Map of Hong Kong S.A.R.
Hong Kong S.A.R. is a country in Asia, home to about 7.50 million people across 2,755 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns and 1 mountain summits recorded for Hong Kong S.A.R. in YearMaps.
- Population
- 7.50 million
- Area
- 2,755 km²
- Continent
- Asia
Interactive Map of Hong Kong S.A.R.
Centred on Hong Kong S.A.R. at 22.3069° N, 114.1831° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Hong Kong S.A.R.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.
Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island in 1841–1842 as a result of losing the First Opium War. The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and was further extended when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. The territory was handed over from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from those of mainland China under the principle of one country, two systems.
Originally an area of farming and fishing villages, Hong Kong is now one of the world's most significant financial centres. Hong Kong is the world's third-ranked global financial centre behind New York City and London, the ninth-largest exporter, and the eighth-largest importer in the world. Its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the ninth-most traded currency globally. Home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world, Hong Kong has the second largest number of ultra high-net-worth individuals. The city has one of the highest per capita incomes, although severe income inequality still exists among the population.
Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers of any city in the world. Housing is consistently in high demand, making the city of Hong Kong the most expensive residential property market in the world and one of the most expensive cities in the world. It is also one of the most visited cities in the world.
Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.955, ranking eighth in the world, and is currently the only place in Asia to be in the top ten. Hong Kong is categorized as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. The city has the highest life expectancy in the world, and has a public transport usage exceeding 90 percent.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Hong Kong (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Hong Kong S.A.R.
The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.
- Location
- Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China.
- Climate
- Subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall.
- Terrain
- Hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north.
- Highest point
- Tai Mo Shan 958 m.
- Lowest point
- South China Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 733 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 33 km; regional borders: China 33 km.
- Natural resources
- Outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 3.8% (2023 est.); arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 1% (2023 est.); forest: 0% (2022 est.); other: 96.2% (2022 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Occasional typhoons.
- Geographic note
- Consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and over 200 islands.
- Languages
- Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, other 2%, persons under 5 or mute 3.2% (2021 est.)
- Religions
- Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Chinese 91.6%, Filipino 2.7%, Indonesian 1.9%, other 3.7% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- High-income tourism- and services-based economy; global financial hub; COVID-19 and political protests fueled recent recession; ongoing recovery but lower-skilled unemployment remains high; investing in job-reskilling programs.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Hong Kong S.A.R. in Numbers
- Population
- 7.50 million
- GDP
- US$427.3 billion
- GDP per person
- US$56,983
- Life expectancy
- 85.4 years
- Population growth
- -0.34% a year
- Population density
- 7,166 per km²
- Urban population
- 100.0%
- Surface area
- 1,110 km²
- Arable land
- 1.9%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 95.8%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Hong Kong S.A.R. in Depth
History
The earliest known human traces in what is now Hong Kong are dated by some to 35,000-39,000 years ago during the Paleolithic period. The claim is based on an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung in the Sai Kung Peninsula in 2003. The archaeological works revealed knapped stone tools from deposits dated by optical luminescence dating.
During the Middle Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, the region had been widely occupied by humans. Neolithic to Bronze Age Hong Kong settlers were semi-coastal people. Early inhabitants are believed to have been Austronesians in the Middle Neolithic period, and later the Yue people. As hinted by the archaeological works in Sha Ha, Sai Kung, rice cultivation had been introduced since the Late Neolithic period.
Geography
Hong Kong is situated on China's southern coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau and on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary. The territory is surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides except the north, where it neighbors the Guangdong city of Shenzhen along the Sham Chun River. Its standard area is approximately 1,110 km2 (430 sq mi), though this figure reaches approximately 2,750 km2 (1,060 sq mi)2 when the open maritime area under its jurisdiction (rather than of mainland China) is included. The territory consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, Lantau Island, and over 200 other islands.
Of the standard area, 1,073 km2 (414 sq mi) is land and 35 km2 (14 sq mi) is inland water, such as reservoirs, rivers, and ponds.
