AT A GLANCE: HONG KONG

Geography

Location: Southeast Asia.

Hong Kong is divided into four main areas - Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, The new Territories and the 236 outlying islands.

Hong Kong Island is the largest and most densely populated area in the South China Sea.

Total land area: 414 square miles, six times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate: tropical monsoon. Winter is chilly, windy and frequesntly cloudy. It is hot, humid and rainy from spring throughout the summer.

Terrain: hilly and mountainous with steep hills; lowlands in the north.

People

Population: 6.97 million.

Emigration: Dropped to its lowest level in 1999, with 12,900 people emigrating from Hong Kong, which is down 33 percent from 1998.

Ethnic groups: Ethnic Chinese 98 percent; Filipinos (146,400); Americans (40,900); and Indonesians (34,300).

Language: Cantonese, English (both are official). Unofficial language: Mandarin.

Government

Constitution: The Basic Law, adopted on April 4, 1990 by People's Congres of the People's Republic of China.

Chief Executive: Tung Cheehwa, who was apointed by Beijing.

Governing body: In 1997, the Legislative Council was disbanded and an appoitned Provisional Legislature was formed.

Hong Kong's history

1841: Established as a British colony.

1860: Kowloon Peninsula given to Britain after Second Opium War.

1898: Britain signs a 99-year lease with China for New Territories.

1941: Japan invades and occupies Hong Kong.

1945 U.K. recaptures territory.

1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher signs agreement with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping to hand over Hong Kong.

1997: China regains sovereignty over Hong Kong.