97-658: Hong Kong Wetland Park is a conservation, education and tourism facility, located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai , in Yuen Long . It was to be an ecological mitigation area (EMA) for the wetlands lost due to Tin Shui Wai New Town development, in the New Territories. The Hong Kong Wetland Park comprises a 10,000-square-metre (110,000 sq ft) visitor centre, Wetland Interactive World, and
194-548: A 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II . The territory was handed over from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under the principle of one country, two systems . Originally a sparsely populated area of farming and fishing villages,
291-463: A proposed extradition amendment bill permitting the extradition of fugitives to mainland China. The protests are the largest in Hong Kong's history, with organisers claiming to have attracted more than three million Hong Kong residents. The Hong Kong regional government and Chinese central government responded to the protests with a number of administrative measures to quell dissent. In June 2020,
388-662: A 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the world. Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island in 1841–1842 as a consequence of losing the First Opium War . The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and was further extended when the United Kingdom obtained
485-909: A 400-metre running track. There are other football and rugby pitches at Tin Sau Road Park and Tin Yip Road Park in the northern part of the town. There are four indoor sports centres in Tin Shui Wai. They are Tin Shui Wai Sports Centre, Tin Shui Sports Centre, Tin Fai Sports Centre and Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Sports Centre. There is an outdoor sports area in Tin Sau Road for volleyball, basketball and football court. After years of planning,
582-552: A 60-hectare (150-acre) Wetland Reserve. The Wetland Interactive World has themed exhibition galleries, a theatre, a souvenir shop, an indoor play area (swamp adventure) and a resource centre. In 1998, a project named International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study was initiated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Hong Kong Tourism Board with a view to expanding
679-845: A four-year term. Twenty are directly elected from geographical constituencies , thirty-five represent functional constituencies (FC), and forty are chosen by an election committee consisting of representatives appointed by the Chinese central government. Thirty FC councillors are selected from limited electorates representing sectors of the economy or special interest groups, and the remaining five members are nominated from sitting district council members and selected in region-wide double direct elections . All popularly elected members are chosen by proportional representation . The 30 limited electorate functional constituencies fill their seats using first-past-the-post or instant-runoff voting. Twenty-two political parties had representatives elected to
776-491: A neutral zone to safeguard its status as a free port. The colonial government prepared for a possible attack, evacuating all British women and children in 1940. The Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong on 8 December 1941 , the same morning as its attack on Pearl Harbor . Hong Kong was occupied by Japan for almost four years before the British resumed control on 30 August 1945. Its population rebounded quickly after
873-484: A person with name bearing this character. The second character 港, /hœŋ/, means a branch flow of water body, or a channel for boats to go through. This means the translation to harbour was a modern invention. There were four basic speculations, namely fragrant/incense wood, fragrant river, female pirate named 香, and red incense burner . Not all of them are plausible in face of language, history and geography evidences. The Cantonese name in Chinese character 香港
970-547: A remote island that was somehow far from the attention of administration and hence lack of documentation or documentation was destroyed easily year by year. The name of Hong Kong comes from Cantonese name 香港, /hœŋ kɔŋ/, in Chinese character. The name commonly translates as "fragrant harbour" or alternatively "incense harbour". The first character 香, /hœŋ/, means any pleasant or sweet smell , namely fragrant , or materials that could produce pleasant smell, usually comes from plants or animals, including incense . But it could
1067-531: A series of protests in 2014 which became known as the Umbrella Revolution. Discrepancies in the electoral registry and disqualification of elected legislators after the 2016 Legislative Council elections and enforcement of national law in the West Kowloon high-speed railway station raised further concerns about the region's autonomy. In June 2019, mass protests erupted in response to
SECTION 10
#17327725045321164-563: A standard 50-metre pool, and are very overcrowded. A new, standard-sized swimming complex has been planned for many years at Tin Shui Wai Area 107, a vacant piece of land in the north of the new town. As of 2021, the pool is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2022 or 2023. The largest sports ground is the Tin Shui Wai Sports Ground , a stadium with a capacity of 2,500 spectators. It also has
