HONG
KONG
FACT SHEET
33/2
The land area of Hong Kong is approximately 403.7 square miles. Hong Kong Island (29.2 square miles) was ceded to Britain as a trading station in 1841. The Kowloon Peninsula together with Stonecutters' Island, Green Island and Ap Lei Chau Island (32 square miles) were added in 1860 under the Convention of Peking. In 1898 the New Territories (370.4 square miles), which consist of the rural areas north of Kowloon and some 235 adjacent Islands, were leased to Great Britain for 99 years.
LAND POLICY
All land is owned by the Crown. Government policy is to sell leases to the highest bidder by public auction or by tender, except in the case of land required for public, charitable or non-profit making purposes when grants are made, usually on favourable terms, by private treaty.
POPULATION
Total population according to an official estimate of the census of December 1971 is 4,064,400, about 98% of whom are Chinese in origin. Population has increased from 1,600,000 in 1946 largely as a result of immigration from mainland China. Some 57% of the total population are British subjects by virtue of Hong Kong birth.
ECONOMY
Hong Kong is now firmly established as a light industrial economy based on exports. It neverthelss retains a very considerable entrepot trade serving South East Asia and the Far East. It is the fifth largest port in the world.
Domestic exports in 1971 totalled HK$ 13,750 million (£941 million) and re-exports totalled HK$ 3,414 million (£244 million). Imports were HK$ 17,607 million (£1,210 million).
42% of all exports in 1971 went to the USA and 14% to the UK. In the same year 16% of all imports came from China, 24% from Japan, 13% from the USA.
PUBLIC FINANCE
Estimated Revenue 1972-1973
HK$ 3,704 million (£265 m) Estimated Expenditure 1972-1973 HK$ 3,657 million (£261 m)
CURRENCY
Hong Kong and
One Hong Kong dollar 7p (approximately) (13.93 £1)
Indian Ocean Department
August 1972
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