Is Hong Kong your home?" Or is this your first time here? Whatever brought you to the city with a population of approximately 7.5 million, we're confident that our list of 25 interesting facts about Hong Kong will teach you something new.
Facts to know about Hong Kong
1. The tall towers in Hong Kong are legendary. Did you know that national parks and nature reserves comprise 40% of the area? Hiking is one of my favorite weekend activities, the green paths
2. You undoubtedly already know that the Chinese word for Hong Kong is "fragrant harbor." Kowloon, what about it? "Kowloon" is equivalent to "nine dragons" every time it is spoken. According to folklore, a young monarch named the region "eight dragons" after noticing the region's eight hills. A servant later reminded the monarch that he was also a dragon. In total, nine. In Cantonese, Kow sounds like "gau," nine, and Loon sounds like "lung," which is a dragon.
3. The longest-covered escalator in the world is located in Hong Kong. A half-mile-long escalator connects the Mid-Levels.
4. The renowned Star Ferry of Hong Kong started operating in 1880. At that time, it took up to an hour to go from Victoria Harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui. The identical journey occurred in 10 minutes today because of the city's reclamation.
5. Hong Kong has won an Olympic gold medal twice in its history. In 1996 in Atlanta, Lee Lai-Shan won a windsurfing competition, and in the most recent Olympics in Tokyo, Cheung Ka Long earned a gold medal in fencing. Swimmer Siobhan Haughey won two silver medals at the Toyko Olympics, making it HK's most prosperous Olympic Games yet.
6. Hong Kong residents have a well-known business spirit and ambition to succeed financially. Hong Kong placed eighth on a list of billionaires in 2020; 96 citizens are believed to have personal fortunes worth $1 billion or more.
7. In reality, Hong Kong comprises 263 islands, albeit Hong Kong Island frequently gets the most attention. While some islands, including Lantau, Cheung Chau, and Lamma, can be reached by ferry, others are deserted and inaccessible.
8. "touch the heart" refers to dim sum, a southern Chinese cuisine. Originally intended as a traveler's snack, these delicious little morsels have become integral to the local way of life.
9. If you discover that your apartment building lacks a fourth level, don't be concerned. Here are two numbers you should be aware of! Since "four" in Chinese sounds like the word "death," it is thought to be unfortunate, thus omitting it is prevalent in Hong Kong. If you believe that's not a "fun fact," the other side is that eight is a lucky number because it symbolizes wealth.
10. Feng shui, a mystic art, is still widely used in Hong Kong. Two rods to deflect negative energy can be found on the roof of the HSBC Hong Kong building in Central. They look toward the sharply-edged Bank of China skyscraper, which some say cuts and dilutes positive energy.
11. After Hong Kong was given to the British in 1841, British Queen Victoria wrote, "Albert is so amused at my having got the island of Hong Kong. At Possession Point, sometimes referred to as Tai Hang Hau or "big puddle," the British raised the Union Jack flag for the first time. It gathered water while standing directly on the island's beach. The current location is at Hollywood Road Park.
12. Fun food facts about pineapple buns and egg tarts. The latter and egg pastries are must-try regional specialties at the bakery and are so named not because they include the fruit but because of their pineapple-like crust.
13. From May to November is the typhoon season. The system in place in Hong Kong for dealing with these tropical storms works quite well. A T1 signal indicates an approaching storm. The next signal, a T3, warns kindergarteners to remain indoors as the battery intensifies. Hong Kong cancels work, school, and public transit when a T8 or T10 happens because of 180 km/h gusts.
14. Tycoons: These Hong Kong businesspeople produce vast amounts of money, not to be confused with tropical storms. The top businessman in the city? Li Ka-Shing, who has an estimated net worth of HK$250 billion, held the position for many years, but Lee Shau-Kee will take the lead in 2020.
15. The national airline of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific, has won the title of "World's Best Airline" numerous times.
16. Listen to the beat of Chinese drums heralding the entry of a Chinese lion. At Chinese New Year, acrobatic lion dances are necessary for groundbreaking events and business openings.
17. Cantonese is spoken by the majority of Chinese people in Hong Kong. The language uses the Jyutping Romanization system and has nine tones.
18. Soccer fields can fit inside Hong Kong International Airport.
19. The bronze Big Buddha, a well-known monument in Hong Kong, is situated on Lantau Island. With a height of 34 meters, this seated Buddha is among the biggest in the globe.
20. Hong Kong's skyline is always stunning, with over 8,000 gleaming skyscrapers. The International Commerce Centre, or ICC, is the largest in West Kowloon, almost half a kilometer tall. The building's crowning feature is the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which sits atop the system and boasts the world's highest bar and pool.