1261-913: A weighing scale. Water in the pool is continuously circulated through a filtration system. Wetland Park is served by the MTR Light Rail , and the Wetland Park stop and Tin Sau stop belong to Zone 5A for single-ride ticket. Wetland Park currently holds the highest recorded temperature in Hong Kong, at 39.0 °C (102.2 °F) on 22 August 2017, the day before Typhoon Hato affected the region. [REDACTED] Media related to Hong Kong Wetland Park at Wikimedia Commons 22°28′07″N 114°00′19″E / 22.46865°N 114.00514°E / 22.46865; 114.00514 Tin Shui Wai Tin Shui Wai New Town
1358-523: Is a satellite town in the northwestern New Territories of Hong Kong . Originally a gei wai [ yue ] ( 基圍 ) fish pond area, it was developed in the 1980s as the second new town in Yuen Long District and the eighth in Hong Kong. It is 25 kilometres (16 mi) due northwest of Central , the main business area in the territory, on land reclaimed from low-lying areas south of Deep Bay , next to Ping Shan . The population
1455-431: Is a special administrative region of China , with executive, legislative, and judicial powers devolved from the national government . The Sino-British Joint Declaration provided for economic and administrative continuity through the handover, resulting in an executive-led governing system largely inherited from the territory's history as a British colony. Under these terms and the "one country, two systems" principle,
1552-617: Is also set there. A 2020 Cantonese hip-hop song 'Tin Shui Wai Gang Gang' by TomFatKi and Billy Choi had 5 million views on Youtube. They performed a clean version at Chill Club Awards on ViuTV in 2022. A 2020 Hong Kong drama We are the Littles by ViuTV starring Stephy Tang , Zeno Koo , Ian Chan and Anson Lo was set in Tin Shui Wai. Hong Kong Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China . With 7.4 million residents of various nationalities in
1649-703: Is an important transport element in Tin Shui Wai, with buses running to most major destinations in Hong Kong. Main roads connecting the township to surrounding areas are Ping Ha Road, Tin Ha Road, Long Tin Road, Yuen Long Highway and Tin Wah Road (to Lau Fau Shan ). Two 2008 Hong Kong films were set in Tin Shui Wai: The Way We Are , directed by Ann Hui and Besieged City directed by Lawrence Ah Mon . The 2009 Ann Hui film Night and Fog
1746-514: Is divided into fare zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 5A. All of Tin Shui Wai's 16 light rail stops fall in zones 4 and 5A. The Tin Shui Wai stop of the Light Rail network belongs to Zone 4 for single-ride ticket. It is underneath the Tuen Ma line station at ground level. Platforms 1, 2 and 3 can be reached by escalators at West Rail exits E1, E2 and E3, respectively. A well-developed bus network
1843-468: Is generally believed to be an early phonetic rendering of the Cantonese (or Tanka Cantonese ) of characters 香港. Sir John Davis , the second colonial governor, offered an alternative origin; Davis said that the name derived from "Hoong-keang" ("red torrent"), reflecting the colour of soil over which a waterfall on the island flowed. The simplified name Hong Kong was frequently used by 1810. The name
1940-410: Is governed by a hybrid regime that is not fully representative of the population. Legislative Council members elected by functional constituencies composed of professional and special interest groups are accountable to these narrow corporate electorates and not the general public. This electoral arrangement has guaranteed a pro-Beijing camp majority in the legislature since the handover. Similarly,
2037-900: Is in the south, directly beside the railway station. It opened in 2013 and is the second-largest public library in Hong Kong, behind the Hong Kong Central Library . Tin Shui Wai North Public Library is small, at Tin Chak Estate in the far north of the town. The town has two public swimming pools : the Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool (opened 1994) and the Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool (opened 2011). These pools are undersized in comparison to standard Hong Kong swimming complexes, both lacking
SECTION 20
#17327725045322134-682: Is one of the Millennium projects of the Administrations. In 2007, the park was one of five winners of the Awards for Excellence: Asia Pacific Competition, from the Urban Land Institute. Themed exhibition galleries with floor areas ranging from 250 to 1,200 square metres (2,700 to 12,900 sq ft) showcase the importance of wetland on biodiversity , civilisation and conservation . Visitors can learn more about
2231-542: The Basic Law of Hong Kong for 50 years after the handover. It does not specify how Hong Kong will be governed after 2047, and the central government's role in determining the territory's future system of government is the subject of political debate and speculation. Hong Kong's political and judicial systems may be integrated with China's at that time, or the territory may continue to be administered separately. However, in response to large-scale protests in 2019 and 2020 ,
2328-591: The Basic Law of Hong Kong is the regional constitution. The regional government is composed of three branches: The chief executive is the head of government and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms. The State Council (led by the Premier of China ) appoints the chief executive after nomination by the Election Committee , which is composed of 1500 business, community, and government leaders. The Legislative Council has 90 members, each serving
