History of Hong Kong in Timeline

Hong Kong is a densely populated special administrative region of China, with a population of 7.4 million people living within its 1,104-square-kilometre territory. Its high population density ranks it as one of the most crowded regions globally.

1904: Hong Kong Tramways Service

Hong Kong Tramways began servicing Hong Kong since 1904.

1911: Establishment of the University of Hong Kong

In 1911, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was founded as the city's first institute of higher education during the early colonial period.

1924: Kai Tak Airport began operation

In 1924, Kai Tak Airport began operation in Hong Kong.

1925: Canton-Hong Kong strike

In 1925, the colony avoided a prolonged economic downturn after the 1925–26 Canton–Hong Kong strike.

1926: Official Adoption of Two-Word Name

In 1926, the government officially adopted the two-word name "Hong Kong", after it was frequently used by 1810.

1937: Hong Kong declared a neutral zone

In 1937, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared Hong Kong a neutral zone to safeguard its status as a free port at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

1940: Evacuation of British women and children

In 1940, the colonial government prepared for a possible attack, evacuating all British women and children.

December 1941: Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong

In December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong, the same morning as its attack on Pearl Harbor.

1941: Hong Kong occupied by Japan

In 1941, Hong Kong was occupied by Japan during World War II.

August 1945: British resumed control

On 30 August 1945, the British resumed control of Hong Kong.

1945: End of Japanese Occupation

In 1945, Japan's occupation of Hong Kong ended during World War II.

1949: Influx of Refugees

In 1949, more refugees crossed the border when the Chinese Communist Party took control of mainland China.

1952: Summer Olympics Participation

Hong Kong has participated in almost every Summer Olympics since 1952.

1961: GDP Increase

Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross domestic product increased by a factor of 180, and per capita GDP increased by a factor of 87.

1963: Establishment of The Chinese University of Hong Kong

In 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was established to fill the need for a university that taught using Chinese as its primary language of instruction.

1967: 1967 Hong Kong riots

In 1967, pro-PRC protestors clashed with the British colonial government in the Hong Kong riots.

1972: Release of The Way of the Dragon

In 1972, the release of Bruce Lee's film "The Way of the Dragon" led to local Hong Kong productions gaining popularity outside of Hong Kong.

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1975: Last Reported Snowfall

The last reported instance of snowfall in Hong Kong occurred on Tai Mo Shan in 1975.

1976: First Modern Dragon Boat Competition

In 1976, the first modern dragon boat competition was organized in Hong Kong as part of the Tourism Board's efforts.

1978: Start of Market Liberalisation on the Mainland

Economic and infrastructure integration with China has increased significantly since the 1978 start of market liberalisation on the mainland.

1979: MacLehose raised question of Hong Kong's status with Deng Xiaoping

In 1979, Governor Murray MacLehose raised the question of Hong Kong's status with Deng Xiaoping.

1979: Resumption of Cross-Boundary Train Service

Since resumption of cross-boundary train service in 1979, many rail and road links have been improved and constructed, facilitating trade between regions.

1984: Sino-British Joint Declaration

In 1984, the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed, agreeing to the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.

1987: Mass Emigration

Starting in 1987, a wave of mass emigration began, lasting until 1996, as residents feared an erosion of civil rights.

1989: Tiananmen Square commemorations cancelled

In 1989, annual commemorations of the Tiananmen Square protests and massacre were also cancelled amidst fears of violating the national security law.

August 1990: Record Highest Daily Minimum Temperature

On August 18, 1990, the record highest daily minimum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory was 30.1 °C (86.2 °F).

1991: Establishment of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

In 1991, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) was established.

1993: GDP Peak

Hong Kong's GDP relative to mainland China peaked at 27% in 1993.

1993: First international dragon boat race

In 1993, overseas teams began competing in the first international dragon boat race in Hong Kong.

1994: Last appearance in the Commonwealth Games

In 1994, Hong Kong made its last appearance in the Commonwealth Games, as it was no longer part of the Commonwealth of Nations.

1994: University status for PolyU and CityU

In 1994, both The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) were granted university status.

1995: Economic Freedom Index Ranking

Hong Kong's economy ranked at the top of the Heritage Foundation's economic freedom index between 1995 and 2021.

1995: Hosted Dynasty Cup

In 1995, Hong Kong hosted the Dynasty Cup.

