Located at the southeast coast of China, the size of Hong Kong is about 400 square miles (~1000 sq km) but it is growing! No, not from the shrinking of the ocean caused by El Nino, nor from conquering neighboring cities, but from the reclamation of land. The new airport is one good example.

Hong Kong has about 6.9 million people, give or take 200 thousand - all depending on how many tourists are there! When you are in places like Mongkok or Causeway Bay, you would think that the whole population of Hong Kong is there. (Left: a pedestrian crossing in Central district.)

(note: HK has been getting about 10 million visitors per year, and let's say that on the average each stays 1 week.)

Hong Kong is made up of the Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Pennisula, and the New Territories, with Hong Kong Island being the smallest of the three but where the central business district is located (aptly named Central). Now if you look up an atlas, you will see Victoria shown as the capital or key city. Good luck in finding it! There is no Victoria. There is just a Victoria Harbor separating Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

The south side of the Hong Kong island is known for its beaches and is where some of the wealthy live. Repulse Bay is probably the most famous beach there (its Chinese name means shallow water bay).

The New Territories are the countryside of Hong Kong (or at least they used to be), where there are still villages little known to tourists. But you have to know where you are going before you can find them.