2425-604: The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference appointed by the central government. Chinese national law does not generally apply in the region, and Hong Kong is treated as a separate jurisdiction. Its judicial system is based on common law , continuing the legal tradition established during British rule. Local courts may refer to precedents set in English law and overseas jurisprudence. However, mainland criminal procedure law applies to cases investigated by
2522-563: The Chinese central government 's adherence to the "one country, two systems" principle. After reversal of the last colonial era Legislative Council democratic reforms following the handover, the regional government unsuccessfully attempted to enact national security legislation pursuant to Article 23 of the Basic Law . The central government decision to implement nominee pre-screening before allowing chief executive elections triggered
2619-576: The Hong Kong Wetland Park , opening to public in May 2006. The total planned population of Tin Shui Wai is about 306,000 while the current population is about 292,000. Parts of Tin Shui Wai have a picturesque and tranquil environment. The Hong Kong Wetland Park , demonstrating the diversity of the Hong Kong's wetland ecosystem, is in north Tin Shui Wai. Tin Shui Wai consists of public and private housing estates . Tin Wah Road separates
2716-734: The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR . Interpretative and amending power over the Basic Law and jurisdiction over acts of state lie with the central authority, making regional courts ultimately subordinate to the mainland's socialist civil law system. Decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress override any territorial judicial process. Furthermore, in circumstances where
2813-670: The Paleolithic period. The claim is based on an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung , Sai Kung in 2003. The archaeological works revealed knapped stone tools from deposits that were dated using optical luminescence dating . During the Middle Neolithic period, about 6,000 years ago, the region had been widely occupied by humans. Neolithic to Bronze Age Hong Kong settlers were semi-coastal people. Early inhabitants are believed to be Austronesians in
2910-717: The People's Liberation Army is responsible for the region's defence. Although the Chairman of the Central Military Commission is supreme commander of the armed forces, the regional government may request assistance from the garrison. Hong Kong residents are not required to perform military service, and current law has no provision for local enlistment, so its defence is composed entirely of non-Hongkongers. The central government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs handle diplomatic matters, but Hong Kong retains
3007-595: The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council to grant officials "even more powers to crack down on opposition to Beijing and the Hong Kong government" and includes penalties such as life imprisonment for political crimes such as treason and insurrection . Critics state that this expansion "will strike a lasting blow to the partial autonomy the city had been promised by China [in
Hong Kong Wetland Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
3104-502: The Sino-British Joint Declaration ]." Hong Kong's administrative divisions are divided into three levels: Areas (區域), Districts (地區), and Sub-districts (分區). Hong Kong is administratively divided into three areas: Hong Kong Island , Kowloon , and the New Territories . They are further divided into 18 districts. The area of Hong Kong Island has four districts, the area of Kowloon has five districts, and
3201-457: The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the controversial Hong Kong national security law . The law criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign elements and establishes the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR, an investigative office under Central People's Government authority immune from HKSAR jurisdiction. Some of
3298-751: The Tin Shui Wai Hospital opened in January 2017. The hospital's Accident and Emergency Department opened in March 2017 on a part-time basis. Smaller public medical facilities include the Tin Shui Wai Health Centre and the Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yip Road) Community Health Centre, in the south and north of the town respectively. The main residences of Tin Shui Wai are the public housing estates and
3395-783: The Tin Shui Wai Park , which offers many gardens and activities. The Tin Sau Bazaar is a marketplace in the northern part of the town managed by the charity organisation Tung Wah Group of Hospitals . Parts of Tin Shui have a picturesque and tranquil environment. The Hong Kong Wetland Park , demonstrating the diversity of Hong Kong's wetland ecosystem, is in Tin Shui Wai. The light rail routes 705 and 706 stop at Wetland Park stop . Tin Shui Wai has two public libraries. Ping Shan Tin Shui Wai Public Library
3492-617: The central government in Beijing in June 2020 resulted in the suspension of bilateral extradition treaties by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, and Ireland. The United States ended its preferential economic and trade treatment of Hong Kong in July 2020 because it was no longer able to distinguish Hong Kong as a separate entity from the People's Republic of China. In 2024,
