The population of Hong Kong increased steadily over the last few years of the 1990s, reaching about 7.1 million by 2000. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with an overall density of some 6,300 people per square kilometre. The population density with respect to built-up areas would be even higher, as only a small proportion of land is developed. Despite the population density, Hong Kong is reported to be one of the greenest cities in Asia, with the majority of people living in apartments in high-rise buildings, and most land reserved for open spaces, country parks, and woodland. The vertical placement of the population explains why the general description of Hong Kong as a densely populated, green city is not an oxymoron. Hong Kong, a coastal city in southern China, has evolved from a fishing village, salt production site, trading and military port into an international financial centre that enjoys the worlds ninth highest GNP per capita,[1] and supports a third of foreign capital flows into China. ... Politics of Hong Kong takes place in a framework of a political system dominated by the Peoples Republic of China, an own legislature, the Chief Executive as the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes de facto sovereign states and dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... An apartment estate in Singapore; such blocks make up the majority of public housing in Singapore. ... Taipei 101, the worlds tallest building architecturally, is located in Taipei City, Taiwan. ... In urban planning, open space is publicly owned land that is preserved from urbanization (paving or building). ... A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment. ... Limber Pine woodland, Toiyabe Range, central Nevada Biologically, a woodland is a treed area differentiated from a forest. ... Look up Oxymoron in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Population

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 676,756; female 602,434)
15-64 years: 71% (male 2,520,473; female 2,563,355)
65 years and over: 11% (male 342,942; female 410,342) (2000 est.)
Average age: 34

Population growth rate: 1.35% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 11.29 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.93 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Average marriage age:
male: 30
female: 27

Infant mortality rate: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.54 years
male: 76.85 years
female: 82.41 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Chinese
residents are called Hongkongers, sometimes Hongkies. In English usage, nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a country. ...

Ethnic groups: Chinese 95%, other 5%

Culture

Main article: Culture of Hong Kong

Chinese people in Hong Kong have adopted many modern folkways, but a substantial number of them still adhere to traditional Chinese traditions on various aspects of social living; for instance family solidarity, "courtesy and face" in interpersonal relationship. The culture of Hong Kong shares the sinic cultural heritage, namely the "post-Confucian" ethic. Chinese people in Hong Kong have adopted many western folkways, but a substantial number of them still adhere to traditional Chinese traditions on various aspects of social living; for instance family solidarity, “courtesy and face” in interpersonal relationship. ... Languages Primarily Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Confucianism, Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, Athiesm. ... Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning to cultivate), generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... Confucianism (儒家 Pinyin: rújiā The School of the Scholars), sometimes translated as the School of Literati, is an East Asian ethical, religious and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of Confucius. ...

MacFarquhar (1980) suggests that the post-Confucian characteristics include subordination of the individual, social cohesion, education for action, bureaucratic tradition, self-confidence, and moralizing certitude. In The Religion of China. Confucianism and Taoism, Max Weber (1951) articulates the traits of Chinese culture, with reference especially to its reaction to the social process of modernisation: The Chinese in all probability would be quite capable, probably more capable than the Japanese, of assimilating capitalism which has technically and economically been fully developed in the modern culture area. Wong (1986), a Hong Kong sociologist, in his study on the modernisation process of Hong Kong delineates four major Chinese cultural elements which facilitate the adoption of industrial capitalism in the Chinese society of Hong Kong. They are namely: incorporative cosmology, high achievement motivation, familism and utilitarian discipline. MacFarquhar may refer to: Colin Macfarquhar Neil MacFarquhar Roderick MacFarquhar Farquhar Category: ... Taoism (pronounced and often written as Daoism (dow-ism)) is the English name for a religious and philosophical tradition in China. ... Maximilian Weber (IPA: ) (April 21, 1864 – June 14, 1920) was a German political economist and sociologist who is considered one of the founders of the modern study of sociology and public administration. ...

As such, the culture of Hong Kong is characterised by the blending of Chinese, Asian, and western influences (primarily British), as well as the status of the city as a major international business centre. Though heavily influenced by Cantonese culture from the neighbouring province of Guangdong, there are also substantial communities of Hakka, Hokkien and Teochiu peoples. The culture of Asia is the artificial aggregate of the cultural heritage of many nationalities, societies, religions, and ethnic groups in the region, traditionally called a continent from a Western-centric perspective, of Asia. ... Cantonese people (Traditional Chinese: 廣東人; Simplified Chinese: 广东人; Pinyin: Guǎngdōng rén; Jyutping: gwong2 dung1 yan4), broadly speaking, are persons originating from the present-day Guangdong province in southern China. ... Guangdong, often spelt as Kwangtung, is a province on the south coast of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Henan, Shanxi, Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces The Hakka are a subgroup of the Han Chinese people who live predominantly in the provinces of Guangdong, Jiangxi, and Fujian in China. ... Hoklo (Chinese: 福佬人; Pinyin: Fúlǎo Rén; POJ: Ho̍h-ló-lâng/Hō-ló-lâng) primarily refers to the largest of the four subethnic and ethnic groups in Taiwan. ... For the township in Taiwan, see Chaojhou, Pingtung. ...