Economy
Along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, Hong Kong is one of the Four Asian Tigers.
One of the world's most significant financial centres and commercial ports, Hong Kong has a market economy focused on services, characterised by low taxation, minimal government market intervention, and an established international financial market. It is the world's 39th-largest economy, with a nominal GDP of approximately US$446 billion. Hong Kong is highly developed, and ranks fourth on the UN Human Development Index. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is the fifth-largest in the world, with a market capitalisation of HK$48.2 trillion (US$6.17 trillion) as of December 2025.
Demographics
The Census and Statistics Department estimated Hong Kong's population at 7,413,070 in 2021. The overwhelming majority (91.6%) is Chinese, most of whom are Taishanese, Teochew, Hakka, and other Cantonese peoples. The remaining 8.4% are non-ethnic Chinese minorities, primarily Filipinos, Indonesians, and South Asians. However, most Filipinos and Indonesians in Hong Kong are short-term workers.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Hong Kong (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hong Kong S.A.R.: Key Facts
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar |
|---|---|
| Official language | Standard Chinese |
| Head of government | John Lee |
| Calling code | +852 |
| Internet domain | .hk |
| Highest point | Tai Mo Shan |
| Established | 1 July 1997 |
Facts from Wikidata Q8646 (CC0).
History of Hong Kong S.A.R.: Empires and States
The atlas records 24 polities whose mapped territory included part of Hong Kong S.A.R., from Nanyue in 206 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Nanyue | 206–111 BCE | Nearly all |
| The Han Dynasty | 110 BCE – 237 CE | Nearly all |
| Xin Dynasty | 6–29 CE | Nearly all |
| Eastern Wu | 238–282 CE | Nearly all |
| Western Jin | 283–425 CE | Nearly all |
| Liu Song Dynasty | 426–479 CE | Nearly all |
| Southern Qi | 480–509 CE | Nearly all |
| Liang Dynasty | 510–560 CE | Nearly all |
| Chen Dynasty | 561–591 CE | Nearly all |
| Sui Dynasty | 592–625 CE | Nearly all |
| The Tang Dynasty | 626–910 CE | Nearly all |
| Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms | 911–979 CE | Nearly all |
| Southern Han | 911–979 CE | Nearly all |
| Northern Song | 980–1138 CE | Nearly all |
| The Song Dynasty | 980–1278 CE | Nearly all |
| Southern Song | 1139–1278 CE | Nearly all |
| The Mongol Empire | 1279–1293 CE | Nearly all |
| Yuan Dynasty | 1294–1374 CE | Nearly all |
| The Ming Dynasty | 1375–1644 CE | Nearly all |
| Southern Ming | 1645–1682 CE | Nearly all |
| The Qing Dynasty | 1653–1841 CE | Nearly all |
| British Colonial Empire | 1842–1999 CE | Nearly all |
| The British Empire | 1842–1999 CE | Nearly all |
| People's Republic of China | 2000–2024 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Hong Kong S.A.R.
Hong Kong S.A.R. on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Hong Kong S.A.R.
Hong Kong (香港 Hēunggóng in Cantonese) is a city with multiple personalities. The population is mainly Chinese, but British influence is still quite visible. It has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia's World City.
Hong Kong is a global financial hub, and has been a major destination for tourists and business people from around the world for at least a century. Today it is also a major tourism destination for mainland China's increasingly affluent population.
Hong Kong is much more than a harbour city with crowded streets: this territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands also offers rural landscapes with breathtaking views. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7.4 million people (2021) are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid traveller.
Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with at least one season to match your comfort zone.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Hong Kong (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Hong Kong S.A.R.
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong | 7.21 million | — | Admin-0 region capital |
Highest Mountains in Hong Kong S.A.R.