3589-559: The 5.5 kilometre Tai Lam Tunnel . The entrances/exits of the station are: The district is also served by the Light Rail , with Tin Shui Wai station serving as the main interchange point for the local branch of this network, which runs in a circle around the new town, called Tin Shui Wai Circular. The light rail network, in conjunction with the Tuen Ma line , connects the townships of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long . The light rail
3686-646: The 58 residential blocks of Kingswood Villas . Tin Shui Wai is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 72. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and one government school: Tin Shui Wai Government Primary School (天水圍官立小學). Schools in Tin Shui Wai: The town is served by Tin Shui Wai station on the Tuen Ma line . The station borders
3783-498: The Hong Kong Island and thus Hong Kong was named after her. But she was born around 1775, not even close Ming Dynasty, that it is impossible as etymology of Hong Kong. Hung-heung-lo , 紅香爐, red incense burner, was a station of Ch'ing Dynasty coastal defense. The name once used to refer the whole Hong Kong Island after the station was established. It was too late to be the etymology of Hong Kong. Some points fragrant to
3880-406: The Legislative Council and the requirement that all candidates be vetted and approved by a Beijing-appointed Candidate Eligibility Review Committee . In May 2023, the Legislative Council also introduced legislation to reduce the number of directly elected seats in the district councils, and a District Council Eligibility Review Committee was similarly established to vet candidates. Hong Kong
3977-548: The Legislative Council in the 2016 election . These parties have aligned themselves into three ideological groups: the pro-Beijing camp (the current government), the pro-democracy camp , and localist groups . The Chinese Communist Party does not have an official political presence in Hong Kong, and its members do not run in local elections. Hong Kong is represented in the National People's Congress by 36 deputies chosen through an electoral college and 203 delegates in
Hong Kong Wetland Park - Misplaced Pages Continue
4074-566: The Legislative Council passed the National Anthem Ordinance , which criminalised "insults to the national anthem of China". The Chinese central government meanwhile enacted the Hong Kong national security law to help quell protests in the region. Nine months later, in March 2021, the Chinese central government introduced amendments to Hong Kong's electoral system , which included the reduction of directly elected seats in
4171-587: The Middle Neolithic period and later the Yue people. As hinted by the archaeological works in Sha Ha, Sai Kung, rice cultivation had been introduced since Late Neolithic period. Bronze Age Hong Kong featured coarse pottery, hard pottery, quartz and stone jewelry, as well as small bronze implements. The Qin dynasty incorporated the Hong Kong area into China for the first time in 214 BCE, after conquering
4268-438: The New Territories. Much of this is built on reclaimed land ; 70 km (27 sq mi) (6% of the total land or about 25% of developed space in the territory) is reclaimed from the sea. Undeveloped terrain is hilly to mountainous, with very little flat land, and consists mostly of grassland, woodland, shrubland, or farmland. About 40% of the remaining land area is country parks and nature reserves. The territory has
4365-478: The Philippines and Indonesia, have little protection under regional law. Although they live and work in Hong Kong, these workers are not treated as ordinary residents and do not have the right of abode in the territory. Sex trafficking is also an issue, local, mainland Chinese, and foreign women have been trafficked for sex in brothels , homes, and businesses in the city. The Joint Declaration guarantees
4462-538: The Standing Committee declares a state of emergency in Hong Kong, the State Council may enforce national law in the region. The territory's jurisdictional independence is most apparent in its immigration and taxation policies. The Immigration Department issues passports for permanent residents which differ from those of the mainland or Macau, and the region maintains a regulated border with
4559-445: The Yuan Dynasty. By the end of the Yuan dynasty , seven large families had settled in the region and owned most of the land. Settlers from nearby provinces migrated to Kowloon throughout the Ming dynasty . The earliest European visitor was Portuguese explorer Jorge Álvares , who arrived in 1513. Portuguese merchants established a trading post called Tamão in Hong Kong waters and began regular trade with southern China. Although
4656-435: The ability to maintain separate economic and cultural relations with foreign nations . The territory actively participates in the World Trade Organization , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the International Olympic Committee , and many United Nations agencies. The regional government maintains trade offices in Greater China and other nations. The imposition of the Hong Kong national security law by
