History of Hong Kong in Timeline

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with a population of 7.4 million residents of various nationalities. It has a 1,104-square-kilometre (426 sq mi) territory, making it the fourth most densely populated region in the world.

1904: Hong Kong Tramways servicing

The Hong Kong Tramways began servicing Hong Kong since 1904.

1911: Founding 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.

1924: Kai Tak Airport Begins Operation

In 1924, Kai Tak Airport began its operations 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: Government Officially Adopts Two-Word Name

In 1926, the Hong Kong government officially adopted the two-word name for the territory after it had been commonly written as the single word Hongkong.

1937: Hong Kong Declared Neutral Zone

In 1937, at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared Hong Kong a neutral zone.

1940: Evacuation of British Women and Children

In 1940, the colonial government evacuated all British women and children from Hong Kong in preparation for a possible attack.

December 1941: Imperial Japanese Army Attack on Hong Kong

On 8 December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army attacked Hong Kong, coinciding with the attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to almost four years of Japanese occupation.

1941: Japanese Occupation Begins

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

August 1945: British Resume Control

On 30 August 1945, the British resumed control of Hong Kong, marking the end of the Japanese occupation.

1945: End of Japanese Occupation

In 1945, Japan's occupation of Hong Kong during World War II came to an end.

1949: Influx of Refugees After Chinese Communist Party Control

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

1952: Participation in the Summer Olympics

In 1952, Hong Kong began participating in almost every Summer Olympics.

1961: Increase of Hong Kong's gross domestic product

Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's gross domestic product increased by a factor of 180.

1963: Establishment of the Chinese University of Hong Kong

In 1963, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was established to provide university education using Chinese as the primary language of instruction.

1967: Hong Kong Riots

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

1972: Release of The Way of the Dragon

In 1972, Bruce Lee's film "The Way of the Dragon" was released, leading to increased popularity of local Hong Kong productions outside of Hong Kong.

1975: Last reported snowfall

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

1976: First modern dragon boat race

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

1978: Start of market liberalization on the mainland

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

1979: MacLehose Raises 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 as the end of the New Territories lease approached.

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, in which the United Kingdom agreed to the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.

1987: Peak Migration Period Begins

In 1987, the peak migration period began in Hong Kong as residents feared an erosion of civil rights.

1989: Tiananmen Square Commemorations Cancelled

Annual commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre were cancelled amidst fears of violating the national security law in Hong Kong.

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 the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

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

1993: First international dragon boat race

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

1993: Hong Kong's GDP relative to mainland China's peaked

In 1993, the territory's GDP relative to mainland China's peaked at 27%.

1994: Last appearance in the Commonwealth Games

In 1994, Hong Kong made its last appearance in the Commonwealth Games.

1994: University Status for PolyU, CityU, and HKBU

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

1995: Hong Kong's economy ranked at the top of the Heritage Foundation's economic freedom index

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

1995: Hosted the 1995 Dynasty Cup

In 1995, Hong Kong hosted the Dynasty Cup.

1995: Legislative Council Becomes Fully Elected

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

1996: First Olympic gold medal

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

1996: Peak Migration Period Ends

In 1996, the peak migration period ended in Hong Kong, during which over half a million people left the territory.

July 1997: Handover of Hong Kong to China

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

1997: Increase of Hong Kong's per capita GDP

Between 1961 and 1997 Hong Kong's per capita GDP increased by a factor of 87.

1997: Asian Financial Crisis

Immediately after the handover in 1997, Hong Kong was severely affected by the Asian financial crisis, forcing the government to use foreign exchange reserves.

1997: University status for Hong Kong Metropolitan University

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

1997: Percentage of China's trade goods routed through Hong Kong

In 1997, half of China's trade goods were routed through Hong Kong.

1997: Handover to China

In 1997, the territory of Hong Kong was handed over from the United Kingdom to China.

1998: Closure of Kai Tak International Airport

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

1999: University Status for Lingnan University

In 1999, Lingnan University attained full university status.

2003: SARS Epidemic

In 2003, Hong Kong experienced its most serious economic downturn during the SARS epidemic.

2003: Archaeological Investigation in Wong Tei Tung

In 2003, an archaeological investigation in Wong Tei Tung, Sai Kung revealed knapped stone tools from deposits that were dated using optical luminescence dating.