1995: Legislative Council became a fully elected legislature

In 1995, the Legislative Council became a fully elected legislature for the first time.

1996: Peak Migration Period

Ending in 1996, the peak migration period saw over half a million people leave the territory due to fears of eroded civil rights.

1996: First Olympic gold medal

In 1996, Lee Lai-shan won Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics.

July 1997: Handover of Hong Kong to China

In July 1997, the handover of Hong Kong to China occurred at midnight on 1 July, after 156 years of British rule.

1997: China Trade Goods

Half of China's trade goods were routed through Hong Kong in 1997, dropping to about 13% by 2015.

1997: GDP Relative to Mainland China

Hong Kong's GDP relative to mainland China peaked at 27% in 1993; it fell to less than 3% in 2017, as the mainland developed and liberalised its economy.

1997: Attaining University Status

In 1997, Hong Kong Metropolitan University attained full university status.

1997: Asian Financial Crisis

In 1997, Hong Kong was severely affected by the Asian financial crisis, and the government was forced to use foreign exchange reserves.

1997: Handover to China

In 1997, the United Kingdom handed Hong Kong over to China, establishing the "one country, two systems" principle.

1998: Kai Tak International Airport Closure

Hong Kong International Airport is the territory's primary airport, replacing Kai Tak International Airport that ended its operation in 1998.

1999: Attaining University Status

In 1999, Lingnan University attained full university status.

2003: Archaeological Investigation in Wong Tei Tung

In 2003, an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung, Sai Kung, revealed knapped stone tools dating back to the Paleolithic period.

2003: SARS epidemic

In 2003, the SARS epidemic caused Hong Kong's most serious economic downturn.

2006: Attaining University Status

In 2006, Hong Kong Shue Yan University attained full university status.

2007: Hosted Premier League Asia Trophy

In 2007, Hong Kong hosted the Premier League Asia Trophy.

2008: Hosted Summer Olympics equestrian events

In 2008, Hong Kong hosted equestrian events for the Summer Olympics.

2009: Hosted East Asian Games

In 2009, Hong Kong hosted the East Asian Games.

2014: Umbrella Revolution

In 2014, the central government decision to implement nominee pre-screening before allowing chief executive elections triggered a series of protests known as the Umbrella Revolution.

2015: Trade Goods

Half of China's trade goods were routed through Hong Kong in 1997, dropping to about 13% by 2015.

January 2016: Lowest Recorded Temperature at Tai Mo Shan

On January 24, 2016, the lowest recorded temperature in all of Hong Kong was −6.0 °C (21.2 °F) at Tai Mo Shan.

2016: Legislative Council elections

After the 2016 Legislative Council elections, discrepancies in the electoral registry and disqualification of elected legislators raised further concerns about the region's autonomy.

2016: Tourism Contribution to Economy

In 2016, 26.6 million visitors contributed HK$258 billion (US$32.9 billion) to the territory.

2016: Attaining University Status

In 2016, Education University of Hong Kong attained full university status.

August 2017: Historic Temperature Extremes

On August 22, 2017, the historic temperature extreme at the Hong Kong Observatory reached 36.6 °C (97.9 °F). The highest recorded temperature in all of Hong Kong also occurred on August 22, 2017, reaching 39.0 °C (102 °F) at Wetland Park.

2017: Decline in film production

By 2017, the number of films produced annually in Hong Kong had declined to approximately 60, shifting industry momentum to mainland China.

2017: GDP Decrease

Hong Kong's GDP relative to mainland China fell to less than 3% in 2017.

December 2018: Stock Exchange Market Capitalisation

As of December 2018, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange had a market capitalisation of HK$30.4 trillion (US$3.87 trillion).

2018: Attaining University Status

In 2018, Hang Seng University of Hong Kong attained full university status.

June 2019: Mass Protests Erupt

In June 2019, mass protests erupted in response to a proposed extradition amendment bill, becoming the largest in Hong Kong's history.

2019: Large-scale Protests

In response to large-scale protests in 2019 and 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the controversial Hong Kong national security law.

June 2020: National Anthem Ordinance passed

In June 2020, the Legislative Council passed the National Anthem Ordinance, criminalizing "insults to the national anthem of China".

June 2020: Suspension of Extradition Treaties

In June 2020, the imposition of the Hong Kong national security law resulted in the suspension of bilateral extradition treaties by several countries.

