8 Nominated Unofficial Members.
Governor is required to consult the Executive Council save where
matters are unimportant or too urgent. The Legislative Council
consists of 4 Ex officio, 8 Official, and 13 Unofficial Members
(all nominated).
The Governor, as President of the Council,
has
CONFIDENTIAL