2006: University Status for Hong Kong Shue Yan University

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

2007: 2007 Premier League Asia Trophy

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

2008: 2008 Summer Olympics equestrian events

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

2009: 2009 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 in Hong Kong, known as the Umbrella Revolution.

2015: Percentage of China's trade goods routed through Hong Kong decreased

By 2015, only about 13% of China's trade goods were routed through Hong Kong.

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: Visitors contribute billions to Hong Kong

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

2016: Legislative Council Elections and Disqualifications

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

2016: University Status for Education University of Hong Kong

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

2016: Legislative Council Election

In the 2016 election, twenty-two political parties had representatives elected to the Legislative Council in Hong Kong.

August 2017: Historic high temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory and Wetland Park

On August 22, 2017, the historic temperature extreme at the Hong Kong Observatory was 36.6 °C (97.9 °F), and the highest recorded temperature in all of Hong Kong was 39.0 °C (102 °F) at Wetland Park.

2017: Hong Kong's GDP relative to mainland China's fell

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

2017: Decline in film production

In 2017, the number of films produced annually in Hong Kong declined to about 60, reflecting a shift in industry momentum to mainland China.

December 2018: Market capitalization of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

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

2018: University Status for Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

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

June 2019: Mass Protests Erupt

In June 2019, mass protests erupted in Hong Kong in response to a proposed extradition amendment bill.

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 by the central government in Beijing resulted in the suspension of bilateral extradition treaties by several countries.

July 2020: End of Preferential Economic and Trade Treatment

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

September 2020: Waterspout and Tornado at Hong Kong International Airport

In September 2020, a waterspout and a tornado 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 with pro-Beijing politicians in the Legislative Council in May.

November 2020: Proposed law to restrict cryptocurrency trading

In November 2020, Hong Kong's Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau proposed a new law that would 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 incoming visitors due to COVID-19

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

March 2021: Amendments to Electoral System Introduced

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

March 2021: Electoral System Changes and Candidate Eligibility Review Committee

In March 2021, the Chinese central government unilaterally changed Hong Kong's electoral system and established the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee.

July 2021: Guinness World Record

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

2021: Income inequality in Hong Kong

Although median household income steadily increased during the decade to 2021, the wage gap remained high, with the 90th percentile of earners receiving 41% of all income.

2021: Hong Kong removed from the Heritage Foundation's economic freedom index

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

2021: Hong Kong trading entities

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

2021: Hong Kong's Population

In 2021, the Census and Statistics Department estimated Hong Kong's population at 7,413,070. The majority were Han Chinese, with a smaller percentage being non-ethnic Chinese minorities.

2021: Hong Kong Metropolitan University

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

December 2022: Polling on Hong Kong Identity

In December 2022, polling data 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: Closure of the Russian airspace

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

2022: Hong Kong Tramways rideship

In 2022, Hong Kong Tramways’ tram network had a rideship of 42,558.

2022: Life expectancy in Hong Kong

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

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 to vet candidates.

May 2023: Government Proposes Reforms to District Council Electoral System

In May 2023, the government proposed reforms to the District Council electoral system which further cut the number of directly elected seats from 452 to 88, and total seats from 479 to 470.

July 2023: Legislative Council Approved Reforms

In July 2023, the Legislative Council approved the reforms in Hong Kong.

2023: Plans to give away free airline tickets to attract tourists

In 2023, the Hong Kong government announced plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets in an attempt to attract tourists back to Hong Kong.

2023: Birth rate in Hong Kong

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

July 2024: Official closure of train service

The 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: Waterspout and Tornado at Victoria Harbour

In September 2024, a waterspout and a tornado occurred at Victoria Harbour.

2024: Lack of Direct Elections

As of 2024, the government has been repeatedly petitioned to introduce direct elections, but has not introduced these direct elections for these positions in Hong Kong.

2024: District Council Seats

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

2024: Hong Kong's ranking in the Global Innovation Index

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

2024: University Status for Saint Francis University

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 and includes penalties such as life imprisonment for political crimes.

2024: Government looking into legalising services

In 2024, the government has looked into legalising ride-hailing services such as Uber.

2047: Uncertain Future After 2047

The Joint Declaration does not specify how Hong Kong will be governed after 2047, and the central government's role in determining the territory's future system of government is the subject of political debate and speculation.