by Ian Farquharson

Created on: July 09, 2010

Hong Kong is an exotic location set at the base of the Pearl River Delta and surrounded by the South China Sea. For a long time a British crown colony, sovereignty was officially transferred to China in 1997 and it is now classified as a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong has long been a favorite destination of tourists and whether you are planning to travel there or not, the following are some interesting facts about the country.

The name Hong Kong literally translates as “fragrant harbor”. This came about as a result of wood from incense plantations being regularly transported from the harbor which gave the area a fragrant scent.

Much of the terrain of the country is hilly and steep and this has made for a few interesting ways of getting around. The first public transport system was the Peak Tram which is a funicular railway running from Central District to the highest point on the island, Victoria Peak. Prior to this the chosen method of getting to the top was by sedan chair. In some areas there are moving walkways and escalators. This system includes the Mid Levels escalator which is the longest covered outdoor escalator in the world. From bottom to top it rises 135 m and does this over a distance of around 800m.

Another famous mode of travel in Hong Kong is the Star Ferry. This has been operating for well over 100 years, having been originally established in 1888. It operates four different lines which cross Victoria Harbor.

With a population of just over 7 million residents in an area of 1104 square kilometers, Hong Kong is ranked as one of the most densely populated regions in the world.

Hong Kong is credited as having two official languages. These comprise a dialect of Chinese known as Cantonese and also English.

British control of Hong Kong began following a war between China and Britain. This was known as the First Opium War and came about as a result of the Quing Dynasty rulers refusing to allow opium to be imported. Britain was the victor of the resulting war and set up a crown colony in Hong Kong in 1842.

Domestic staff only get one day off a week in Hong Kong. This is on Sunday and it is customary for many of them to meet up in various areas of the city. Nationalities typically do not mix and there are various different areas of the city for the maids and domestic staff of each country. This usually results in thousands of maids meeting up to enjoy a relaxing Sunday.

The noon gun is a famous part of Hong Kong heritage

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