Kowloon

Kowloon is a busy part of Hong Kong.

It sits near a large harbor. High mountains are to the north.

Many people live in this area. It is very crowded. This makes it a busy place.

Long ago, people used the land to hunt tigers. Now, many people live in big buildings.

There are many ways to travel there. You can use trains or tunnels under the water. It is a very lively place to visit.

Kowloon is a busy part of Hong Kong.

It sits just north of Hong Kong Island. A body of water called Victoria Harbour is in the south. To the north, you will see high mountains. These include Lion Rock and Tate's Cairn.

The name Kowloon means "Nine Dragons." This name comes from eight mountains and an old ruler.

Long ago, the land was not very busy. People used it for tiger hunting. Later, many people moved there. In 1937, many refugees arrived from China. This made the area very crowded. Today, over two million people live in Kowloon. It is the most crowded area in Hong Kong.

Many people use Cantonese to speak. You can travel to the island through tunnels. There are tunnels for cars and trains. There are no bridges between the island and Kowloon.

Kowloon has many schools and big cities. It is a very lively place to be.

Kowloon is a very busy urban area in Hong Kong.

It is one of three main parts of the region. The other two parts are Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. Kowloon sits directly north of the island. Victoria Harbour separates the two places.

To the east, the land meets the Lei Yue Mun strait. To the west, you will find Stonecutter's Island. The north is lined with a mountain range. These mountains include Lion Rock and Tate's Cairn.

The name Kowloon means "Nine Dragons" in Chinese. This name refers to eight different mountains. These are Kowloon Peak, Tung Shan, Tate's Cairn, and Temple Hill. The list also includes Unicorn Ridge, Lion Rock, Beacon Hill, and Crow's Nest. The ninth dragon is an old ruler named Emperor Bing of Song.

Many people live in these different districts. These include Kowloon City, Kwun Tong, and Sham Shui Po. Other areas are Wong Tai Sin and Yau Tsim Mong.

History shows how much this land has changed. In 1860, China gave part of Kowloon to the United Kingdom. For a long time, the land was not built up. People used the area for tiger-hunting trips. Later, the British leased New Kowloon for 99 years.

A famous place called the Kowloon Walled City was once in Kowloon City. Workers demolished that walled city in 1993. Large building projects began in the early 20th century. This included the Kowloon-Canton Railway and the Kowloon Wharf.

Kowloon is a very crowded place to live. In 2006, the population was 2,019,533 people. It is the most densely populated division in Hong Kong.

Many people moved there during hard times. Between 1937 and 1939, 750,000 refugees arrived from China. Most people in Kowloon speak Cantonese. About 86% of residents use it as their usual language. Other languages used include English and Mandarin. Small groups of people from Indonesia and the Philippines also live there.

Traveling through Kowloon is quite interesting. You cannot use bridges to reach Hong Kong Island. Instead, you must use several different tunnels.

There are two tunnels just for cars. These are the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the Western Harbour Crossing. There are also three tunnels for MTR trains. One tunnel carries both cars and trains. This helps people move between the busy streets and the island every day.

Kowloon is a major urban area in Hong Kong.

It is one of three primary divisions of the region. The other two divisions are Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. Kowloon consists of the Kowloon Peninsula and an area called New Kowloon. It is the smallest of the three divisions. However, it is also the second most populous. It is also the most densely populated division in Hong Kong.

The geography of Kowloon is defined by water and mountains. It sits directly north of Hong Kong Island. Victoria Harbour separates the peninsula from the island. To the east, the land is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait. To the west, it meets Mei Foo Sun Chuen, Butterfly Valley, and Stonecutter's Island. The northern boundary is a mountain range. This range includes peaks like Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock. The name Kowloon means "Nine Dragons" in Chinese. This name refers to eight specific mountains. These are Kowloon Peak, Tung Shan, Tate's Cairn, and Temple Hill. The list also includes Unicorn Ridge, Lion Rock, Beacon Hill, and Crow's Nest. The ninth dragon is Emperor Bing of Song.

History shows how the administration of the land changed over time. In 1860, the Convention of Peking was signed. Under this agreement, Qing China ceded the area south of Boundary Street to the United Kingdom. This area included Stonecutters Island. For many years, this land remained largely undeveloped. The British used the area mainly for tiger-hunting expeditions. Later, the British leased New Kowloon for 99 years. This happened under the 1898 Second Convention of Peking. New Kowloon is technically part of the New Territories. However, most people consider it an integral part of the Kowloon urban area.

Urban development transformed the landscape during the 20th century. Large-scale projects began with the Kowloon-Canton Railway. The construction of the Kowloon Wharf also helped the area grow. One famous location was the Kowloon Walled City. This area was located within Kowloon City. The Walled City was eventually demolished in 1993. Another area, West Kowloon, was once a dockyard for the Royal Navy. This land was later reclaimed from the sea. Development was sometimes limited by the nearby Kai Tak Airport.

Because of the airport flight paths, Kowloon had a much lower skyline than Hong Kong Island.

The population of Kowloon has seen massive shifts. In 1911, the census recorded only 7,306 people. Most of these residents were Hakka. This number grew drastically due to conflict. Between 1937 and 1939, 750,000 refugees arrived from the People's Republic of China. This caused extreme congestion in the area. After World War II, slums for these refugees were replaced. They were replaced by public housing estates. These estates mix with private residential, commercial, and industrial areas. By 2006, the population reached 2,019,533 people.

Demographics in Kowloon show a diverse community. About 94.2% of the residents are of Chinese ethnicity. There are several significant ethnic minority groups. These include Indonesians at 1.8% and Filipinos at 1.5%. Indians make up 0.5% of the population. Nepalese residents account for 0.4%. British residents account for 0.3%. Language is also a key feature of the culture. Around 86% of residents use Cantonese as their usual language. English is used by 2.3% of the population. Mandarin is used by 1.2%.

Education and transport systems support this dense population. Many students attend institutions like the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Others attend King George V School.

To travel, residents rely on tunnels. There are no bridges connecting Kowloon to Hong Kong Island. Two tunnels are for road traffic only. These are the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the Western Harbour Crossing.

Three MTR railway tunnels also connect the areas. One tunnel, the Eastern Harbour Tunnel, carries both road traffic and the Tseung Kwan O line. This complex network allows people to move through the busy urban landscape.