4753-402: The aforementioned acts were previously considered protected speech under Hong Kong law. The United Kingdom considers the law to be a serious violation of the Joint Declaration. In October 2020, the Hong Kong Police arrested seven pro- democracy politicians over tussles with pro-Beijing politicians in the Legislative Council in May. They were charged with contempt and interfering with members of
4850-505: The agreement. After more than a year of further hostilities, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded to the United Kingdom in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking . Administrative infrastructure was quickly built by early 1842, but piracy, disease, and hostile Qing policies initially prevented the government from attracting commerce. Conditions on the island improved during the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s, when many Chinese refugees, including wealthy merchants, fled mainland turbulence and settled in
4947-399: The area of the New Territories has nine districts. Each district is represented by a district council . The district councils advise the government on local issues such as public facility provisioning, community programme maintenance, cultural promotion, and environmental policy. As of 2024, there are a total of 470 district council seats, 88 of which are directly elected. In May 2023,
SECTION 50
#17327725045325044-453: The area. Many demanded the government to create new hospitals, jobs, and increase police enforcement in the town. West Rail and the extension of the LRT service to the Reserve Zone were commissioned in late 2003. To the northeastern portion of the new town, a constructed wetland has been completed which serves as a buffer between the developments in the Reserve Zone and the Mai Po Nature Reserve . The wetland has been further developed into
5141-1041: The chief executive is selected by establishment politicians and corporate members of the Election Committee rather than directly elected. Despite universal suffrage being established as ultimate goals for the election of the chief executive and all members of the Legislative Council in Articles 45 and 68 of the basic law, the legislature is only partially directly elected, and the executive continues to be nominated by an unrepresentative body. The government has been repeatedly petitioned to introduce direct elections for these positions, but has not introduced these direct elections as of 2024. Ethnic minorities (except those of European ancestry) have marginal representation in government and often experience discrimination in housing, education, and employment. Employment vacancies and public service appointments frequently have language requirements which minority job seekers do not meet, and language education resources remain inadequate for Chinese learners. Foreign domestic helpers , mostly women from
5238-511: The colony. Further tensions between the British and Qing over the opium trade escalated into the Second Opium War . The Qing were again defeated and forced to give up Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island in the Convention of Peking . By the end of this war, Hong Kong had evolved from a transient colonial outpost into a major entrepôt . Rapid economic improvement during the 1850s attracted foreign investment, as potential stakeholders became more confident in Hong Kong's future. The colony
5335-495: The council, while none of the pro-Beijing lawmakers were detained. Annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre were also cancelled amidst fears of violating the national security law. In March 2021, the Chinese central government unilaterally changed Hong Kong's electoral system and established the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee , which would be tasked with screening and evaluating political candidates for their "patriotism", effectively crushing
5432-409: The ecological mitigation area to a wetland ecotourism attraction. After concluding that it was feasible to develop a Wetland Park at the site without compromising its ecological mitigation functions, and that development of the Wetland Park would also enhance the ecological function of the site to a conservation, education and tourism facility, the concerned parties started the Wetland Park Project, which
5529-404: The end of the New Territories lease approached, and Governor Murray MacLehose raised the question of Hong Kong's status with Deng Xiaoping in 1979. Diplomatic negotiations with China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , in which the United Kingdom agreed to the handover of the colony in 1997 and China would guarantee Hong Kong's economic and political systems for 50 years after
5626-419: The fish pond, mudflat and riverside, leading visitors to venture habitats of wildlife such as fiddler crab , mudskipper and the rare black-faced spoonbill . Pui Pui is a crocodile's name, which is a Chinese pun indicating that it came from Shan Pui River and is the apple of the public's eye. On 29 August 2006, she was moved into her landscaped enclosure and can be easily viewed by the public. Pui Pui's Home
5723-424: The flat land in the New Territories. The process of land reclamation for the new town was completed in 1990. Formation of the 2.4 km was estimated to cost HK$ 820 million in a contract signed with a Chinese joint-venture company. 20 million cubic metres (706.29 million cubic feet) of material would be required for the landfill . Maximum possible land formation was 4.88 km . The government
