In the People's Republic of China there is an administrative region of Hong Kong, which has a special status. It is a city-state with its own political, economic and social structure. Prior to obtaining the status of a special administrative region on July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was in the use of Great Britain since the 19th century, according to the Beijing Treaty. Today, Hong Kong is one of the main economic and financial centers in Asia and around the world.
Despite the fact that Hong Kong is part of China, it exists quite autonomously. It has its own laws and regulations, its own currency (Hong Kong dollar) and its own taxation system.
Hong Kong geographically
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is located on the south coast of China, on the Kowloon Peninsula and a number of islands. The largest island is Hong Kong, on which the supreme power and the financial and economic center are concentrated. Geographically, Hong Kong can be divided into three parts - Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories.
With a good location in the southeast of the South China Sea, near the mouth of the Dongjiang River, the area is attractive forglobal investors. Profitable contracts are concluded here every day, and Hong Kong acts in them both in an independent role and as an intermediary. The special status of Hong Kong lies in its certain economic and political independence.
Hong Kong population density and population
Now about the actual population. As of 2017, the population of Hong Kong is about 7.4 million. At the same time, the area of this administrative region is a little more than a thousand (1092) square kilometers. This fact allows us to say that in terms of population per square kilometer, Hong Kong is a fairly densely populated territory.
Population density also plays a big role in land and property prices. The higher the density, the higher the price, respectively. Prices for 1 square meter of land in Hong Kong beat most world records.
After doing simple calculations, we calculate the population density of Hong Kong, and we get a figure of more than seven thousand people per square kilometer.
Most of the population lives in densely populated central areas located on the Kowloon Peninsula and in the northern parts of Hong Kong Island, where most business and business centers are concentrated.
Hong Kong nationalities
When asked how many people in Hong Kong represent a particular nation, one can answer that the predominant nationality of people living in Hong Kong is Chinese. They aremake up about 95%, and are represented for the most part by such representatives of the Chinese provinces as Cantonese, Hakka and Chaozhuo.
Other nationalities are diverse, but not so numerous. Hong Kong's population includes Filipinos, Indonesians, Thais, Japanese, Koreans, Pakistanis, Nepalese, Indians, Americans, British, Canadians, and a small number of other nationalities.
Languages of Hong Kong
The official languages in Hong Kong are Chinese and English. However, a native of Central China would have difficulty understanding the speech of a native Hong Konger. And all because of the fact that the Cantonese dialect of Chinese is widespread here. In writing, they are almost indistinguishable, but they are perceived differently by ear.
Filipino, Indonesian and other immigrant languages are also unofficially spoken.
Western and eastern cultures are so intertwined in Hong Kong that the majority of Hong Kong's population, having Chinese surnames, has English names (John Lee, Emmy Tan and the like).
Religions and confessions
At the legislative level in Hong Kong, as in other secular states, free choice of religion is guaranteed. The religions and faiths followed by the population in Hong Kong are also diverse thanks to the immigrants arriving here.
However, the main religions, as in China, are Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Some ancient Buddhist temples, monasteries and sculptures areseveral hundred years old, they are still active and attract many religious pilgrims. It's not just the people of Hong Kong who flock to these outstanding monuments.
Catholicism and Protestantism were brought to Hong Kong by British colonists immediately after the takeover in 1841. The first churches of both Catholics and Protestants appeared already in the 50s of the 19th century. Currently, the approximate number of the population of the country of Hong Kong, adhering to these two Christian denominations, is 700 thousand people.
A considerable number among the population of Hong Kong and those who adhere to Islam and Hinduism. In total, there are approximately 250-270 thousand people, half of whom are from Indonesia, as well as migrants from India, Pakistan and other Asian countries. Several mosques and an Islamic center have been built for Muslims in Hong Kong.
