Hong Kong is home to a booming economic centre, with picturesque skylines and beautiful seaports. It is a special administrative region of China.
Hong Kong has four seasons, its winters are cool and dry with an average temperature of 10C whereas the summer is often hot and humid. In the summer months temperatures climb to an average of 30C. Hong Kong is located near the pearl river delta, and also consists of over 250 small islands. Mainland Hong Kong’s terrain is rocky with the inclusion of many steep mountains and hills. Relatively small compared to its neighbors, it has a land area of only 407 square miles. Hong Kong is best known for its deepwater ports, giving it an important strategic advantage when it comes to international trade.
Hong Kong has two official languages, Chinese and English, with Cantonese being the most popular (however the number of Mandarin speakers has been gradually increasing). Like its counterpart, Cantonese is a tonal language, however it features a total of nine tones as opposed to Mandarin’s four. Both Mandarin and Cantonese use the same writing system.
Hong Kong is home to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, otherwise known as the “Big Buddha” statute. Sitting 34 meters high, this statue took 12 years to complete and is one of the most visited places in Hong Kong. Other popular destinations in Hong Kong include the Star Ferry which visitors can ride for views of Hong Kong island, as well as the Victoria Peak which offers great views of Hong Kong’s skyscraper dotted skyline.
Fun Facts
- Hong Kong has two official languages: Chinese and English
- Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers out of every city in the world
- Hong Kong more commonly uses traditional Chinese characters rather than simplified characters used in many areas of China
Photo by Daniam Chou on Unsplash
Photo by Sarah Arista on Unsplash