Hong Kong Description

Currency: The official currency of Hong Kong is the Hong Kong dollar, which is tightly pegged to the currency of the United States of America.

Language: Chinese and English

The name “Hong Kong” (香港, in Mandarin it sounds like “Xianggang”, in Cantonese – “Hyongkon”) literally means “fragrant harbor”. It used to sell incense and fragrant wood products. Today, Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, located on the southeast coast of China and covers an area of ​​1,104 square kilometers. Hong Kong is one of the world’s leading financial, banking and trade centers.

Today, the standard of living in this small country is one of the highest in all of Asia. Developing in conditions of almost complete lack of natural resources, Hong Kong has achieved its high economic development due to its very favorable geographical position, developed legal framework inherited from the British colonial authorities and developed business infrastructure. Hong Kong has always attracted the attention of numerous tourists coming here from all over the world. And this is not surprising, because Hong Kong is a unique place that strikes with a combination of beauty of almost virgin nature, in close proximity to a highly developed urban civilization. In Hong Kong itself, ultra-modern buildings are bizarrely combined with buildings from the era of the colonial British Raj.

The central part of the city of Hong Kong is Hong Kong Island, administratively united with the Kowloon Peninsula into two districts, separated by a bay.

Between the island and the mainland, three underground tunnels have been built under the seabed. For communication between them, water trams also run. The main part of shopping and entertainment centers, shops and nightclubs is located on the island of Hong Kong, in Kowloon they are much less. The uniqueness of Hong Kong also lies in the fact that it is a city-state and does not have a capital – in the usual sense. But given the fact that only one city of the same name is part of this state, it can be said with full confidence that Hong Kong itself is the capital of Hong Kong.

History

The territory of Hong Kong became part of mainland China at the end of the 3rd millennium BC, the first settlements appeared on the island only in the 11th century. AD By the time the British arrived in Hong Kong, about 5,000 people lived here, mainly engaged in fishing, cattle breeding and agriculture. In history, the first mention of Hong Kong dates back to the 17th century. Hong Kong’s location near the Dongjiang River made it a convenient port for merchant ships from all over the world. Despite the fact that China did not encourage trade with foreigners too much, in 1550 the Portuguese established their colony in neighboring Macau and traded successfully in Chinese goods. Guangzhou (Canton), also located on the Pearl River, became available to merchants from other countries in 1685. Although not very interested in importing its goods, China, nevertheless, excelled in the export of tea, porcelain and silk. The situation changed dramatically in the 18th century, when the British discovered that opium could be imported into China with great success.

During the First Opium War in 1840-1842. It was in Hong Kong that the British stronghold was arranged. At the end of the war in 1842, under the Treaty of Nanjing, Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula became the property of the British Empire. After the Second Opium War 1856-1860. The British annexed some of the surrounding islands and part of the territory of the Kowloon Peninsula to Hong Kong. And already in 1898, Britain received a 99-year lease on the entire Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories.
A century later, on July 1, 1997, a significant event occurred in the history of Hong Kong – it was finally returned to China and became a special administrative region of the PRC, while retaining its executive, judicial power, legislation and national currency.

Language

The official languages ​​in Hong Kong are Chinese and English.

Climate

Subtropical Hong Kong has four distinct seasons – warm and humid spring, hot and rainy summer, pleasant and sunny autumn, cool and dry winter.
In general, the air temperature here is good all year round.
However, due to tropical cyclones of varying strength and occasional squally thunderstorms between May and November and typhoons in September, it is best not to visit Hong Kong during these periods. The ideal travel season is late autumn, from October to Christmas time. If you happen to be visiting Hong Kong during typhoon season, don’t travel too far when a typhoon warning of level 3 or less passes. Stay indoors when it’s higher. All shops and banks are closed when the level 8 typhoon warning passes.

The average air temperature in Hong Kong in C

Time
The difference with Moscow time is +5 hours.

Money

The official currency of Hong Kong is the Hong Kong dollar, which is tightly pegged to the currency of the United States of America. Banknotes are in circulation in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 Hong Kong dollars. All of them have three different designs, and there are also coins in circulation in denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 Hong Kong dollars and 10 and 50 Hong Kong cents, respectively.
There are no currency controls or restrictions in Hong Kong. In the country, you can easily buy any world currency.
It is best to exchange currency in banks. However, in the evening and at night, when banks are closed, in the center of Hong Kong you can find exchange offices, which, however, do not have the most favorable exchange rate. The most common bank in Hong Kong (HSBC) opens its branches at 9:30 am and closes at 16 :30 local time.

Transport

As a legacy of the British colonial era, Hong Kong has left-hand traffic. Thanks to the developed public transport system, the subway, bus routes, high-speed trams, ferries between the islands, as well as funiculars and taxis, moving around the city is easy and convenient.