World Business | Asia | Asia Business | Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past six years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn in 2001 and 2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003 and in 2004.
 

Agriculture - Products
fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Airlines
Airlines in Asia
Airlines Worldwide

Airports
Airports in Asia
Airports Worldwide

Country Budget
revenues: $26.6 billion
expenditures: $31.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code): Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency Exchange Rates: Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000)

Fiscal Year: 1 April - 31 March

GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
GDP (purchasing power parity):  $234.5 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:  7.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:  purchasing power parity - $34,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 0.1%
industry: 11.3%
services: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Imports / Exports
Exports:  $268.1 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material
Exports - partners:  China 44%, US 17%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Imports:  $275.9 billion (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:  raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)
Imports - partners:  China 43.5%, Japan 12.1%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 5.3%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Industries
textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Investing
Forex, Foreign Exchange Market: Currency Trading

Labor Force & Unemployment Rate
Labor force:  3.54 million (October 2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.2%, transport and communications 7.9%, community and social services 18.5%
note: above data exclude public sector (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:  6.7% (2004 est.)