Diplomatic representation:
as a dependent territory of the UK, the interests of Hong Kong in the US are
represented by the UK
US:
Consul General Richard L. WILLIAMS; Consulate General at 26 Garden Road,
Hong Kong (mailing address is Box 30, Hong Kong, or FPO AP 96522-0002);
telephone [852] 239-011
Flag:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong
Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag;
the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by
a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another
lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words HONG KONG below the
shield

:Hong Kong Economy

Overview:
Hong Kong has a bustling free market economy with few tariffs or nontariff
barriers. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be
imported. Manufacturing accounts for about 18% of GDP, employs 28% of the
labor force, and exports about 90% of its output. Real GDP growth averaged a
remarkable 8% in 1987-88, then slowed to 2.5-3.0% in 1989-90. Unemployment,
which has been declining since the mid-1980s, is now about 2%. A shortage of
labor continues to put upward pressure on prices and the cost of living.
Short-term prospects remain solid so long as major trading partners continue
to be reasonably prosperous. The crackdown in China in 1989-91 casts a
shadow over the longer term economic outlook.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $80.9 billion, per capita $13,800; real growth
rate 3.8% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.0% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
2.0% (1991 est.)
Budget:
$8.8 billion (FY90)
Exports:
$82.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990), including reexports of $53.1 billion
commodities:
clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances,
watches and clocks, toys
partners:
China 25%, US 24%, Germany 7%, Japan 6%, UK 2%, (1990)
Imports:
$82.4 billion (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum
partners:
China 37%, Japan 16%, Taiwan 9%, US 8% (1990)
External debt:
$9.5 billion (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4% 1991 (est)
Electricity:
8,600,000 kW capacity; 25,637 million kWh produced, 4,378 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
textiles, clothing, tourism, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Agriculture:
minor role in the economy; rice, vegetables, dairy products; less than 20%
self-sufficient; shortages of rice, wheat, water
Illicit drugs:
a hub for Southeast Asian heroin trade; transshipment and major financial
and money-laundering center
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $152 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $923 million
Currency:
Hong Kong dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.800 (1991), 7.790 (1990), 7.800 (1989),
7.810 (1988), 7.760 (1987); note - linked to the US dollar at the rate of
about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$ since 1985
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March

:Hong Kong Communications

Railroads:
35 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, government owned
Highways:
1,484 km total; 794 km paved, 306 km gravel, crushed stone, or earth
Ports:
Hong Kong
Merchant marine:
142 ships (1,000 GRT or over), totaling 5,035,223 GRT/8,598,134 DWT;
includes 1 passenger, 1 short-sea passenger, 15 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo,
26 container, 13 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 6 combination ore/oil,
5 liquefied gas, 68 bulk, 1 combination bulk; note - a flag of convenience
registry; ships registered in Hong Kong fly the UK flag, and an estimated
500 Hong Kong - owned ships are registered elsewhere
Civil air:
16 major transport aircraft
Airports:
2 total; 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services;
3,000,000 telephones; microwave transmission links and extensive optical
fiber transmission network; broadcast stations - 6 AM, 6 FM, 4 TV; 1 British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) repeater station and 1 British Forces
Broadcasting Service repeater station; 2,500,000 radio receivers; 1,312,000
TV sets (1,224,000 color TV sets); satellite earth stations - 1 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT and 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT; coaxial cable to Guangzhou,
China; links to 5 international submarine cables providing access to ASEAN
member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

:Hong Kong Defense Forces

Branches:
Headquarters of British Forces, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong
Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,732,360; 1,334,923 fit for military service; 46,285 reach
military age (18) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $300 million, 0.5% of GDP (1989 est.); this
represents one-fourth of the total cost of defending itself, the remainder
being paid by the UK
Note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

:Howland Island Geography

Total area:
1.6 km2
Land area:
1.6 km2
Comparative area:
about 2.7 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
6.4 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
12 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain:
low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
reef; depressed central area
Natural resources:
guano (deposits worked until late 1800s)
Land use:
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 5%; other 95%
Environment:
almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and low-growing
shrubs; small area of trees in the center; lacks fresh water; primarily a
nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
wildlife; feral cats
Note:
remote location 2,575 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean,
just north of the Equator, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

:Howland Island People