New Territories

The New Territories is a very big area.

It is part of Hong Kong. It has many islands too.

Some islands are called Lantau and Lamma. Many people live in this area. It is a busy place with new towns. There are also many green parks. The land is north of Kowloon. It sits south of a river. This river is the border. It is a special place to visit.

The New Territories is the largest part of Hong Kong.

It covers a huge amount of land. In fact, it is 86.2% of all Hong Kong. It also has over 200 islands. Some of these islands are Lantau and Lamma.

The area sits north of the Kowloon Peninsula. It sits south of the Sham Chun River. This river is the border with mainland China. Many people live here. In 2021, about 3,984,077 people lived in the New Territories. This is more than half of all people in Hong Kong.

Much of the land is rural. This means it has farms or wild areas. The government keeps many parts as parkland. They also built new towns for people to live in.

History changed this place. The United Kingdom leased the land in 1898. Later, the land was returned to China in 1997. Today, it is a mix of busy towns and green nature.

The New Territories is the largest part of Hong Kong.

It makes up 86.2% of the total land in Hong Kong. This area also includes over 200 islands. Some famous ones are Lantau Island and Lamma Island.

The region sits north of the Kowloon Peninsula. It sits just south of the Sham Chun River. This river marks the border with mainland China. It is a very important part of the whole territory.

Many people live in this large region. In 2021, the population was 3,984,077 people. This number is about 53.7% of everyone in Hong Kong. Most people here use Cantonese as their main language. About 93.1% of the residents are of Chinese descent. Other groups include Filipinos, Indonesians, and South Asians. The area is divided into nine different districts. These districts help manage the many people living there.

The history of this land began with a long lease. The United Kingdom leased the land from Qing China in 1898.

This happened through a treaty called the Second Convention of Peking. The lease was meant to last for 99 years. Later, the land was returned to the People's Republic of China in 1997. This happened alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It was a very big change for the whole region.

Taking control of the land was not always easy. In 1899, there was a conflict called the Six-Day War. Local clans tried to protect their traditional land rights. They used militias to resist the British takeover. The British used more powerful weapons to stop the fighting. After this, the British made new rules for the people. They allowed locals to keep some rights for land and marriage. Some of these rules stayed in place for many years.

Today, the New Territories is a mix of different places. Much of it is still rural with green spaces. The government keeps many large parts as parkland.

However, many new towns were built starting in the late 1970s. These towns hold over 3 million people now. They were built to give people more room to live. This helps balance the busy cities with the natural world.

The New Territories is the largest of the three main regions in Hong Kong. It sits alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. This region is massive, making up 86.2% of the total territory of Hong Kong. It also includes more than 200 outlying islands. Some of these notable islands include Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and Peng Chau.

The region serves as a vital part of the Hong Kong landscape. It provides a vast space that balances urban life with natural scenery.

The geography of the area is defined by specific borders and landforms. The mainland portion lies north of the Kowloon Ranges. It also sits south of the Sham Chun River. The Sham Chun River acts as the boundary between Hong Kong and mainland China. Historically, the definition of the area was quite broad. It once included a large section called New Kowloon. This area sat between Boundary Street and the Kowloon Ranges. Eventually, New Kowloon was urbanized and absorbed into the Kowloon area.

Today, the New Territories consists of the mainland north of the Kowloon Ranges and the many outlying islands.

The history of the New Territories began with a legal agreement. In 1898, the United Kingdom leased this land from Qing China. This happened through the Second Convention of Peking. The lease was set for a term of 99 years. Britain wanted to expand because the existing colony was becoming overcrowded. An outbreak of the bubonic plague in 1894 had also created a need for more space. Britain also wanted to secure its territory against other European powers. At the time, the new land was about 12 times the size of the existing colonial Hong Kong.

Taking control of the land was a difficult process. Although the treaty was signed in 1898, the formal takeover happened in 1899. Tai Po was chosen as the administrative center for this new area. However, the transfer was not peaceful. In early 1899, a conflict known as the Six-Day War broke out. Local clans formed militias to protect their traditional land rights. These groups attempted to resist the British presence. The British used superior weapons and artillery to stop the resistance. One village, Kat Hing Wai, had its main gates removed as a symbolic act. To prevent more fighting, the British allowed locals to keep certain rights regarding land and marriage.

The political status of the region changed significantly in the late 20th century. As the 99-year lease approached its end, the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China began talks. In 1984, they signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration. This agreement stated that the whole of Hong Kong would be returned. This meant the New Territories would return along with Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. In 1997, sovereignty was officially transferred to the People's Republic of China. This marked the end of the British lease period.

Today, the New Territories is a place of great scale and diversity. It is divided into nine distinct districts. These include New Territories East and New Territories West. Other districts are Sai Kung, Sha Tin, Tai Po, Islands, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan, Tuen Mun, and Yuen Long. The population is very large. In 2021, the census recorded 3,984,077 residents. This represents 53.7% of the total population of Hong Kong. Most residents, about 90.4%, use Cantonese as their primary language. The population is also ethnically diverse, with 93.1% of people being of Chinese descent.

The landscape of the region has transformed through modern development. Much of the area remains rural and contains many green spaces. The government protects large portions of the land as parkland. However, the late 1970s saw a massive shift toward modernization. Many new towns were constructed to house people from crowded urban areas. These new towns now hold a population of over 3 million people. This development helps manage the growth of the city. The New Territories remains a unique mix of busy new towns and quiet, natural environments.