Hong Kong Island
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香港 島 Hong Kong Island |
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| Waters | South China Sea |
| Geographical location | 22 ° 15 ′ 0 ″ N , 114 ° 11 ′ 0 ″ E |
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| surface | 80.4 km² |
| Highest elevation |
Victoria Peak 552 m |
| Residents | 1,270,876 (2011) 15,807 inhabitants / km² |
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Hong Kong Island ( Chinese 香港 島 / 香港 岛 , Pinyin Xiānggǎng Dǎo , Jyutping Hoeng 1 gong 2 Dou 2 , short: 港島 / 港岛 , Gǎngdǎo , Jyutping Gong 2 dou 2 ) is an island in the southern part of Hong Kong . In 2006, there were 1,268,112 people on Hong Kong Island. The population density is 15,915 / km². After the British conquered the island in the 1840s, the city of Victoria City was founded. The area called Central on the island is the historical, political and economic center of Hong Kong. The north coast of the island forms the south bank of Victoria Harbor .
There are many attractions on Hong Kong Island, such as Victoria Peak , many historical sites and various large shopping centers. The mountain ranges on the island are well known among hikers .
history
On January 26, 1841, Commodore James Bremer took possession of Hong Kong Island at Possession Point for the British Crown. After landing at Possession Point , the island was christened “barren rock” (“barren rock”). On February 1, he published a proclamation to the residents with General Representative Charles Elliot, declaring the island to be British territory. In 1842 the Treaty of Nanking officially assigned the island to Great Britain .
During World War II , British , Canadian and Indian forces, as well as Hong Kong's voluntary defense forces, defended the island from the Japanese attacks on December 8, 1941, eight hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor . Nevertheless, the Japanese attacking in the majority were initially able to gain air superiority . The British and Indians withdrew under heavy bombardment and artillery fire. Fierce fighting between Japanese and Canadian armed forces continued on the island, but the Canadians could not hold their own for long.
Hong Kong fell on December 25, 1941. This day went down in history as "Black Christmas". Hong Kong Governor Mark Aitchison Young personally explained the assignment at the Japanese Temporary Headquarters in the Peninsula Hotel , Hong Kong . Isogai Rensuke became the first Japanese governor of Hong Kong. The conquest resulted in inflation and food shortages, and the Hong Kong dollar was declared invalid. In addition, 10,000 women were raped in the days after Hong Kong was captured, and many critics of the regime were executed. The Japanese government reduced the rations to ensure supplies for the soldiers. Countless families had to move to the uninhabitable mainland. When the Japanese announced their surrender to the United States on August 14, 1945, the population had shrunk from 1.6 million before the war to 600,000.
geography
Hong Kong Island is the second largest island in the Hong Kong region after Lantau Island . The area is 80.4 km², which corresponds to about 7% of the total area of the region. It is separated from the mainland by Victoria Harbor.
Hong Kong Island is very mountainous, the altitude ranges from 0 m on the South China Sea to 552 m ( Victoria Peak ).
structure
The four administrative districts on Hong Kong Island are:
Infrastructure
The Iceland Line of the MTR - subway network carries on the north coast of the island along. The South Island Line , which leads to Ap Lei Chau , a barrier island on the south coast of Hong Kong Island, opened in late 2016. The Hong Kong Tramways and the Peak Tram also operate on Hong Kong Island.
Hong Kong Island is connected to the Kowloon Peninsula by two road tunnels ( CHT and WHC ), two subway tunnels and a combined rail and road tunnel ( EHC ) . A fourth road and rail tunnel is being planned to reduce utilization during peak hours. There is no bridge to the mainland, only in the Southern District on the south coast of the island there has been a bridge connection for car traffic between the offshore island of Ap Lei Chau and Aberdeen on the Hong Kong Island side. Since the commissioning of the South Island Line in 2016, there is another bridge for the underground connection.
The Central Mid-Levels Escalator connects Central and Mid-Levels and is the longest covered and external escalator system in the world.
Individual evidence
- ^ The London Gazette : p. 1424. 3 June 1841. Issue 19984.
- ^ The Chinese Repository (1841). Volume 10. p. 64.
- ^ ADAC Travel Guide - Hong Kong and Macau , page 29
- ↑ Anke Kausch: China: the classic journey - imperial and garden cities, holy mountains and boomtowns . Dumont - Art Travel Guide. Page 391