5820-401: The government proposed reforms to the District Council electoral system which further cut the number of directly elected seats from 452 to 88, and total seats from 479 to 470. A requirement that district council candidates be vetted and approved by the District Council Eligibility Review Committee was also proposed. The Legislative Council approved the reforms in July 2023. Hong Kong
5917-418: The handover. The impending handover triggered a wave of mass emigration as residents feared an erosion of civil rights, the rule of law, and quality of life. Over half a million people left the territory during the peak migration period, from 1987 to 1996. The Legislative Council became a fully elected legislature for the first time in 1995 and extensively expanded its functions and organisations throughout
SECTION 60
#17327725045326014-407: The indigenous Baiyue . The region was consolidated under the Nanyue kingdom (a predecessor state of Vietnam ) after the Qin collapse and recaptured by China after the Han conquest . During the Mongol conquest of China in the 13th century, the Southern Song court was briefly located in modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before its final defeat in the 1279 Battle of Yamen by
6111-401: The last years of the colonial rule. The handover of Hong Kong to China was at midnight on 1 July 1997, after 156 years of British rule. Immediately after the handover, Hong Kong was severely affected by several crises. The Hong Kong government was forced to use substantial foreign exchange reserves to maintain the Hong Kong dollar's currency peg during the 1997 Asian financial crisis , and
6208-468: The maritime area is included) consists of Hong Kong Island , the Kowloon Peninsula , the New Territories , Lantau Island , and over 200 other islands. Of the total area, 1,073 km (414 sq mi) is land and 35 km (14 sq mi) is water. The territory's highest point is Tai Mo Shan , 957 metres (3,140 ft) above sea level. Urban development is concentrated on the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong Island, and in new towns throughout
6305-518: The name of Hong Kong was referring to Aberdeen Channel associating with once flourishing incense industry in Ming Dynasty. It could be where the incense was manufactured, stored or exported but there are no evidences to support it. Another speculation is that "fragrant" may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour's freshwater influx from the Pearl River. It is very unlikely the etymology relating to fragrant river. The whole territories of Hong Kong are surrounded by sea, namely salt water. Aberdeen Channel
6402-506: The native flora and fauna of Hong Kong through the animals and models displayed in the Living Wetland Gallery, such as false gharial , mouse deer and green turtle . The Wetland Reserve consists of re-created habitats designed for water fowls and other wildlife. The Wetland Discovery Centre, located in the Wetland Reserve, provides visitors more hands-on experience on local wetlands. Other facilities include Stream Walk, Succession Walk, Mangrove Boardwalk and three bird hides situated next to
6499-498: The new town in 1991. The Housing Authority launched 6,459 Home Ownership Scheme flats in the area at steep discounts to an adjacent private estate and attracted some 90,000 applications. A new modular style of construction for the public housing estates allowed rapid development and, in a first for a new town, on 26 March 1993 Tin Shui Wai was officially opened by Governor Chris Patten . By that time, some 30,000 people were living there. The Development Zone of 220 hectares, in
6596-399: The north development zone has residential apartment buildings that are generally taller and denser than those in the south zone. The population of Tin Shui Wai rose rapidly over the last part of the century but has since stabilised. The government has been criticised for maintaining an insufficient level of services and facilities to meet the rapid population growth. The new town is centred on
6693-426: The opium trade. The commissioner destroyed opium stockpiles and halted all foreign trade, triggering a British military response and the First Opium War . The Qing surrendered early in the war and ceded Hong Kong Island in the Convention of Chuenpi . British forces began controlling Hong Kong shortly after the signing of the convention, from 26 January 1841. However, both countries were dissatisfied and did not ratify
6790-440: The post-war decades to provide safer housing, integrity in the civil service, and more reliable transportation. Nevertheless, widespread public discontent resulted in multiple protests from the 1950s to 1980s, including pro- Republic of China and pro- Chinese Communist Party protests. In the 1967 Hong Kong riots , pro- PRC protestors clashed with the British colonial government. As many as 51 were killed and 802 were injured in
6887-427: The recovery from this was muted by an H5N1 avian-flu outbreak and a housing surplus. This was followed by the 2003 SARS epidemic , during which the territory experienced its most serious economic downturn. Chinese communists portrayed the return of Hong Kong as key moment in the PRC's rise to great power status. Political debates after the handover have centred around the region's democratic development and
