Long-form name: none; abbreviated HK

Type: colony of the UK; scheduled to revert to China in 1997

Capital: Victoria

Administrative divisions: none (colony of the UK)

Independence: none (colony of the UK); the UK signed an agreement with China on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: based on English common law

National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 August (1945)

Branches: governor assisted by advisory Executive Council, legislates with advice and consent of 57-member Legislative Council; Executive Council composed of governor, four ex officio senior officials, and 12 nominated members; Legislative Council composed of governor, 10 official members, 20 appointed unofficial members, and 14 unofficial members elected indirectly by functional constituencies and 12 indirectly elected by an electoral college; Urban Council, consisting of 15 elected members and 15 appointed by governor, responsible for health, recreation, and resettlement in urban areas; Regional Council (established 1 April 1986), composed of 12 directly elected members, nine indirectly elected, 12 appointed, and three ex officio, has similar responsibilities in nonurban areas; independent judiciary

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); @m5Head of Government--Governor Sir David Clive WILSON (since 9 April 1987); Chief Secretary Sir David Robert FORD (since NA February 1987)

Suffrage: over 21 years for Urban Council, Regional Council, and District Boards; limited to about 71,000 professionals of electoral college and functional constituencies

Elections: on three-year cycle for Urban and Regional Councils; last held March 1986; indirect elections for Legislative Council held every three years starting in September 1985

Political parties: none

Communists: 5,000 (est.) cadres affiliated with Communist Party of China

Other political or pressure groups: Federation of Trade Unions (Communist controlled), Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (Nationalist Chinese dominated), Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (Communist controlled), Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, and several small pro-democracy groups.

Member of: ADB, ESCAP (associate member), GATT, IMO, INTERPOL, Multifiber Arrangement, WMO

Diplomatic representation: as a British colony, Hong Kong interests in the US are represented by the UK; US--Consul General Donald M. ANDERSON; Consulate General at 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong (mailing address is Box 30, Hong Kong, or FPO San Francisco 96659-0002); telephone �852� (5) 239011

Flag: blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with the Hong Kong coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a shield (bearing two junks below a crown) held by a lion (representing the UK) and a dragon (representing China) with another lion above the shield and a banner bearing the words @m5HONG KONG below the shield

NOTE: The information regarding Hong Kong on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Hong Kong Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Hong Kong Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.