Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories make up the city of Hong Kong, located in Southern China with a population of about 7000000 people and one of the world's highest population densities. Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 to 1997 (with a brief period of Japanese occupation from 1941-1945), when it joined Mainland China as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) in the People's Republic of China, meaning it has more economic and political freedom than other parts of China (excluding Macau, the other SAR). Hong Kong's population is 95% Chinese - the people of Hong Kong speak Cantonese and write in Traditional Chinese script. Hong Kong enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world. Below are five images of what makes Hong Kong unique.
Hong Kong has an iconic skyline. The astronomical level of population density and the relative lack of space to accommodate it has led to a need for immense urban consolidation, making Hong Kong the world's most vertical city. Hong Kong's economy has become one of the world's greatest and the skyscrapers, often a sign of commercial success, are a prime example of this. The above picture is of the view from Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island.
The lack of space in Hong Kong has led to extremely expensive real estate, thus the vast majority of people live in apartments in high-rise housing estates such as this one. People living in such apartments often have access to many amenities, as many estates include a shopping complex or a market. Such establishments are the norm in Hong Kong and only the very wealthy have large, detached homes. The above picture is of a private housing estate, Hong Kong Parkview.
Hong Kong is highly commercialised, with a very technologised population. Shopping is very diverse and popular, with many large-scale shopping malls and upmarket stores. Statistics such as the fact Hong Kong has more mobile phones per capita than anywhere else in the world, or the fact that there are more Mercedes-Benz in Hong Kong than there are in Germany itself demonstrate how commercial Hong Kong has become. The above picture is of Tong Lau, traditional shophouses and still a common sight.
90% of Hong Kong's residents practice a mix of local religions. The mixture of old and new is prevalent in Hong Kong, with many locals maintaining belief in Confucian concepts of harmony, Taoist traditions of ancestor worship and countless cultural superstitions, such as the architectural philosophies of Feng Shui (meant to bring harmony into a structure or space through nuances such as building features or furniture placement). The above picture is of a Tin Hau Temple in Causeway Bay, a declared monument.
In conclusion, the eclectic mixture of old and new, East and West is what makes Hong Kong a truly unique city to live in, and, although possessing one of the world's highest qualities of life and being one of the world's most modern cities, a city constantly making efforts to preserve a millenia-old culture and its traditions.
90% of Hong Kong's residents practice a mix of local religions. The mixture of old and new is prevalent in Hong Kong, with many locals maintaining belief in Confucian concepts of harmony, Taoist traditions of ancestor worship and countless cultural superstitions, such as the architectural philosophies of Feng Shui (meant to bring harmony into a structure or space through nuances such as building features or furniture placement). The above picture is of a Tin Hau Temple in Causeway Bay, a declared monument.
Stilt houses, known as Pang Uk, provide a disappearing window into what Hong Kong may have looked like centuries ago as a collection of fishing villages. A fire in 1953 in the Shek Kip Mei area destroyed the shanty (slum) homes of 53000 people. This later prompted the response of creating a public housing scheme to house lower-class communities in the city, which has succeeded dramatically. A fire 11 years ago destroyed 2000 of these stilt houses. The above picture is of the few remaining, in the Tai O area.
In conclusion, the eclectic mixture of old and new, East and West is what makes Hong Kong a truly unique city to live in, and, although possessing one of the world's highest qualities of life and being one of the world's most modern cities, a city constantly making efforts to preserve a millenia-old culture and its traditions.