6984-543: The region into a wasteland. The Kangxi Emperor lifted the maritime trade prohibition, allowing foreigners to enter Chinese ports in 1684. Qing authorities established the Canton System in 1757 to regulate trade more strictly, restricting non-Russian ships to the port of Canton . Although European demand for Chinese commodities like tea, silk, and porcelain was high, Chinese interest in European manufactured goods
7081-731: The remainder of the Pro-Democracy camp . Hong Kong is on China's southern coast, 60 km (37 mi) east of Macau, on the east side of the mouth of the Pearl River estuary . It is surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides except the north, which neighbours the Guangdong city of Shenzhen along the Sham Chun River . The territory's 1,110.18 km (428.64 sq mi) area (2,754.97 km if
7178-404: The residents were fishermen before the new town was developed. With the decline in aquaculture , most of the fish ponds were abandoned. The Hong Kong Government developed the area into a new town through land reclamation . The new town, conceived in 1987 to house 140,000 people, was constructed on 2.4 square kilometres (590 acres) of reclaimed fishponds and wetland representing one quarter of
7275-412: The rest of the country. All travellers between Hong Kong and China and Macau must pass through border controls, regardless of nationality. Mainland Chinese citizens do not have right of abode in Hong Kong and are subject to immigration controls. Public finances are handled separately from the national government; taxes levied in Hong Kong do not fund the central authority. The Hong Kong Garrison of
7372-407: The shore region was in deprived state. Few people came back to rebuilt the region and the government at that time introduced Hakka migrants to refill the region. New migrants knew nothing about the incense industry and marked its end. From 2000s onward, the remainants of incense trees in Hong Kong were recurrently being chopped down by cross-border illegal loggers. These are strong indicators that
7469-467: The smell of opium, but it is impossible as there was no opium trade in Ming Dynasty. The first romanisation came as "He-Ong-Kong" in 1780, originally referred to a small inlet located between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen. Although the source of the romanised name is unknown, it
7566-469: The south and the north development zones. The south development zone first started in the early 1990s and has since become a unique community. Since Tin Shui Wai was planned and developed from scratch, locals enjoy wider walkways and larger open areas when compared to other urban developments in Hong Kong. Following the completion of the north development zone, the government planned to build 85,000 units and apartments annually in Hong Kong after 1997. As such,
7663-700: The south of the town, near Ping Shan , and is adjacent to Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shing Court and Tin Yau Court. It is elevated over the junction of Ping Ha Road and Tin Fuk Road. Several bus stops serve the station. Three footbridges are constructed along Tin Fuk Road and Ping Ha Road to connect the station to the town. The Tuen Ma line directly connects Tin Shui Wai to the neighbouring new towns of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, as well as Tsuen Wan and Kowloon via
7760-547: The southern part of the new town, has been developed to house about 200,000 people. An LRT (Light Rail Transit) line [ yue ; zh-tw ] and new roads linking the town to the trunk road network provide good connections to the Yuen Long and Tuen Mun districts and to the urban areas beyond. Further expansion of the new town into the remaining areas to the north, known as the Reserve Zone, with an area of 210 hectares, commenced in July 1998. The infrastructure
7857-410: The territory is now one of the world's most significant financial centres and commercial ports. Hong Kong is the world's third-ranked global financial centre (behind New York City and London ), ninth-largest exporter, and eighth-largest importer. Its currency, the Hong Kong dollar , is the ninth most traded currency in the world. Home to the seventh-highest number of billionaires of any city in
7954-525: The traders were expelled after military clashes in the 1520s, Portuguese-Chinese trade relations were re-established by 1549 . Portugal acquired a permanent lease for Macau in 1887. After the Qing conquest , maritime trade was banned under the Haijin policies. From 1661 to 1683, the population of most of the area forming present day Hong Kong was cleared under the Great Clearance , turning
8051-440: The village was marked as Little Hong Kong in a map of 1899. Regarding fragrant/incense wood, historian professor Lo Hsiang-lin was the one first exploring the etymology of Hong Kong with incense tree. The whole territory of Hong Kong, being part of Tung Kwun County, once cultivated incense trees, Aquilaria sinensis , in industrial scale during Ming Dynasty. The county incense was known as kwun-heung , 莞香 in character, which
8148-485: The violence, including dozens killed by the Royal Hong Kong Police via beatings and shootings. Although the territory's competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined because of rising labour and property costs, it transitioned to a service-based economy. By the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre and shipping hub. The colony faced an uncertain future as
