Hong Kong

Geography

:Main articles: Geography of Hong Kong and Ecology of Hong Kong

Related Topics:
Geography of Hong Kong - Ecology of Hong Kong

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Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. The Kowloon Peninsula is attached to the New Territories in the north, and the New Territories are in turn connected to mainland China across the Sham Chun River (Shenzhen River). In total, Hong Kong has 236 islands in the South China Sea, of which Lantau is the largest. Hong Kong Island itself is the second largest and also the most populated. Ap Lei Chau is the most densely populated island in the world.

Related Topics:
Hong Kong Island - Kowloon - New Territories - Kowloon Peninsula - Mainland China - Sham Chun River - 236 islands - South China Sea - Lantau - Ap Lei Chau

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The name "Hong Kong", literally meaning "fragrant harbour", is derived from the area around present-day Aberdeen and Wong Chuk Hang on Hong Kong Island, where fragrant trees were once abundant and exported from. The body of water between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula is Victoria Harbour, one of the deepest maritime ports in the world. The landscape of Hong Kong is fairly hilly to mountainous with steep slopes. The highest point in the territory is Tai Mo Shan, at a height of 958 metres. Lowlands exist in the northwestern part of the New Territories.

Related Topics:
Aberdeen - Wong Chuk Hang - Victoria Harbour - Port - Tai Mo Shan - Metre

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Hong Kong is 60 km to the east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River estuary. Hong Kong has a land border with the Chinese city of Shenzhen to the north. Of the territory's 1,102 km², only less than 25 % is developed. The remaining land has been reserved as country parks and nature reserves.

Related Topics:
Km - Macau - Chinese - City - Shenzhen - Km² - Country park - Nature reserve

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Hong Kong's climate is subtropical and prone to monsoons. It is cool and dry in the wintertime which lasts from around January to March, and is hot and rainy from spring through summer. It is warm, sunny, and dry in autumn. Hong Kong occasionally has typhoons. The ecology of Hong Kong is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's climate is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer. Hong Kong has been geologically stable for millions of years. However, flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change, sea level alternation and human impact. The highest recorded temperature{{ref|extreme}} in Hong Kong is 40 degrees Celsius while the lowest recorded temperature is 0 degrees. The average temperature in the coldest month, February, is 16 degrees while the average temperature in the hottest month, July, is 28 degrees.

Related Topics:
Hong Kong's climate - Subtropical - Monsoon - Winter - January - March - Rain - Spring - Summer - Sun - Autumn - Typhoon - Celsius - February - July

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Hong Kong's climate is subtropical but half of the year is temperate. The territory is situated south of the Tropic of Cancer which is equatable to Hawaii in latitude. In winter, strong and cold winds generate from the north and cool the city; in the summer, the wind's direction reverses and brings the warm and humid air in from the south. This climate can support a tropical rainforest.

Related Topics:
Subtropical - Tropic of Cancer - Hawaii - Latitude - Tropical rainforest

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