Hong Kong Island
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{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Hong Kong Island
|native_name = 香港島/香港岛
|nickname =
|motto =
|image_skyline = Hong Kong HK Island.svg
|image_caption = Map of Hong Kong Island
|image_flag =
|image_seal =
|image_map =
|map_caption = Location within Hong Kong
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 = 80.4
|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_land_km2 =
|area_land_sq_mi =
|area_water_km2 =
|area_water_sq_mi =
|area_water_percent =
|area_urban_km2 =
|area_urban_sq_mi =
|area_metro_km2 =
|County_sq_mi =
|population_footnotes = {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|population_as_of = 2006
|population_note =
|population_total = 1,268,112
|population_density_km2 = 15915
|population_density_sq_mi =
|timezone = [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]
|utc_offset = +8
|footnotes =
}}
{{Infobox Islands
| name = Hong Kong Island
| image name = Hongkongisland.png
| image caption =
| image size =
| locator map =
| map_custom = no
| native name = 香港島
| native name link = Chinese language
| nickname =
| location = [[Hong Kong]]
| coordinates = {{coord|22.255|N|114.195|E|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago =
| total islands =
| major islands =
| area = {{convert|80.4|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}
| highest mount = [[Victoria Peak]]
| elevation = {{convert|552|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| country = People's Republic of China
| country admin divisions title = [[Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China|Special administrative region]]
| country admin divisions = {{flag|Hong Kong}}
| population = 1,268,112
| population as of = 2006
| density = 15,915
| ethnic groups =
| additional info =
}}
{{Chinese|t=香港島|s=香港岛|i=hœŋ<sub>55</sub> kɔŋ<sub>35</sub> toʊ<sub>35</sub>|j=hoeng1 gong2 dou2|p=Xiānggǎng Dǎo}}
'''Hong Kong Island''' ({{zh-t|t=香港島}}) is an [[Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong|island]] in the southern part of [[Hong Kong]], [[China]]. It has a population of 1,268,112 and its population density is 15,915/km², [[as of 2006]]. The island had a population of 3,000 inhabitants scattered in a dozen fishing villages when it was occupied by the [[United Kingdom]] in the [[First Opium War]] in 1842, and the [[Victoria City|City of Victoria]] was then established on the island by the British Force in honor of [[Queen Victoria]]. The [[Central, Hong Kong|Central]] area on the island is the historical, political and economic centre of [[Hong Kong]]. The northern coast of the island forms the southern shore of the [[Victoria Harbour]], which is largely responsible for the development of [[Hong Kong]] due to its deep waters favoured by large trade ships.
The island is home to many of the most famous sights in Hong Kong, such as "[[Victoria Peak|The Peak]]", [[Ocean Park Hong Kong|Ocean Park]], many historical sites and various large shopping centres. The mountain ranges across the island are also famous for [[hiking]].
The northern part of Hong Kong Island together with [[Kowloon]] forms the core urban area of Hong Kong. Their combined area is approximately 88.3 [[Square kilometre|km<sup>2</sup>]] (34.5 [[Square mile|sq. mi.]]) and their combined population (that of the northern part of the island and of Kowloon) is approximately 3,156,500, reflecting a population density of 35,700/km² (91,500/sq. mi.).
The island is also sometimes locally referred to as "the Island side" (in specific reference to the south side of the [[Victoria Harbour]]).
==Administration==
[[Image:VictoriaHarbour.jpg|thumb|250px|The night view of the "Island side" as seen from the "Kowloon side" - the opposite side of the [[Victoria Harbour]]]]
[[Image:repulsebay.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A view of Middle island in the foreground and [[Repulse Bay]] in the background from the [[Ocean Park Hong Kong|Ocean Park]] cable car ride (in the Southern District)]]
[[Districts of Hong Kong|Districts]] located on the island:
* [[Central and Western District]]
* [[Eastern District, Hong Kong|Eastern District]]
* [[Southern District, Hong Kong|Southern District]]
* [[Wan Chai District]]
''Note:'' Hong Kong Island is not part of the [[Islands District, Hong Kong|Islands District]].
==History==
Hong Kong Island was first occupied militarily by Captain [[Charles Elliot]], [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] [[Royal Navy]], on [[20 January]] [[1841]]. It was known as the "barren rock". The [[Royal Navy]] landed at [[Possession Point]].
The [[Treaty of Nanking]] officially ceded the Island to [[United Kingdom|Great Britain]] in [[1842]].
The [[Second World War]] was a dark period for Hong Kong. [[United Kingdom|Britons]], Canadians, [[India]]ns and the [[Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers)|Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Forces]] resisted the Japanese invasion commanded by [[Sakai Takashi]] which started on [[December 8]], [[1941]], eight hours after the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]]. However the Japanese were able to take control of the Hong Kong skies on the first day of attack, outnumbering the defensive forces. The Britons and the Indians retreated from the Gin Drinker's Line and consequently from Kowloon under heavy aerial bombardment and artillery barrage. Fierce fighting continued on Hong Kong Island between the Japanese and Canadians, the result of which was the loss of the only reservoir in Hong Kong. The [[The Winnipeg Grenadiers|Canadian Winnipeg Grenadiers]] fought at the crucial point of Wong Nai Chong Gap and successfully secured the passage between Central and the secluded southern parts of the island. However, their victory did not last long.
