6,502,100 (1997).

5938.0 per sq km.

Hong Kong is located in the Far East, just south of the Tropic of Cancer. Hong Kong Island is 32km (20 miles) east of the mouth of Pearl River and 135km (84 miles) southeast of Canton. It is separated from the mainland by a good natural harbour. Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain in 1842 by the Treaty of Nanking; and the Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street and Stonecutters Island) in 1860 by the Convention of Peking. The area of Boundary Street to Shenzhen River and a group of 260 islands, now known as the New Territories, were leased to Britain in 1898 for a period of 99 years. The New Territories (plus the 260 islands) comprise 891 sq km (380 sq miles). Shortage of land suitable for development has led to reclamation from the sea, principally from the seafronts of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since 1997. Head of Government: Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa .

Chinese and English are the official languages with Cantonese most widely spoken. English is spoken by many, particularly in business circles.

Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist, with Christian and Muslim minorities, but there are also places of worship for most other religious groups.

GMT + 8.

220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Telecommunications services are as sophisticated and varied as one might expect in an advanced Western-style economy (including radio-paging and viewdata). Telephone: Directory enquiries services are computerised. For directory enquiries, dial 1081 (English) or 1083 (Chinese). Full IDD is available. Country code: 852. Outgoing international code: 001. Local public telephone calls can be made either with phonecards or coins. Local calls are free from private phones. Fax: HK Telecom International Ltd and the post office provide services. Bureaufax and international services are also available. Post: Regular postal services are available. Airmail to Europe takes three to five days. Poste Restante facilities are available. Post office hours: 0800-1800 Monday to Friday; 0800-1400 Saturday. Press: English-language dailies include Asian Wall Street Journal, Eastern Express, Hong Kong Standard, International Herald Tribune and South China Morning Post.