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Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. The Kowloon Peninsula is attached to the New Territories in the north, and the New Territories are in turn connected to the mainland of China across the Sham Chun River. In total, Hong Kong has 236 islands in the South China Sea, of which Lantau is the largest and Hong Kong Island the second largest and most populated. The island of Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated space in the world.
Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million elbows and an insane love of clatter. The transport network is excellent, the shopping centres are sublime, and the temples and quiet corners of parks are contemplative oases. From the vantage point of Victoria Peak, overlooking the world's busiest deepwater port, you can see a city geared not only to making money but feeling good about it. At night, it's like looking down into a volcano. The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting flummoxed and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements. It's about savouring new tastes, weaving through a human gridlock and humming some dumb Cantopop tune while slurping your noodles.
Facts in a glance
Area: 1,098 sq km
Population: 6.7 million
Country: China
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +8 (Hong Kong Standard Time)
Telephone Area Code: 852
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