July 2020: End of Preferential Economic Treatment by the United States

In July 2020, the United States ended its preferential economic and trade treatment of Hong Kong.

September 2020: Waterspout at Hong Kong International Airport

On September 26, 2020, a waterspout occurred at Hong Kong International Airport.

October 2020: Arrest of Pro-Democracy Politicians

In October 2020, the Hong Kong Police arrested seven pro-democracy politicians over tussles in the Legislative Council.

November 2020: Cryptocurrency Trading Restrictions Proposed

In November 2020, Hong Kong's Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau proposed a new law that will restrict cryptocurrency trading to professional investors only.

2020: Second Olympic gold medal

In 2020, Cheung Ka Long won Hong Kong's second Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

2020: Decline in Visitors

Since 2020, there has been a sharp decline in incoming visitors due to tight COVID-19 travel restrictions.

March 2021: Electoral System Amendments

In March 2021, the Chinese central government introduced amendments to Hong Kong's electoral system, reducing directly elected seats and requiring candidate vetting.

July 2021: Guinness World Record

Hong Kong Tramways currently holds the Guinness World Record as the "Largest double-decker tram fleet in service", certified on 30 July 2021, with a fleet of 165 double-decker trams.

2021: Income Inequality

Although median household income in Hong Kong steadily increased during the decade to 2021, the wage gap remained high; the 90th percentile of earners receive 41% of all income.

2021: Trading Entity Ranking

In 2021, Hong Kong is the ninth largest trading entity in exports and eighth largest in imports.

2021: Removal from Economic Freedom Index

In 2021, Hong Kong was removed from the Heritage Foundation's economic freedom index.

2021: Hong Kong Metropolitan University

In 2021, Open University of Hong Kong changed name to Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

2021: Population Statistics

In 2021, the Census and Statistics Department estimated Hong Kong's population at 7,413,070. The overwhelming majority (91.6%) is Han Chinese. According to a 2021 thematic report by the Hong Kong government, after excluding foreign domestic helpers, the real number of non-Chinese ethnic minorities in the city was 301,344, or 4% of Hong Kong's population.

December 2022: Polling on local identity

In December 2022, a poll in Hong Kong revealed that 32% of respondents identified as "Hongkongers", 34.1% as "Hongkongers in China", 45.9% as having a "Mixed Identity", 20.5% as "Chinese", and 11.9% as "Chinese in Hong Kong".

2022: Airline Ceasation

Due to the closure of the Russian airspace in 2022, multiple airlines decided to cease their operations in Hong Kong.

2022: Life Expectancy

In 2022, the life expectancy in Hong Kong was 81.3 years for males and 87.2 years for females.

May 2023: Legislation Introduced to Reduce Directly Elected Seats

In May 2023, the Legislative Council introduced legislation to reduce the number of directly elected seats in the district councils, and a District Council Eligibility Review Committee was established.

May 2023: Government Proposed Reforms to District Council Electoral System

In May 2023, the government proposed reforms to the District Council electoral system, cutting the number of directly elected seats.

July 2023: Legislative Council Approved Reforms

In July 2023, the Legislative Council approved the reforms to the District Council electoral system.

2023: Government Attempts to Attract Tourists

In an attempt to attract tourists back to Hong Kong, the Hong Kong government announced plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets in 2023. Hong Kong was the most visited city internationally in the Asia-Pacific in 2023.

2023: Birth Rate

The birth rate in Hong Kong in 2023 was 0.751 per woman of child-bearing age.

February 2024: "One country, two systems" principle

In February 2024, Xia Baolong, the head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said that the "one country, two systems" principle would be kept permanently.

July 2024: Suspension of Cross-Boundary Train Service

Cross-boundary train service to Shenzhen has been suspended since the outbreak of COVID-19, and officially closed by the State Council on 31 July 2024.

September 2024: Tornado at Victoria Harbour

On September 28, 2024, a tornado occurred at Victoria Harbour.

2024: Direct Elections not introduced

As of 2024, the government has been repeatedly petitioned to introduce direct elections, but has not introduced these direct elections.

2024: District Council Seats

As of 2024, there are a total of 470 district council seats, 88 of which are directly elected.

2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, Hong Kong is ranked as the 18th most innovative territory in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Attaining University Status

In 2024, Saint Francis University attained full university status.

2024: Safeguarding National Security Ordinance Passed

In 2024, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was passed by the Legislative Council, granting officials more powers to crack down on opposition.