Religions

Main article: Religion in Hong Kong

Filipino Catholics leaving St Joseph's Church after a Sunday service (Mass) in Central.

Religion plays an important role in the culture of Hong Kong. Freedom of religion is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by Hong Kong residents. It is protected by the Basic Law and the relevant legislation. There are a large variety of religious groups in the Hong Kong, including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. All of these groups have a considerable number of adherents. Apart from offering religious instructions, many major religious bodies have established schools and provided social welfare facilities. Religion in Hong Kong is part and parcel of the culture of Hong Kong. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 679 KB) Filipinos going to a Catholic church in a Sunday afternoon. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 679 KB) Filipinos going to a Catholic church in a Sunday afternoon. ... There are on average around 140,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, of whom most are domestic workers. ... Chinese people in Hong Kong have adopted many western folkways, but a substantial number of them still adhere to traditional Chinese traditions on various aspects of social living; for instance family solidarity, “courtesy and face” in interpersonal relationship. ... It has been suggested that Religious toleration be merged into this article or section. ... This is a list of articles about the fundamental constitutional laws, known as Basic Laws, of various jurisdictions. ... hi guys if you are reading this it means you are very gay and geekish so i suggest you get of this site ... Taoism (pronounced and often written as Daoism (dow-ism)) is the English name for a religious and philosophical tradition in China. ... Confucian temple in Jiading district, Shanghai. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is a religion that began in sixteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... ...

There are five major festivals in the Chinese calendar, with the Lunar New Year being the most important. Gifts and visits are exchanged among friends and relatives and children receive lai see, or "lucky money". During the Ching Ming Festival in spring, ancestral graves are visited. In early summer (fifth day of the fifth lunar month), the Tuen Ng Festival is celebrated with dragon boat races and by eating cooked glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves. The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Gifts of mooncakes, wine and fruit are exchanged and adults and children go into parks and the countryside at night with colourful lanterns. Chung Yeung is on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, when many visit their ancestors’ graves or hike up mountains in remembrance of an ancient Chinese family’s escape from plague and death by fleeing to a mountain top. The Chinese calendar (Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: nónglì) is a lunisolar calendar, akin to the Hebrew calendar, incorporating elements of a lunar calendar with those of a solar calendar. ... Chinese New Year decoration in Londons Chinatown Hand-painted Chinese New Years poetry pasted on the sides of doors leading to peoples homes, Lijiang, Yunnan, China. ... A red packet or hong bao (紅包) is a monetary gift which is given in Chinese society. ... Qing Ming Jie (Chinese: 清明節; Hong Kong Ching Ming Festival; pinyin: qīng míng jié), literally Pure Brightness Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival/holiday on the 106th day after the winter solstice, occurring on April 4 or April 5 of the Gregorian calendar (see Chinese... Dragon Boat Festival is also called Duan Wu or Tuen Ng Festival (端午节/端午節), which is a festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese calendar. ... A dragon boat at the Stanley Dragon Boat Festival, Hong Kong, China A Dragon boat (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a very long and narrow human powered boat used in the team paddling sport of Dragon boat racing which originated in China. ... Glutinous rice ( or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, and pearl rice) is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. ... Species Nelumbo lutea (American Lotus) Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus) Nelumbo is a genus of water flowers commonly known as lotus (Hindi: कमल) and the only genus in the family Nelumbonaceae. ... Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in Victoria Park, Hong Kong. ... Traditional baked mooncake The mooncake (Simplified Chinese: 月饼; Traditional Chinese: 月餅; pinyin: ) is a Chinese confection that is traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, although they can be eaten at other times of the year as well. ... Stone lantern in a Chinese Garden A chōchin invites customers into an okonomiyaki restaurant in Japan A lantern is a portable lighting device used to illuminate broad areas. ... The Double Ninth Festival (重九, also Chung Yeung Festival 重陽節 in Hong Kong) dated on the ninth day of the ninth month in Chinese calendar, is a traditional Chinese holidays, mentioned in writing since before the East Han period. ...

Languages

Road signs in Hong Kong are written in both Chinese and English.

Multilingual greetings referring to "Welcome to KCR" (From the top: French, Japanese, Spanish and Korean)

