Special administrative region of China (pop., 2005 est.: 6,926,000). Located on China's southern coast, it consists of the island of Hong Kong and adjacent islets in the South China Sea (ceded by China to the British in 1842), the Kowloon Peninsula (ceded in 1860), and the New Territories (leased by the British from China from 1898 to 1997). The entire territory was returned to China in 1997. It covers 425 sq mi (1,102 sq km); the New Territories, lying north of the Kowloon Peninsula and constituting an enclave in China's Guangdong province, are more than nine-tenths of the total area. The administrative centre of Victoria on Hong Kong island's northwestern coast is also the centre of economic activities. Hong Kong has an excellent natural harbour and is one of the world's major trade and financial centres. It has many educational institutions, including the University of Hong Kong (1911).

Learn more about Hong Kong with a free trial on Britannica.com.