Moving to Hong Kong: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

Population

7,249,907

Population Growth Rate

0.39%

Urban Population

100.000000

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Age Structure

12.120000

Median Age

44.500000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

8

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

7.39

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.11

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

79.5%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

79.5%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

29.8

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.8

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.130000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

3.75

Ethnic Groups

Chinese 95%, other 5%

Language Note

The official language of Hong Kong is Chinese.

English is still the language of commerce, as it was the official language up until 1997.

The official dialect is Yue (Cantonese) from Guangdong.

Chinese written script has been standardized for centuries, but the simplified script from mainland China is beginning to become popular in Hong Kong.

Nationality Noun

Chinese/Hong Konger

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Literacy - total population

93.5%

Literacy - male

96.9%

Literacy - female

89.6%

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over has ever attended school

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.5%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

16.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

82.200000

Infant Mortality Rate

2.890000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

2.890000

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

0.000000

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Economic Overview

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP.

Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol.

There are no quotas or dumping laws.

Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly.

The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation.

Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value.

Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported.

As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined.

After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016.

The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million.

Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization.

Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong.

Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015.

RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad.

In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly.

In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland.

The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision.

On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services.

In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector.

Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market.

Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities.

In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

Industries

Textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$57,000.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.5%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$420,130,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$57,000.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.5%

GDP - official exchange rate

$307,800,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 65.7% Government
• consumption: 9.5% Investment in fixed
• capital: 22.9% Investment in
• inventories: 0.2% Exports of goods and
• services: 201.6% Imports of goods and
• services: -199.9%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

0.1%

GDP by Sector- Industry

7.2%

GDP by Sector- services

92.8%

Industrial Growth Rate

-0.3%

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Inflation Rate

4.5%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency Name and Code

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

5%

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Labor Force

3,700,000

Unemployment Rate

4.3%

Major Industries

Textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Agriculture Products

Fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

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Labor Force By Occupation - community and social services

17.1%

Labor Force By Occupation - financing, insurance and real estate

12.5%

Labor Force by Occupation - note

Data excludes public sector

Labor Force By Occupation - transport and communications

10.1%

Labor Force By Occupation - wholesale and retail trade

53.3%

Labor Force By Occupation- construction

2.8%

Labor Force By Occupation- manufacturing

3.8%

Labor Force by Occupation - note

Data excludes public sector

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Annual Budget

$48,100,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

1.8%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

1.8%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

21.2%

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Full Country Name

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Country Name

Hong Kong

Local - Long

Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)

Local - Short

Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball)

Abbreviation

HK

Etymology- history of name

Probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

Independence

None (special administrative region of China)

National Holiday

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

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Government Type

Presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

Constitution

• History: Several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law
• Amendments: Proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, or the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

Legal System:

Mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure); PRC imposition of National Security Law incorporates elements of Chinese civil law

Executive Branch:

• Chief of State: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)
• Head of Government: Chief Executive John LEE Ka-chiu (since 1 July 2022)
• Cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive
• Elections/appointments: President indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 May 2022 (next to be held in 2027)
• Election results: 2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee 2017: Carrie LAM elected; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast)
• Note: Electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members

Legislative Branch:

• Description: Unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (90 seats); 20 members directly elected in 2-seat constituencies, 30 indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods, and 50 indirectly elected by the 1,500-member Election Committee; members serve 4-year terms;
• Note: in March 2021, China's National People's Congress amended the electoral rules and system for the LegCo; the total number of seats increased from 70 to 90, directly elected geographical constituencies were reduced from 35 to 20 seats, while trade-based indirectly elected functional constituencies remained at 30; an additional 40 seats were elected by the 1,500-member Election Commission; all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), established in April 2022; the CERC consists of the chairperson, 2-4 official members, and 1-3 non-official members, all appointed by the chief executive
• Elections: Last held on 19 Dec 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
• Election Results: Percent of vote by bloc: pro-Beijing 93.8%, non-establishment 6.2%; seats by association/block/party - pro-Beijing 89 (DAB 19, FTU 8, BPA 7, NPP 5, Liberal Party 4, NTAS 4, HKFEW 2, HKFLU 2, CF 2, RT 1, PP 1, KWND 1, NPHK 1, NCF-1; other/independent 41), non-aligned 1 (Third Side);
• Composition: men 73, women 17, percent of women 18.9%;
• Note: Hong Kong's leading pro-democracy political parties boycotted the 2021 election
• Note: In July 2023, Hong Kong lawmakers reduced the proportion of directly elected seats on local district councils from some 90% to about 20%; under the new law, the majority of the 470 seats are now filled by members appointed by the chief executive, rural committee chairpersons, and others elected by local committees that are packed with pro-establishment figures

Judicial Branch:

• office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges serve until normal retirement at age 65, but term can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit
• Subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

Regions or States:

None (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]
• Civil Force or CF [PUN Kwok-shan]
• Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]
• Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU [LAM Chun-sing]
• Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW [LAU Chi-pang]
• Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU [NG Chau-pei]
• Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWND [Priscilla LEUNG]
• Liberal Party or LP [Tommy CHEUNG]
• New Century Forum or NCF [MA Fung-kwak]
• New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP]
• New Prospect for Hong Kong or NPHK [Gary ZHANG Xinyu]
• New Territories Association of Societies or NTAS [CHAN Yung]
• Professional Power or PP [Christine FONG Kwok Shan]
• Roundtable or RT [Michael TIEN Puk-sun]
• Third Side or TS [TIK Chi-yeun] note 1: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties
• politically active groups register as societies or companies note 2: by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law
• in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed
• as of 2023, nearly all politically active groups were pro-Beijing

Suffrage:

• 18 years of age in direct elections for 20 of the 90 Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils
• universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years
• note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other 70 legislature seats and a 1,500-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

Citizenship Criteria:

See China

Capital Name

Victoria

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International Organization Participation:

• ADB
• APEC
• BIS
• FATF
• ICC (national committees)
• IHO
• IMF
• IMO (associate)
• Interpol (subbureau)
• IOC
• ISO (correspondent)
• ITUC (NGOs)
• UNWTO (associate)
• UPU
• WCO
• WMO
• WTO

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Consul General Gregory MAY (since September 2022); note - also accredited to Macau
• Embassy: 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
• Mailing Address: 8000 Hong Kong Place, Washington DC 20521-8000
• Telephone: [852] 2523-9011
• FAX: [852] 2845-1598
• Email: acshk@state.gov
• Website: https://hk.usconsulate.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: None (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities; Eddie MAK Tak-wai (since 3 July 2018) is the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036;
• Telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947;
• FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; email: hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk; website: https://www.hketowashington.gov.hk/ HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

Dependency Status

Special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

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Geographic Location

Asia

Geographic Coordinates

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Total Area

426 Square Miles 1,104 Square Kilometers

Land Area

407 Square Miles 1,054 Square Kilometers

Water Area

19 Square Miles 50 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

19 Miles 30 Kilometers

Border Countries

Regional border: China 30 km

Coastline

455 Miles 733 Kilometers

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Terrain

Hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Highest Point

958 Meters

Highest Point Location

Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Lowest Point Location

South China Sea 0 m

Natural Resources

Outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

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Climate

The area's varied climate is governed by the monsoons.

Although Hong Kong lies within the Tropics, it enjoys a variety of weather because of these seasonal winds.

The winter monsoon blows from the north or northeast from September to mid-March, and the summer wind blows from the south or southwest from mid-March to September.

During the summer monsoon, the weather is hot and humid; during the winter monsoon it is cool.

Average temperatures range from 58°F in February (with lows in the 40's) to 82°F in July (with highs in the 90's.) The mean relative humidity ranges from a low of 67% in November to 84% in May; many days the humidity approaches 100%, accompanied by heavy clouds.

Late fall is the most pleasant time of year, generally with dry and sunny weather and high temperatures of 70° to 75°F.

The average annual rainfall is 95 inches.

Terrain

Hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Total Area

426 Square Miles 1,104 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Regional border: China 30 km

Environment - Current Issues

Air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - International Agreements

Party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

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Exports

$388,600,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$431,400,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones

Major Imports

Electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics

a large share is reexported

Top Export Partners

China 39.3%, US 21.4%, Japan 5.4%

Top Import Partners

China 44.2%, Japan 11.3%, Taiwan 7.2%, US 5.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Singapore 4.7%

Export Partners

China 39.3%, US 21.4%, Japan 5.4%

Import Partners

China 44.2%, Japan 11.3%, Taiwan 7.2%, US 5.7%, South Korea 4.7%, Singapore 4.7%

Country Description

Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since July 1, 1997, has a high degree of autonomy, except in the areas of defense and foreign policy, and retains its own currency, laws, and border controls.

It is composed of three geographic areas: the New Territories, Kowloon Peninsula, and Hong Kong Island.

Hong Kong SAR is cosmopolitan and highly developed.

Tourist facilities and services are widely available.

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Crime

Hong Kong has a low crime rate.

Even so, you should exercise caution when in congested areas and pay particular attention to personal belongings while in crowded markets and while traveling on public transportation.

Violent crime, though rare, does occur.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Hong Kong, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.

In Hong Kong you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.

If you are found to be driving under the influence, you could be sent immediately to jail.

There are also some things that might be legal in Hong Kong, but still illegal in the United States, and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Hong Kong, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.

If you violate Hong Kong laws, even unknowingly, you may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possession of, use of, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Hong Kong are severe, and if you are convicted, you can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

In Hong Kong, detained U.S. citizens have been surprised that they had been arrested for violations that would not have resulted in arrest in the United States.

Arrest notifications in Hong Kong: If you are arrested in Hong Kong, authorities of Hong Kong are required to notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of your arrest.

If you are concerned the Department of State may not be aware of your situation, you should request the police or prison officials to notify the U.S.

Consulate General in Hong Kong of your arrest.

Languages The official language of Hong Kong is Chinese.

English is still the language of commerce, as it was the official language up until 1997.

The official dialect is Yue (Cantonese) from Guangdong.