Unemployment rate
The unemployment rate in Hong Kong can be called average - it is 3-4% of the total population. During the Asian economic crisis at the turn of the century (1998-2003), the unemployment rate reached 6%, but then this figure gradually decreased, in 2010 unemployment reached its minimum (2%), then slightly increased and by mid-2012 amounted to 3, 2%.
The working-age population of Hong Kong's total population fluctuates slightly at 60%.
Hong Kong employment sectors
Due to the fact that in Hong Kong there is practically no state control over small and medium-sized businesses, about 60% of the able-bodiedpeople are employed in the private sector. Of the population working in the private sector, 80% are employed in the service sector. This includes trade, tourism business, services in the field of finance, real estate, insurance, public utilities and social services.
The population employed in industry is about 11%. Among the industrial sectors, the textile, clothing, electrical and radio-electronic industries occupy the leading places, followed by the production of toys, plastic and steel products, applied arts, etc.
The number of people employed in agriculture has a small share. This is due to the fact that the area of agricultural land in Hong Kong is only 6%. They are mainly engaged in growing vegetables, pig farming and fishing. Hong Kong agriculture can only satisfy its own market by 20%.
Immigrants
In 1997, after the return of the territories of Hong Kong to China, there is a resettlement of the population from the mainland Chinese regions. This is mainly a population from rural areas of China, attracted by earnings and the availability of jobs. For example, people from the Chinese province of Guangdong are usually employed in low-paid occupations such as construction work, services and utilities, or work in the port.
Also, a significant part of employment is occupied by immigrants from neighboring countries. Most retail or street trade workers come from Pakistan or India. And the female population, who came fromIndonesia, Philippines and Thailand, works mostly as service personnel - maids in hotels, waitresses.
Demographics
Demographically, Hong Kong's population can be broken down by age, birth rate, life expectancy and population growth.
The average birth rate for children in Hong Kong is 203 per day. The death rate is almost half that of 122 people a day.
In 2016, the natural population growth amounted to more than 29 thousand people. And the annual population growth due to immigrants is at the level of 30 thousand people.
The age of the population of Hong Kong has the following structure: children from birth to 14 years old - within 14%, from 15 years old to 64 years old - about 74% and over 65 years old - 12%. The percentage of the female population prevails over the male and is 51-52%.
The level of life expectancy in Hong Kong is quite high and corresponds to life expectancy in highly developed countries. For the male population of Hong Kong, the average life expectancy is 79 years, and for the female population - 84 years.
Culture and standard of living
Hong Kong in the economic sense is quite a prosperous territory of the PRC. Its economy ranks 9th in the world. Among the world's exporters, Hong Kong is in 11th place. The standard of living here is also one of the highest in the world and is among the top ten states with the highest this indicator. But one should not think thatthis is where only the rich live.
Life in Hong Kong is quite expensive, the average cost of living here is about 2.5 thousand dollars. The main problem of the population is the acquisition of their own housing, you can often meet representatives of the unprotected segments of the population living literally in boxes. There is also an acute problem with the lack of clean drinking water.
Despite the fact that the majority of Hong Kong residents adhere to European values and lifestyles, they still treat their indigenous traditions with great care and respect. So, for example, all buildings and structures in Hong Kong are built according to the traditional Chinese teachings of feng shui. The educated population of Hong Kong City believes in the existence of good and evil spirits, dragons and inauspicious numbers. On the streets of Hong Kong, you can often meet a fortune teller offering fortune tellers to passers-by. Many employees of offices and exchanges do traditional Chinese gymnastics in city parks before starting their working day.
The population of the country Hong Kong (you can consider Hong Kong as a city-state) is literate. The literacy rate is 97% for males and 90% for females. Since 1971, primary education has been compulsory and free of charge, secondary and higher education can also be obtained free of charge or with a small supplement. But kindergartens, private school education or courses are paid.
In Hong Kong, along with institutions of higher education, there are 8 institutions of higher education, there are theaters, museums and other cultural institutions.
