Learning more...

   I have compiled a list of a few Hong Kong facts which I have found during my research and placed them into three categories.

Important facts to help understand the city:

·         The city’s name, Hong Kong means Fragrant Harbour, this is thought to derive from incense transported to the area, giving it a pleasant smell.

·         Hong Kong is located in south-eastern China, at the base of the Pearl River.

·         Hong Kong, spread over 1,092 sq km, comprises of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories, and numerous small islands.

·         The official languages of Hong Kong are Cantonese (a dialect of Chinese) and English.

·         Hong Kong is counted amongst the most densely populated areas of the world.

·         The Bauhina white orchid on a red background is the symbol on the Hong Kong flag.

Hong Kong is the world’s most vertical city.

Interesting things to see or visit:

·         Hong Kong is home to a 34m hight bronze sitting Buddha statue, weighing over 250 tonnes.

·         Every winter the Bauhnia flower brings an explosion of colour to parks and gardens throughout the city.

·         Every evening Victoria Harbour comes alive with the world’s largest permanent light and sound show –laser beams and searchlights are shone from 44 skyscapers either side of the harbour.

·         Much of the land is mountainous, in an attempt to control erosion and rock slides the hillsides are coated in concrete. This is combined with an elaborate drainage system that helps keep roads from flooding.

Fun and interesting facts about Hong Kong culture:

·         In Hong King, people eat long noodles on their birthday, so they might be blessed with a long life.

·         4 and 7 are unlucky numbers as they sound similar to the word for death.

·         Spitting in the street, shops, bars or public transport is a finable offence since the SARS outbreak, to stop the spread of disease.

·         Each of the city’s 7million inhabitants consumes a yearly average of 1.4 kilos of tea.

·         Scaffolders working on the bamboo scaffolding are often called ‘spiders’.

·         On Sundays maids have the day off, literally tens of thousands of maids meet in groups on the streets, beaches and parks to gossip, sing and picnic with friends.

·         The word for fish, Yu, means prosperity and good fortune.