The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is commonly known as Hong Kong.  Comprising over 260 islands, the territory is located on the eastern banks of the Pearl River Delta, facing the South China Sea in the south and bordering Guangdong Province in the north.

Hong Kong was a crown colony of the United Kingdom from 1842 until the transfer of sovereignty to the People's Republic of China in 1997.  Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the People's Republic of China is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign diplomacy.

Originally only a fishing village, salt production site, trading, and military port, Hong Kong has evolved into an international financial centre that enjoys the world's ninth highest GNP per capita.  It is also one of the world's most populous cities with a population of over 7 million people.