Cruises from Hong Kong

Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港, Xiānggǎngpinyin; literally "Fragrant Harbor") is one of two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China along with Macau. It is located on the southern coast of China between the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea. The city is famous for its predominant skyline and deep natural harbor. With an area of ​​1,104 km2 and a population of seven million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. 95% of Hong Kong's population is of Chinese ethnicity, while the remaining 5% belong to other groups. The city's majority Chinese ethnic group, the Han, mainly originates from the cities of Canton and Taishan in the nearby province of Guangdong.

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839-1842). Originally limited to Hong Kong Island alone, the colony's borders were extended, in 1860, to include the Kowloon Peninsula and then with new territories in 1898. The region was then briefly occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, then returned to British control, which ended in 1997 when China resumed its sovereignty. The history of Hong Kong has profoundly influenced its culture, which is often described as "the East meets the West", and the education system which pursued the English system until the reforms implemented in 2009.

Under the principle "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a political system different from mainland China. The functioning of the country's independent judiciary works according to the Common law legal system model. The Hong Kong Basic Law, its constitution, establishes that the region enjoys a high degree of autonomy in all aspects, except foreign relations and military defense. Despite Hong Kong having a thriving multi-party system, a small electorate controls half of its legislature. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the head of government, is chosen by an electoral committee which varies from 400 to 1,200 members, a system which will be in force for all the first 20 years of Chinese rule.

Hong Kong is one of the most important international financial centers in the world and like the others, Hong Kong boasts a large capitalist economy based on the tertiary sector and characterized by low taxation and free trade. The currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world. The lack of space and the growing number of inhabitants and infrastructure have led the city to have an intense density of buildings, making it the most vertical city in the world. Hong Kong citizens boast one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. The density has also led to the development of an advanced public transport network. The citizens who use it are over 90%, the highest percentage in the world. Hong Kong enjoys high positions in numerous international rankings. For example, in economic freedom, economic and financial competitiveness, quality of life, corruption, the human development index, etc., the region is always ranked among the top places.
According to estimates from both the United Nations and the WHO, Hong Kong, in 2012, had the longest life expectancy of any other region in the world.