Donald Tsang retained the position of Hong Kong's chief executive in the election that took place in March, and will hold the post until 2012. The next two years will be dominated by the question of political reform, amid growing demands for the early introduction of universal suffrage. Real GDP growth will slow gradually but will remain robust, thanks largely to strong personal consumption growth. The current-account surplus will remain substantial. |
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| Key Reports Available for Hong Kong |
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| Land area | | 1,104 sq km | | Hong Kong Island: 81 sq km | | Kowloon: 47 sq km | | New Territories & outlying islands: 976 sq km | | (Reclamation since 1887): 67 sq km | | Population | | 6,985,200 (mid-2008 government estimate) | | Main regions | | Population in ’000 (mid-2006): | | Hong Kong Island: 1,264 | | Kowloon: 2,070 | | New Territories: 3,598 | | Marine: less than 4 | | Climate | | Subtropical | | Weather in Victoria (altitude 33 metres) | | Hottest months, July and August, 26-31°C; coldest month, January, 15-19°C; driest month, January, 23 mm average rainfall; wettest month, August, 391 mm average rainfall (climatological norms) | | Languages | | English and Chinese (mainly Cantonese) | | Measures | | UK imperial system changing to metric system. Local measures are used including: 10 fan=1 tsun (Chinese inch)=0.037 metres; 10 tsun=1 chek (Chinese foot)=0.371 metres; 10 tsin=1 leung (tael)=37.8 g; 16 leung=1 kan (catty)=0.605 kg; 100 kan=1 tam (picul)=60.48 kg | | Currency | | 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$)=100 cents. Annual average exchange rate in 2007: HK$7.8:US$1. Exchange rate on October 8th 2008: HK$7.77 | | Fiscal year | | April-March | | Time | | GMT plus eight hours | | Public holidays | | New Year’s Day, January 1st; Chinese New Year, January 26th-28th; Ching Ming Festival, April 4th; Easter, April 10th-13th; International Labour Day, May 1st; Buddha’s Birthday, May 2nd; Dragon Boat Festival, May 28th-29th; Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, July 1st; China’s National Day, October 1st; Mid-Autumn Festival, October 3rd; Chung Yeung Festival, October 26th; Christmas, December 25th-26th | | SOURCE: Country Profile |
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