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tai Mo Shan | 957 m | 3,140 ft | Asia |
Tai Mo Shan
Mountain · 957 m
Tai Mo Shan is a mountain rising to 957 metres (3,140 ft) in Hong Kong S.A.R. and China, in the Asia region. The summit stands on the border between them. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Tai Mo Shan (大帽山) is the highest peak in Hong Kong, with an elevation of 957 metres (3,140 ft) above the Hong Kong Principal Datum, or around 956 metres (3,136 ft) above mean sea level. It is located at approximately the geographical centre of the New Territories.
The Tai Mo Shan Country Park covers an area of 14.40 square kilometres (5.56 sq mi) around Tai Mo Shan. It is located to the north of Tai Lam Country Park. The 35-metre-high (115 ft) Long Falls at Ng Tung Chai is the highest waterfall in Hong Kong.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Tai Mo Shan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 957 m (3,140 ft)
- Global rank
- #563 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Asia (#190)
- Countries
- Hong Kong S.A.R., China
- Coordinates
- 22.4100°, 114.1200°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Tai Mo Shan ranks #563 by elevation, below Lata Mountain (966 m) and above Cerro El Copey (957 m).
- Ranges:
- Wuyi Mountains (Asia), Dalou Mountains (Asia)
- Settlements below:
- Hong Kong (13 km)
More about Tai Mo Shan
Geography
Tai Mo Shan has a steep northwestern slope and less steep southern slope. Since it is the tallest mountain in Hong Kong, it forms a barrier that blocks the monsoon from the south, the rain shadow leading to the dryness of some of the northern and northwestern parts of the New Territories.
The whole Tai Mo Shan mountain range, known as Kwun Fu Mountain (官富山, named after the salt field Kwun Fu Cheung (官富場) in present-day Kowloon Bay) in Ming and Qing dynasties, covers over 350 square kilometres (140 sq mi), and stretches from Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in the West near Tuen Mun and Ma On Shan in the east and the mountains of Kowloon and Clear Water Bay in the south.
Geology
Tai Mo Shan is an inactive volcano dating from the Jurassic period. A small hill known as "Kwun Yam Shan" near the mountain still vents warm air through cracks in the rocks that lead all the way to the mantle. The holes that exhale warm air are known as "hot pots". When the surface temperature is cold, and the warmth of the expelled air is clearly discernible, this phenomenon is referred to by locals as "dragon's breath". If the air temperature at the summit is 6 degrees Celsius, then the air emerging from the interior of Kwun Yum Shan is somewhere between 13 and 21 degrees Celsius. These "hot pots" are remnants of the active volcano's superheated steam vents.
The area's volcanic rocks are mainly coarse ash crystal tuff.
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Tai Mo Shan features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), bordering a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). Due to the height of the mountain, Tai Mo Shan is claimed to be Hong Kong's most misty area, as it is often covered in clouds. In summer it is frequently covered with cumulus clouds, especially on rainy days, and in winter stratus clouds and fog often cover the peak. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop below freezing point during the winter. A record low of −6.0 °C (21.2 °F) was seen in the January 2016 East Asia cold wave. Since the Tai Mo Shan weather station was established in 1997, it has never measured a temperature exceeding 30.0 °C (86.0 °F), and the highest maximum temperature was measured as 29.5 °C (85.1 °F).
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Tai Mo Shan (CC BY-SA 4.0).
More Maps in Asia
Hong Kong S.A.R.: Quick Answers
- What is the population of Hong Kong S.A.R.?
- Hong Kong S.A.R. has a population of about 7.50 million, the #105 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Hong Kong S.A.R.?
- Hong Kong S.A.R. covers 2,755 km², ranking #179 by area, with about 2,722 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Hong Kong S.A.R. in?
- Hong Kong S.A.R. is in Asia.
- What is the largest city in Hong Kong S.A.R.?
- Hong Kong is the largest city in Hong Kong S.A.R., with a metropolitan population of about 7.21 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Hong Kong S.A.R.?
- The highest summit recorded for Hong Kong S.A.R. in YearMaps is Tai Mo Shan at 957 m (3,140 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.