Originally Hong Kong was a small fishing village. Today, it is one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities where the East truly meets the West.

On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in an arrangement that would last for 50 years. Operating under the 'one country, two systems policy', Hong Kong maintains its own political, social and economic systems. English remains an official language and Hong Kong's border with China still exists.

Now reunited with the mainland, visually stunning Hong Kong offers a warp-speed 'shop till you drop' lifestyle combined with enclaves of tradition.

Hong Kong was part of the Chinese empire before coming under British administration as a direct result of the 19th-century Opium Wars. When peace terms were drawn up in 1841, the Emperor of China agreed that Hong Kong Island should be ceded to Britain and five other ports licensed for foreign trade. The British controlled Hong Kong from then on, apart from a four-year period during World War II when the territory was occupied by the Japanese until 1997, when it was returned to China. The terms were settled and signed in 1984 and contained guarantees that the territory would enjoy a high degree of autonomy, especially in the economic field.

Hong Kong is a popular tourist destination as well as being one of the world's major business centres. It has over 260 outlying islands but only a few are inhabited. This means that Hong Kong offers a great range of contrasts, with numerous islands that provide a tranquil alternative to its frenetic energy elsewhere. Hong Kong Island is an eclectic mix of modern skyscrapers, colonial buildings and traditional temples.

Location: In South part of China.

Area: Hong Kong has an area of 1098 sqare kilometers.

Population : 6.8 million. 95% are Chinese, the rest are foreigners.

Transportation: Air travellers will be treated to Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong's giant greenhouse of an airport; it's one of the world's ritziest. By land, the only way to Hong Kong is from China mainland : you can choose either bus or train. Water is perhaps the most picturesque way to arrive in Hong Kong; there are boats that take you between Hong Kong and destinations in Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces, as well as Macau.