Hong Kong Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong, China. The island was captured by the United Kingdom in the early 1840s, and the City of Victoria was then established on the island. The Central area on the island is the historical, political and economic centre of Hong Kong. The northern coast of the island forms the southern shore of the Victoria Harbour, which is largely responsible for the development of Hong Kong due to its deep waters favored by large trade ships.

The island is home to many of the most famous sights in Hong Kong, such as "The Peak", Ocean Park, many historical sites and various large shopping centres. The mountain ranges across the island are also famous for hiking.

The northern part of Hong Kong Island together with Kowloon forms the core urban area of Hong Kong. Their combined area is approximately 88.3 km² (34.5 sq. mi.) and their combined population (that of the northern part of the island and of Kowloon) is approximately 3,156,500, reflecting a population density of 35,700/km² (91,500/sq. mi.).

The island is also sometimes locally referred to as "the Island side" (in specific reference to the south side of the Victoria Harbour).

Contents 1 Administration 2 History 3 Geography 4 Demographics 5 Transport 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Administration

Districts located on the island:

• Central and Western District
• Eastern District
• Southern District
• Wan Chai District

Note: Hong Kong Island is not part of the Islands District.

[edit] History

Hong Kong Island was first occupied militarily by Captain Charles Elliot, British Royal Navy, on 20 January 1841. It was known as the "barren rock". The Royal Navy landed at Possession Point.

The Treaty of Nanking officially ceded the Island to Great Britain in 1842.

The Second World War was a dark period for Hong Kong. Britons, Canadians, Indians and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Forces resisted the Japanese invasion commanded by Sakai Takashi which started on December 8, 1941, eight hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However the Japanese were able to take control of the Hong Kong skies on the first day of attack, outnumbering the defensive forces. The Britons and the Indians retreated from the Gin Drinker's Line and consequently from Kowloon under heavy aerial bombardment and artillery barrage. Fierce fighting continued on Hong Kong Island between the Japanese and Canadians, the result of which was the loss of the only reservoir in Hong Kong. The Canadian Winnipeg Grenadiers fought at the crucial point of Wong Nai Chong Gap and successfully secured the passage between downtown and the secluded southern parts of the island. However, their victory did not last long.

Hong Kong fell on December 25, 1941, also known as black Christmas to the local Hong Kongers. The Governor of Hong Kong, Mark Young, surrendered in person at the temporary Japanese headquarters, on the third floor of the Peninsula Hotel. Isogai Rensuke became the first Japanese governor of Hong Kong. Hyper-inflation and food rationing followed; and the Japanese declared Hong Kong Dollars illegal. Furthermore, 10,000 women were raped in the first few days after Hong Kong's capture and a large number of suspected dissidents were executed. The Japanese cut rations for civilians to conserve food for soldiers, usually to starvation levels. Many people were forcably moved to famine- and disease-ridden areas of the mainland. When the Japanese surrendered to the United States on August 14, 1945, the population of Hong Kong had shrunk to 600,000, less than half of the pre-war population of 1.6 million.

[edit] Geography

Hong Kong Island is the second-largest island of the territory, the largest being Lantau Island. Its area is 80.4 km², including 6.98 km² of land reclaimed since 1887 and some smaller scale ones since 1851. It makes up approximately 7% of the total territory. It is separated from the mainland (Kowloon Peninsula and New Territories) by Victoria Harbour.

[edit] Demographics

Its population as of 2000 is 1,367,900, which makes up approximately 19% of that of Hong Kong. Its population density is higher than for the whole of Hong Kong, ca. 18,000 per km². However, the population density of the island as a whole is a misleading figure as the northern portion of the island, the portion that excludes the Southern District, is much higher than that of the southern portion. The combined population of the more densely populated districts of Central and Western, Wan Chai, and Eastern is 1,085,500, which puts the density of the urbanised part of the island closer to 26,000 per km², or 67,000 per mi². The area of this part of the island is approximately 41.3 km², or 16.1 mi². Together with Kowloon, these urban areas contain 47% of the total population.

[edit] Transport

The Island Line of the MTR underground railway network runs exclusively on Hong Kong Island, from West to East, along the northern coastline of the island. However, the western part of the island is not served by the railway. The government and MTR have planned to extend the Island Line to Kennedy Town, the western tip of the Island. the extension is expected to open in 2012.

Hong Kong Tramways and the Peak Tram run exclusively on Hong Kong Island, from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, with a branch links from Causeway Bay to Happy Valley.

Hong Kong Island is connected to the Kowloon Peninsula on the mainland by three road-only tunnels (the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the Western Harbour Tunnel), two MTR railway tunnels (Tsuen Wan Line and Tung Chung Line) and one combined road and MTR rail link tunnel (Tseung Kwan O Line), the Eastern Harbour Tunnel (in separate conduits running side by side). A fourth rail link (Shatin to Central Link from Causeway Bay to Hung Hom) and a fourth harbour-crossing tunnel are being planned in order to solve the congested traffic of the current tunnels in peak hours. There is no bridge connection between the island and the mainland. A bridge connects Ap Lei Chau and Wong Chuk Hang of Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island. It was opened in 1983 with two lanes and was expanded to four in 1994.

[edit] See also

• Hong Kong
• List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
• Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Country Parks & Special Areas

[edit] External links

• Satellite image of Hong Kong Island by Google Maps
• Map of Hong Kong in 1844

Major islands in Hong Kong

Major islands (by size): Lantau | Hong Kong Island | Lamma | Chek Lap Kok | Tsing Yi | Kau Sai Chau | Po Toi (Po Toi, Waglan) | Cheung Chau | Tung Lung Chau | Kat O | Wong Wan Chau | Hei Ling Chau | Tap Mun Chau | Ap Lei Chau | Soko Islands (Tai A Chau, Siu A Chau) | Ping Chau | Peng Chau | Ma Wan | Ninepin Group | The Brothers | Green Island | Kowloon Rock

Former islands: Kellett Island | Stonecutters Island | Hoi Sham Island | Channel Rock | Tsing Chau | Mong Chau | Chau Tsai | Nga Ying Chau | Lam Chau | Rumsey Rock

Districts of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Island: Central and Western | Eastern | Southern | Wan Chai
Kowloon (including New Kowloon): Kowloon City | Kwun Tong | Sham Shui Po | Wong Tai Sin | Yau Tsim Mong
New Territories: Islands | Kwai Tsing | North | Sai Kung | Sha Tin | Tai Po | Tsuen Wan | Tuen Mun | Yuen Long