Geography
Size snapshot: six times the size of Washington, D.C.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Hong Kong
AsiaGlobal Leader
Hong Kong claims the 3rd spot worldwide for life expectancy. How well do you really know Hong Kong?
Hong Kong claims the 3rd spot worldwide for life expectancy. That 85.2 years figure is hard to beat. How well do you really know Hong Kong?
22.3, 114.2 - Asia
Area
1K km²
Pop.
7.31M
Stats
96
Reality brief
Hong Kong is a country in Asia with a population of 7.31M and an area of 1,104 km². Life expectancy is 85.2 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
Life Expectancy
85.5 years#3globally
Average number of years a newborn would be expected to live if current mortality patterns stayed the same, from Our World in Data.
University Enrollment Rate
120.09%#4globally
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Human Development Index
0.95#8globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita
$66,171.36#19globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Hong Kong
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Culture
Major languages include Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, and more.
CIA 2026
Identity
Formal name: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Hong Kong
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
365 per 100 people#3globallyTop stat
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people, from World Bank Open Data.
High-Tech Exports (%)
75.57%#3globallyTop stat
High-tech products (like computers, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace) as a percentage of total manufactured exports.
Urban Population (%)
100%#5globallyTop stat
The percentage of people living in cities and urban areas.
Protected Land (%)
42%#8globallyTop stat
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
Foreign Patents
21.5K#8globallyTop stat
How many patent applications are filed by non-residents each year.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #215 in youth population (%)
#21510.51%Youth Population (%)
The percentage of the population aged 0 to 14.
Keeps government debt (% gdp) unusually low
#1980.10% of GDPGovernment Debt (% GDP)
Central government debt as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Ranks #10 globally in merchant fleet size
#102.5KMerchant Fleet Size
Number of merchant marine ships from the frozen public-domain CIA World Factbook snapshot.
Only ranks #201 in renewable energy (%)
#2010.40%Renewable Energy (%)
The percentage of energy consumption that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro.
Ranks #13 globally in elderly population (%)
#1322.67%Elderly Population (%)
Share of the population ages 65 and older, from World Bank Open Data.
Compared with the region
How Hong Kong Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Hong Kong
Asia avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $75,195.99
- Region avg
- $34,339.76
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Hong Kong$75,195.99
Asia$34,339.76
World$31,844.55
+136% above worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 85.2 years
- Region avg
- 75.3 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Hong Kong85.2 years
Asia75.3 years
World73.7 years
+16% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.95
- Region avg
- 0.75
- World avg
- 0.74
Hong Kong0.95
Asia0.75
World0.74
+29% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 96%
- Region avg
- 75.77%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Hong Kong96%
Asia75.77%
World70.29%
+37% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Hong Kong
Country briefing
The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War.
Read the full Factbook note
The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
- Climate
- subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
- Terrain
- hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
- Natural Resources
- outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
- Natural Hazards
- occasional typhoons
- Size Comparison
- six times the size of Washington, D.C.
People & Culture4 facts
- Languages
- Cantonese (official) 85.4%, English (official) 4.5%, Putonghua (official) 2.2%, other Chinese dialects 2.8%, other 2%, persons under 5 or mute 3.2% (2021 est.)
- Religions
- Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Chinese 91.6%, Filipino 2.7%, Indonesian 1.9%, other 3.7% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 7.685 million Hong Kong (2023)
Government & History6 facts
- Government Type
- presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China
- Official Name
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Name Origin
- probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"
- Independence
- none (special administrative region of China)
- National Symbols
- bauhinia flower
- National Anthem
- "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" (The March of the Volunteers)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- high-income tourism- and services-based economy; global financial hub; COVID-19 and political protests fueled recent recession; ongoing recovery but lower-skilled unemployment remains high; investing in job-reskilling programs
- Industries
- trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches
- Agricultural Products
- pork, chicken, spinach, vegetables, pork offal, game meat, beef, fruits, onions, pork fat (2023)
- Export Partners
- China 22%, Vietnam 12%, S. Korea 8%, Netherlands 5%, Switzerland 4% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- gold, integrated circuits, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023)
- Import Partners
- China 40%, Taiwan 10%, Singapore 7%, Japan 5%, S. Korea 4% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, gold, machine parts, jewelry (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense3 facts
- Military Forces
- Hong Kong Police Force (specialized units include the Police Counterterrorism Response Unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, the Special Duties Unit, the Airport Security Unit, and the VIP Protection Unit) China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison is responsible for defense duties; the garrison includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force and are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 99.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- 34 commercial terrestrial TV networks, each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters, one of which is government-funded, operate about 12 radio stations (2019)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #3
High-Tech Exports (%)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
GDP (Nominal)
GDP Growth Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
Inflation Rate
Unemployment Rate
Government Debt (% GDP)
Health & Survival3 statsBest: #3
Technology3 statsBest: #3
Education & Future6 statsBest: #4
Demographics12 statsBest: #4
Population Density
Urban Population (%)
Median Age
Elderly Population (%)
Death Rate
Population
Dependency Ratio
Land Area
Birth Rate
Fertility Rate
Teen Birth Rate
Youth Population (%)
Environment6 statsBest: #8
Infrastructure2 statsBest: #10
Merchant Fleet Size
2.5K#10
Airports
Energy1 statsBest: #57
Electric Generating Capacity
13.30M kW#57
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #93
Coastline Length
733 km#93
Lowest Elevation
0 m#101
Land Border Length
33 km#157
Highest Elevation
958 m#166
Keep exploring
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Where Hong Kong leads
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Share a country stat
Turn Hong Kong's strongest number into a challenge card.
Hong Kong
#3 in Life Expectancy
Average number of years a newborn would be expected to live if current mortality patterns stayed the same, from Our World in Data.
Top 5% globally
85.5 years
Frequently Asked Questions about Hong Kong
What is the population of Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has a population of 7.31M, ranking #106 globally by population.
What continent is Hong Kong in?
Hong Kong is located in Asia. It has an area of 1,104 km².
What is the life expectancy in Hong Kong?
Life expectancy in Hong Kong is 85.2 years, ranking #3 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Hong Kong?
Hong Kong's GDP per capita (PPP) is $75,195.99, ranking #20 globally.
What is Hong Kong known for in global statistics?
Hong Kong ranks particularly high in Life Expectancy (#3), Life Expectancy (#3), Population Density (#4).
What is Hong Kong's Human Development Index?
Hong Kong has an HDI of 0.955, ranking #8 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has a population density of 7177.2 people per km², ranking #4 globally.