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Compare Spratly Islands (2005) - Hong Kong (2007)

Compare Spratly Islands (2005) z Hong Kong (2007)

 Spratly Islands (2005)Hong Kong (2007)
 Spratly IslandsHong Kong
Administrative divisions - none (special administrative region of China)
Age structure - 0-14 years: 13% (male 476,089/female 434,326)


15-64 years: 74% (male 2,515,518/female 2,652,660)


65 years and over: 12.9% (male 419,479/female 482,340) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products - fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish
Airports 3 (2004 est.) 2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
-
Area total: less than 5 sq km


land: less than 5 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea
total: 1,092 sq km


land: 1,042 sq km


water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative NA six times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal claim. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate - 7.34 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget - revenues: $35.18 billion


expenditures: $32.18 billion (2006 est.)
Climate tropical subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline 926 km 733 km
Constitution - Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Spratly Islands
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Hong Kong


local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu


local short form: Xianggang


abbreviation: HK
Death rate - 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external - $72.79 billion (2006 est.)
Dependency status - special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM


consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006


telephone: [852] 2523-9011


FAX: [852] 2845-1598
Diplomatic representation in the US - none (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratlys none
Economy - overview Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed. Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. The territory has become more closely linked to mainland China over the past few years. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong's service industry over the past decade has grown rapidly as its manufacturing industry has moved to the mainland. Hong Kong also has stepped up its efforts to gain approval to offer more mainland financial services in a bid to remain competitive with China's growing financial centers. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Per capita GDP exceeds that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2006, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 and the global downturn in 2001-02. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2006. Moreover, several large initial public offerings of Chinese companies on the Hong Kong stock exchange since late 2005 have helped to boost Hong Kong's status as a financial hub and have contributed to the improved performance of the market in late 2006.
Electricity - consumption - 37.74 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports - 4.498 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports - 11 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production - 36.14 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m
Environment - current issues NA air and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements - party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Ethnic groups - Chinese 94.9%, Filipino 2.1%, other 3% (2001 census)
Exchange rates - Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002)
Executive branch - chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15 non-official members


elections: chief executive elected for five-year term by 800-member electoral committee; last held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: Donald TSANG elected chief executive receiving 84.1% of the vote; Alan LEONG received 15.9%
Exports - 26,090 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities - electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners - China 47%, US 15.1%, Japan 4.9% (2006)
Fiscal year - 1 April - 31 March
Flag description - red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 8.6%


services: 91.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 6.9% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 38 N, 111 55 E 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Geography - note strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs more than 200 islands
Heliports - 5 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
Imports - 344,200 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities - raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners - China 45.9%, Japan 10.3%, Taiwan 7.5%, Singapore 6.3%, US 4.8%, South Korea 4.6% (2006)
Independence - none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate - 4% (2006 est.)
Industries - textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
Infant mortality rate - total: 2.94 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.12 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 2.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 2% (2006 est.)
International organization participation - APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Labor force - 3.583 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social services 18.8%


note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 30 km


regional border: China 30 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2001)
arable land: 5.05%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 93.94% (2001)
Languages - Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2% (official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%, English 3.2% (official), other 1.2% (2001 census)
Legal system - based on English common law
Legislative branch - unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy 63%, pro-Beijing 37%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, FTU 1, independents 11; (pro-democracy 25) Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1, independents 11; non-voting LEGCO president 1
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 81.68 years


male: 78.99 years


female: 84.6 years (2007 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 93.5%


male: 96.9%


female: 89.6% (2002)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Southeast Asia Southeast Asia
Maritime claims NA territorial sea: 3 nm
Merchant marine - total: 1,009 ships (1000 GRT or over) 34,556,075 GRT/57,423,309 DWT


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 499, cargo 135, chemical tanker 51, combination ore/oil 3, container 173, liquefied gas 24, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 8, vehicle carrier 8


foreign-owned: 617 (Belgium 4, Canada 39, China 309, Denmark 12, France 1, Germany 10, Greece 30, Indonesia 7, Japan 78, South Korea 6, Lebanon 1, Norway 30, Pakistan 1, Philippines 10, Portugal 1, Singapore 11, Syria 1, Taiwan 11, UAE 1, UK 32, US 22)


registered in other countries: 275 (Bahamas 3, Belize 5, Bermuda 4, Cambodia 11, China 6, Cyprus 2, Honduras 1, India 1, Liberia 21, Malaysia 14, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Mongolia 1, Norway 5, Panama 137, Philippines 2, Seychelles 1, Singapore 37, St Vincent and The Grenadines 7, Tuvalu 10, UK 2, unknown 7) (2007)
Military - note Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam defense is the responsibility of China
Military branches - no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
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
Nationality - noun: Chinese/Hong Konger


adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong
Natural hazards typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals occasional typhoons
Natural resources fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Net migration rate - 4.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Civic Party [KUAN Hsin-chi]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [Albert HO]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]


note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party
Political pressure groups and leaders - Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (2004)
6,980,412 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 0.561% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none; offshore anchorage only -
Radio broadcast stations - AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions - eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.096 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.948 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage - direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
Telephone system - general 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
Telephones - main lines in use - 3.85 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 9.356 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations - 55 (2 TV networks, each broadcasting on 2 channels) (2006)
Terrain flat hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Total fertility rate - 0.98 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate - 4.9% (2006 est.)
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