Chinese written script has been standardized for centuries, but the simplified script from mainland China is beginning to become popular in Hong Kong.

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Medical Facilities

Good medical facilities are available, and there are many Western-trained physicians in Hong Kong.

Prescription drugs are widely available, although they may have different names from those in the United States.

Hong Kong emergency service response times for police, fire, and ambulances are good.

Air pollution is increasingly serious in Hong Kong.

Congested vehicle traffic and mainland factories pump out ozone, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides, leading to a visible haze in the atmosphere on most days of the year.

Average roadside pollution levels exceed WHO guidelines by 200% and continue to deteriorate, creating health risks for those with allergies, asthma, or cardiac problems.

Hong Kong remains at "Alert" response status for Pandemic Influenza.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions While in Hong Kong, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

About 90 percent of the population in Hong Kong depends on public transport.

Taxis, buses, and the mass transit railway (MTR) are readily available, inexpensive, and generally safe.

The MTR, an underground railway network, is the most popular mode of public transport, carrying an average of 3.5 million passengers a day.

In Hong Kong, traffic moves on the left.

During the daytime, traffic congests Hong Kong's urban areas.

Each year there are about 14,000 traffic accidents in Hong Kong involving more than 18,000 drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

Speed limits are 50 kilometers per hour (kph) (approximately 31 miles per hour (mph)) in urban areas, 80 kph (approximately 50 mph) on highways, and 110 kph (approximately 68 mph) on expressways unless otherwise marked.

The use of seatbelts in vehicles, if they are so equipped, is mandatory both in the front and back seats.

The maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death can be a fine of $50,000 HK ($6,500 US), imprisonment for five years, and disqualification from driving for not fewer than two years on first conviction.

If you are a driver involved in a traffic accident, you will be required to undergo alcohol-level testing.

If you are found to exceed the prescribed limit of blood alcohol, you may face prosecution under Hong Kong law.

The use of hand-held cellular phones while driving in Hong Kong is strictly prohibited.

If you breach this law, you may be subject to a maximum fine of $2,000 HK ($260 US).

However, you can use “hands-free devices,” such as headphones and speakerphones.

Hong Kong law requires that all registered vehicles carry valid third-party liability insurance.

You may be issued a Hong Kong driver’s license without a test if you hold a valid U.S. driver’s license, provided you have resided in the United States at least six months.

If you do not plan to stay in Hong Kong for more than 12 months you can drive in Hong Kong on your valid U.S. driver’s license.

Visit the Hong Kong Transport Department online for further details.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

Also, we suggest that you visit the website of the country’s Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Road Safety Council.

Traffic Safety

While in Hong Kong, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

About 90 percent of the population in Hong Kong depends on public transport.

Taxis, buses, and the mass transit railway (MTR) are readily available, inexpensive, and generally safe.

The MTR, an underground railway network, is the most popular mode of public transport, carrying an average of 3.5 million passengers a day.

In Hong Kong, traffic moves on the left.

During the daytime, traffic congests Hong Kong's urban areas.

Each year there are about 14,000 traffic accidents in Hong Kong involving more than 18,000 drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

Speed limits are 50 kilometers per hour (kph) (approximately 31 miles per hour (mph)) in urban areas, 80 kph (approximately 50 mph) on highways, and 110 kph (approximately 68 mph) on expressways unless otherwise marked.

The use of seatbelts in vehicles, if they are so equipped, is mandatory both in the front and back seats.

The maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death can be a fine of $50,000 HK ($6,500 US), imprisonment for five years, and disqualification from driving for not fewer than two years on first conviction.

If you are a driver involved in a traffic accident, you will be required to undergo alcohol-level testing.

If you are found to exceed the prescribed limit of blood alcohol, you may face prosecution under Hong Kong law.

The use of hand-held cellular phones while driving in Hong Kong is strictly prohibited.

If you breach this law, you may be subject to a maximum fine of $2,000 HK ($260 US).

However, you can use “hands-free devices,” such as headphones and speakerphones.

Hong Kong law requires that all registered vehicles carry valid third-party liability insurance.

You may be issued a Hong Kong driver’s license without a test if you hold a valid U.S. driver’s license, provided you have resided in the United States at least six months.

If you do not plan to stay in Hong Kong for more than 12 months you can drive in Hong Kong on your valid U.S. driver’s license.

Visit the Hong Kong Transport Department online for further details.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

Also, we suggest that you visit the website of the country’s Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Road Safety Council.

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Airports - total

2

Airports with Paved Runways

2

Heliports

9

Roadways- total

1,299 Miles 2,090 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

1,299 Miles 2,090 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Hong Kong

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Telephones

4,118,000

Cell Phones

10,550,500

Internet Users

3,961,000

Internet Country Code

.hk

Internet Hosts

817,701

Broadcast Media

• 2 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations
• multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available
• 3 radio networks, one of which is government-funded, operate about 15 radio stations

Telephone System

• assessment: Modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services
• Domestic: Microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network
• International: Country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

42,640,000,000

Electricity Exports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

2,230,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

12,260,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

38,230,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

3,097,000,000

Natural Gas Imports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

3,097,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

333,900