8245-756: The war, as skilled Chinese migrants fled from the Chinese Civil War and more refugees crossed the border when the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China in 1949. Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies to industrialise during the 1950s. With a rapidly increasing population, the colonial government attempted reforms to improve infrastructure and public services. The public-housing estate programme , Independent Commission Against Corruption , and Mass Transit Railway were all established during
8342-456: The world and currently the only place in Asia to be in the top 5. The city has the highest life expectancy in the world , and a public transport usage exceeding 90 per cent. There is no lack of tales and speculations on the etymology of Hong Kong. It was because the name was mysterious that no longer fitted the environment on the eve of colonisation by the British. It was because the name was on
8439-454: The world, Hong Kong has the largest number of ultra high-net-worth individuals . Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, severe income inequality exists among the population. Despite being the city with the most skyscrapers in the world , housing in Hong Kong is consistently in high demand . Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.956, ranking fourth in
8536-424: Was 292,000 in 2014, while the total projected population for when the town is fully built-out is about 306,000. The land on which Tin Shui Wai was built did not exist at the beginning of the 1900s, while the adjacent Ping Shan was by the sea. The water north of Ping Shan gradually turned to marshes and villagers converted them into pools and rice paddies . The pools became gei wai fish ponds where most of
8633-476: Was accused by the developers of stalling the release of land for political reasons. Tin Shui Wai Development, a company 51% owned by China Resources and 49% by Cheung Kong Holdings , sued the government for damages caused by delays in handing over 388,000 m of land for development originally promised for 1985. The land was eventually handed over in May 1989. The first occupants moved into
8730-520: Was also commonly written as the single word Hongkong until 1926, when the government officially adopted the two-word name. Some corporations founded during the early colonial era still keep this name, including Hongkong Land , Hongkong Electric Company , Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). Earliest known human traces in what is now Hong Kong are dated by some to 35,000 and 39,000 years ago during
8827-420: Was completed in stages from 2000 to 2004 to cope with population intake of the housing developments. In the early 2000's, Tin Shui Wai developed a notorious reputation as a "city of sadness". The town was criticized for its cramped public housing, isolation, and lack of employment opportunities. On November 25, 2007, numerous residents rallied outside government headquarters to push for more aid and reform for
8924-407: Was designed to provide the reptile with a healthy and comfortable living environment. The outdoor enclosure is 8 by 9 metres (26 by 30 ft), of which 70% is pool area. With a maximum depth of 1-metre (3 ft 3 in), the pool is landscaped with plants to provide sheltered areas, hiding places and basking areas for the reptile. Outdoor facilities include some infra-red heaters, a heat pad and
9021-542: Was first mentioned a book Yuet Tai Kei (粵大記) written between 1577 and 1595, that means it was in 16th century when Hong Kong was ruled by Ming Dynasty , that means any speculations do not fit the background could be ruled out. The location is on the north shore of Aberdeen Island, or Ap Lei Chau natively, next to Aberdeen Channel . Hong Kong Tsuen, 香港村, namely the village of Hong Kong, was recorded on San On County Gazetteer of 1819, situated near Shouson Hill . When Hong Kong became well-known colonial name under British rule,
9118-538: Was further expanded in 1898 when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory's first institution of higher education. Kai Tak Airport began operation in 1924, and the colony avoided a prolonged economic downturn after the 1925–26 Canton–Hong Kong strike . At the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared Hong Kong
9215-531: Was insignificant, so that Chinese goods could only be bought with precious metals. To reduce the trade imbalance, the British sold large amounts of Indian opium to China. Faced with a drug crisis, Qing officials pursued ever more aggressive actions to halt the opium trade. In 1839, the Daoguang Emperor rejected proposals to legalise and tax opium and ordered imperial commissioner Lin Zexu to eradicate
9312-419: Was luxury and worth silver of the same weight, says one gram of kwun-heung worth one gram of silver. Once flourishing incense industry came to the end due to Manchu invasion. The new Manchu rulers ordered all people to evacuate from shore region to eradicate all resistance of Ming from the sea in 1661. Villages and properties were burnt and many people died during this period. The order was revolted in 1683 but
9409-431: Was very far from any river. Hsu Ti-shan was the proponent of heung kong, 香江, namely fragrant river, but of different explanation. He refers the freshwater of a waterfall near Aberdeen Channel with sweet taste. But the character 江 never refers to any streams, creeks or brooks in Hong Kong. Famous female pirate, Heung-kwu , 香姑, literally fragrant-girl, was the youth name of Cheng I Sao . Legend had it that she occupied
#531468