A Special Administrative Region of China bordering the South China Sea. It is essentially a city-state, mostly known for the namesake island and the Kowloon district on the mainland which directly faces Hong Kong Island.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an autonomous city-state bordering the South China Sea. It is a former overseas possession of the United Kingdom, and is now a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China china. Hong Kong is subject to Chinese foreign policy but has a separate political system (following the principle of “one country, two systems”) and a large degree of autonomy in internal affairs.
Chinese and English are both official languages. In practice, Cantonese is the most widely spoken language, written in traditional characters. English and Mandarin are also understood, at least in touristic areas. Many signs display both Chinese and English. The currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD).
Visas for Hong Kong and for China are not linked. Visitors from many countries do not need a visa for short stays.
Useful links
- Wikitravel
- Hong Kong visas
- Getting around: most transportation is paid for with an Octopus card. MTR operates the trains. Hong Kong Tramways operate the tramways on the north of Hong Kong Island. Major bus operators include Kowloon Motor Buses, Citybus, New World First Bus, New Lantao Bus. Star Ferry operates the ferries across the harbour.