Main article: Languages of Hong Kong

Cantonese and English are official languages of Hong Kong. Most Hong Kong people speak Cantonese, specifically the dialect originated from the areas around present-day Guangzhou. There are also speakers of other Chinese spoken variants like Toisanese, Teochiu and Hakka. Although Cantonese is widely spoken in Hong Kong, Mandarin is the official spoken Chinese variant throughout China. The number of Mandarin learners in Hong Kong had not been large before the handover of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1997. Some older people in Hong Kong, especially those living in walled and fishing villages, speak what are collectively called Waitau Wah. Image File history File links The road sign of Nathan Road and Middle Road on the wall of The Peninsula hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... Image File history File links The road sign of Nathan Road and Middle Road on the wall of The Peninsula hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 331 KB) Multi-lingual greeting (French, Japanese, Spanish, Korean) above entry gates, concourse, East Tsim Sha Tsui KCR station, Hong Kong. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 331 KB) Multi-lingual greeting (French, Japanese, Spanish, Korean) above entry gates, concourse, East Tsim Sha Tsui KCR station, Hong Kong. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Standard Cantonese is a variant, and is generally considered the prestige dialect of Cantonese Chinese. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... Guangzhou is the capital and the sub-provincial city of Guangdong Province in southern mainland China. ... Spoken Chinese The Chinese spoken language(s) comprise(s) many regional variants. ... Toisanese or the Taishan dialect (台山話 Toisanese: Hoi4 saan6 wa1, Cantonese: toi4 saan1 wa6), or Seiyap (四邑), is a Chinese dialect (or group of very similar dialects) spoken in and around Taishan, in Guangdong province. ... The Teochew dialect (Diō-jiu-oē, Chinese:潮州话, Hanyu Pinyin: Cháozhōuhuà, Teochiu or Tiuchiu), is a Chinese language and dialect of Minnan spoken in a region of eastern Guangdong refered to as Chaoshan. ... Hakka (Simplified Chinese: 客家话, Traditional Chinese: 客家話, Hakka: Hak-ka-fa/-va, pinyin: Kèjiāhuà) is a Chinese dialect/language spoken predominantly in southern China by the Hakka ethnic group and descendants in diaspora throughout East and Southeast Asia and around the world. ... This article is on all of the Northern Chinese dialects. ... The transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the United Kingdom (UK) to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), often referred to as The Handover, occurred on June 30, 1997. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Most of the walled villages in Hong Kong are located in the New Territories. ... The following is a list of villages in Hong Kong. ... Waitau, or Waitau Wah (Traditional Chinese:圍頭話 lit walled villages language) is a dialect of Cantonese spoken by the older generations in Hong Kong, especially in the walled villages as its name suggests. ...

For written Chinese, unlike mainland China, where simplified Chinese characters are used, traditional Chinese characters are widely used, and is the de facto writing standard. But owing to the increasing number of tourists from mainland China, simplified Chinese characters are now more frequently used in Hong Kong. Simplified Chinese characters can be frequently found on posters, leaflets, flyers and road signs in the tourist areas in Hong Kong. Various styles of Chinese calligraphy. ... The highlighted area in the map is what is commonly known as mainland China. Mainland China (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: is a geopolitical term which is usually synonymous with the area currently administered by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC); however, it excludes the two special administrative regions... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; also Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) refer to one of two standard Chinese character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language, officially simplified by the government of the Peoples Republic of China in an attempt to promote literacy. ... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ...

English is the major working language in Hong Kong, and is widely used in commercial activities and legal matters. Albeit the sovereignty of Hong Kong has been transferred to the PRC by the UK in 1997, English is still one of the official languages of Hong Kong, and its official status is enshrined in the Basic Law. Code-switching between English and Cantonese is common in the speech of many Hong Kongers. See also Chinglish. The Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China serves as the constitutional document of Hong Kong. ... Code-switching is a term in linguistics referring to alternation between one or more languages, dialects, or language registers in the course of discourse between people who have more than one language in common. ... An example of written Chinglish on a signpost. ...

Education

A group of students having a computer lesson.

Main article: Education in Hong Kong

Education in Hong Kong has a similar system to that of the United Kingdom, in particular the English education system, as Hong Kong was colonised by the British from 1841 to 1997. Following the introduction of the comprehensive school system in the 1960's in the UK, children in Hong Kong transformed from the old education system of entering a 'first' school (4 years) followed by a 'secondary-middle' school (4 years), then a 'secondary-high' school (3 + 2 years) to the 'new' education system of primary school (6 years) followed by secondary school (5 + 2 years). The trend of late has been to replace 'first' schools with primary schools and accordingly, 'secondary-middle' and 'secondary-high' schools with fully-fledged secondary schools. Image File history File links Hong Kong students having a computer lesson. ... Education in Hong Kong has a similar system to that of the United Kingdom, in particular the English education system, as Hong Kong was colonised by the British from 1841 to 1997. ... Education in England is the responsibility of Department for Education and Skills at national level and, in the case of publicly funded compulsory education, of Local Education Authorities. ... 1841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In Hong Kong there is a non-compulsory three-year kindergarten education followed by a legal requirement of a six-year primary education and three-year junior secondary education. It is then followed by a non-compulsory two-year senior secondary education and two-year matriculation course leading to the Advanced Level examinations. There are also tertiary institutions offering various bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas and associate degree courses. Secondary education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Students attend a lecture at a tertiary institution. ...

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 92.2%
male: 96%
female: 88.2% (1996 est.)

See also

• Right of abode issue, Hong Kong

The interior page of a BDTC passport that has been stamped by the former British immigration authorities to indicate that the bearer has the right of abode in Hong Kong. ...

External links

• Hong Kong Population History
• Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department — Hong Kong statistics page (eg. see "Hong Kong in Figures")