Table of Contents REGIONAL PROFILE: HONG KONG SAR ........................................................................................... 4 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 4 AREA AND CLIMATE................................................................................................................................... 4 MAJOR URBAN CENTERS............................................................................................................................ 4 New Territories ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Lantau Island ........................................................................................................................................ 5 Kowloon Peninsula ............................................................................................................................... 5 Central .................................................................................................................................................. 5 MAJOR RIVERS ........................................................................................................................................... 5 MAJOR TOPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES........................................................................................................... 5 Victoria Harbor .................................................................................................................................... 6 Mountains ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Lowlands............................................................................................................................................... 6 PLANTS AND WILDLIFE .............................................................................................................................. 6 HISTORY..................................................................................................................................................... 7 GOVERNMENT .......................................................................................................................................... 10 ECONOMY................................................................................................................................................. 11 MEDIA ...................................................................................................................................................... 11 PEOPLES ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Tanka .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Hoklo................................................................................................................................................... 13 Punti.................................................................................................................................................... 13 Hakka.................................................................................................................................................. 13 LANGUAGE GROUPS ................................................................................................................................. 14 Cantonese............................................................................................................................................ 14 South Asian Languages....................................................................................................................... 14 RELIGION.................................................................................................................................................. 15 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................... 15 DISCUSSING RELIGION ............................................................................................................................. 16 PLACES OF WORSHIP ................................................................................................................................16 CEMETERIES ............................................................................................................................................. 17 RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS .............................................................................................................................. 18 Birth of Buddha................................................................................................................................... 18 Chung Yeung Festival......................................................................................................................... 18 TRADITIONS............................................................................................................................................. 19 GREETINGS............................................................................................................................................... 19 HOSPITALITY............................................................................................................................................ 20 GIVING GIFTS ........................................................................................................................................... 21 DRESS CODE............................................................................................................................................. 21 CELEBRATIONS......................................................................................................................................... 22 Official Holidays................................................................................................................................. 22 Western Public Holidays..................................................................................................................... 22 Tomb Sweeping Day ........................................................................................................................... 22 Lunar New Year.................................................................................................................................. 22 Dragon Boat Festival.......................................................................................................................... 23 Mid-Autumn Festival .......................................................................................................................... 23 FOOD ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 GUNS AND EXPLOSIVES ............................................................................................................................ 25 OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE ............................................................................................................................ 25 DO’S AND DON’TS.................................................................................................................................... 25 URBAN LIFE ............................................................................................................................................. 26 2 PATTERN OF URBAN SETTLEMENT ........................................................................................................... 26 DAILY LIFE IN URBAN AREAS .................................................................................................................. 27 SANITATION ............................................................................................................................................. 28 BANKING AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS.................................................................................................... 28 SHOPPING ................................................................................................................................................. 29 TRAFFIC ................................................................................................................................................... 32 TRANSPORTATION .................................................................................................................................... 33 HEALTH CARE .......................................................................................................................................... 34 SAFETY..................................................................................................................................................... 35 DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE........................................................................................................................ 35 RURAL LIFE ............................................................................................................................................. 36 AGRICULTURE .......................................................................................................................................... 36 FOOD PROCUREMENT ..............................................................................................................................