Hong Kong fell on [[December 25]], [[1941]], which thereafter was often called "Black Christmas" by locals. The [[Governor of Hong Kong]], [[Mark Aitchison Young|Mark Young]], surrendered in person at the temporary Japanese headquarters, on the third floor of the [[Peninsula Hotel]]. [[Isogai Rensuke]] became the first Japanese governor of Hong Kong. Hyper-inflation and food rationing followed; and the Japanese declared Hong Kong Dollars illegal. Furthermore, 10,000 women were raped in the first few days after Hong Kong's capture and a large number of suspected dissidents were executed. The Japanese cut rations for civilians to conserve food for soldiers, usually to starvation levels. Many people were forcibly moved to famine- and disease-ridden areas of the mainland. When the Japanese surrendered to the United States on [[August 14]], [[1945]], the population of Hong Kong had shrunk to 600,000, less than half of the pre-war population of 1.6 million.
==Geography==
Hong Kong Island is the second-largest island of the territory, the largest being [[Lantau Island]]. Its area is 80.4 [[Square kilometre|km²]], including 6.98 km² of [[land reclamation|land reclaimed]] since 1887 and some smaller scale ones since 1851. It makes up approximately 7% of the total territory. It is separated from the mainland ([[Kowloon Peninsula]] and [[New Territories]]) by [[Victoria Harbour]].
==Demographics==
Its population as of 2000 is 1,367,900, which makes up approximately 19% of that of [[Hong Kong]]. Its population density is higher than for the whole of [[Hong Kong]], ca. 18,000 per km². However, the population density of the island as a whole is a misleading figure as the northern portion of the island, the portion that excludes the Southern District, is much higher than that of the southern portion. The combined population of the more densely populated districts of Central and Western, Wan Chai, and Eastern is 1,085,500, which puts the density of the urbanised part of the island closer to 26,000 per km², or 67,000 per mi². The area of this part of the island is approximately 41.3 km², or 16.1 mi². Together with [[Kowloon]], these urban areas contain 47% of the total population.
==Transport==
[[Image:Admiralty Station.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Admiralty MTR station]]
The [[Island Line (MTR)|Island Line]] of the [[MTR]] underground railway network runs exclusively on Hong Kong Island, from West to East, along the northern coastline of the island. However, the western part of the island is not yet served by the railway. The government and MTR have planned to extend the Island Line to [[Kennedy Town]], the western tip of the island. The extension is expected to start construction in [[2008]] and open in [[2012]].
[[Hong Kong Tramways]] and the [[Peak Tram]] run exclusively on Hong Kong Island, which run from [[Kennedy Town]] to [[Shau Kei Wan]], with a branch links from [[Causeway Bay]] to [[Happy Valley, Hong Kong|Happy Valley]] and the [[Central (Hong Kong)|Central District]] to [[Victoria Peak]] respectively.
Hong Kong Island is connected to the [[Kowloon Peninsula]] on the mainland by two road-only [[tunnel]]s (the [[Cross-Harbour Tunnel]] and the [[Western Harbour Tunnel]]), two MTR railway tunnels ([[Tsuen Wan Line (MTR)|Tsuen Wan Line]] and [[Tung Chung Line (MTR)|Tung Chung Line]]) and one combined road and MTR rail link tunnel ([[Eastern Harbour Tunnel]], containing the [[Tseung Kwan O Line (MTR)|Tseung Kwan O Line]] and road traffic in separate conduits running side by side). A fourth rail link ([[Shatin to Central Link]] from [[Causeway Bay]] to [[Hung Hom]]) and a fourth harbour-crossing tunnel are being planned in order to solve the congested traffic of the current tunnels in peak hours. There is no bridge between the island and the mainland. A bridge connects [[Ap Lei Chau]] and [[Wong Chuk Hang]] of [[Aberdeen, Hong Kong|Aberdeen]] on Hong Kong Island. It was opened in 1983 with two lanes and was expanded to four in 1994.
==See also==
* [[Hong Kong]]
* [[List of areas of Hong Kong]]
* [[List of streets and roads in Hong Kong]]
* [[Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong]]
* [[Country parks and conservation in Hong Kong]]
* [[Queen's Road]]
* [[Des Voeux Road]]
* [[Connaught Road]]
==External links==
*[http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Hong+Kong&ll=22.254148,114.197044&spn=0.163609,0.328766&t=k&hl=en Satellite image of Hong Kong Island by Google Maps]
*[http://hkclweb.hkpl.gov.hk/doc/internet/cht/cnt_highlight.html Map of Hong Kong in 1844]
{{Islands of Hong Kong}}
{{Hong Kong}}
[[Category:Hong Kong Island| ]]
[[ca:Illa de Hong Kong]]
[[da:Hong Kong Øen]]
[[de:Hong Kong Island]]
[[es:Isla de Hong Kong]]
[[eo:Honkonga Insulo]]
[[eu:Hong Kong uhartea]]
[[fr:Île de Hong Kong]]
[[gl:Illa de Hong Kong]]
[[zh-classical:香港島]]
[[ko:홍콩 섬]]
[[it:Hong Kong (isola)]]
[[he:הונג קונג (אי)]]
[[ms:Pulau Hong Kong]]
[[nl:Hongkong-eiland]]
[[ja:香港島]]
[[no:Hongkongøya]]
[[pl:Wyspa Hongkong]]
[[scn:Ìsula di Hong Kong]]
[[simple:Hong Kong Island]]
[[fi:Hongkongin saari]]
[[sv:Hongkongön]]
[[zh-yue:香港島]]
[[zh:香港島]]