TNAG-0936-FCO40-1155-Visit-of-Norman-Fowler--Minister-of-Transport--to-Hong-Kong--1980 — Page 75

VISIT TO HONG KONG BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, KT. HON. HORMAN FORLER MP,

APRIL 1880

BRIEF NO 5: THE ECONOMY AND TRADE

C

STATISTICS

Area

404 square miles

Population 4.606m (1978 est)

Growth rate 2% p.a.

GDP

Total at current market prices

(1978 est)

- 4.Em (estimate)

Per capita at current market prices

(1978 est)

Average growth rate 1973-1978 8.6% Currency Hong Kong Dollar (HK)

Exchange Rate HK$ 9.50 = £1 (1978)

HK$63,686m (£6,703.78m)

HK$13,826 (£1,455)

HK$10.61 = £1 (mid-October 1979)

X 11.185 £1

= (20 February 1980)

Visible Trade (a) Exports (HKS m)

1977

1978

Domestic exports

35,004

40,711

Re-exports

9,829

13.197

Total exports

44,833

53,908

Imports

48.701

63,056

Trade deficit

3,868

9,147

Principal export products 1978

HK million

Clothing (except fur)

15,295

Watches and clocks

2,734

Textile fabrics

2,192

Alltransistorised radios

1,523

Electronic components

1,482

Metal manufactures

1,215

Principal export markets 1978

HKS million

United States

15,125

37.1

Federal Republic of Germany

4,426

10.9

United Kingdom

(EEC countries

Japan."

Australia

3,971

9.5

10,868)

1,856

46

1,494

307

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