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| 2402 Images of Hong Kong |
Posted on 14.11.2011, 24.03.2016
Located on the southern coast of China, at the Pearl River Estuary and the South China Sea, Hong Kong is one of the world's most densely populated metropolises, but also one of the three most important financial centres alongside New York and London, and the world's number one tourist destination city. The 44th-largest economy in the world, Hong Kong ranks top 10 in GDP per capita, but also has the most severe income inequality among advanced economies.
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| 0039 A panoramic view of Hong Kong Island from the Avenue of Stars, located in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Kawloon Peninsula. |
After the First Opium War (1839-1842), Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island, followed by Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898. In the 1980s, negotiations between the United Kingdom and China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, which provided for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong on 30 June 1997. The territory became a special administrative region of China with a high degree of autonomy.
On early 20th century, after 6-7 decades of British occupation, the fishing village with 7,000 inhabitants had become a large urban center, with over half a million inhabitants, and Coast Victoria Harbourside were already packed-out with European-looking buildings. Later, limited land created a dense infrastructure and the territory became a centre of modern architecture. Now the city has more buildings taller than 150m and skyscrapers than any other in the world, most of these built in past two decades.
Thirty-six of the world's 100 tallest residential buildings are in Hong Kong. More people in this city live or work above the 14th floor than anywhere else on Earth, making it the world's most vertical city. The International Commerce Centre (ICC), at 484m high, is the tallest building in Hong Kong and the third tallest in the world. Hong Kong's skyline is often regarded to be the best in the world, with the surrounding mountains and Victoria Harbour complementing the skyscrapers.
As regards Victoria Harbour, situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, an average of 220,000 ships visit it each year, making it amongst the world's busiest. About the Tsing Ma Bridge, also a landmark, I wrote here. Located on the island of Chek Lap Kok and operational since 1998, Hong Kong International Airport is the world's busiest cargo gateway and one of the world's busiest passenger airports. It is also home to one of the world's largest passenger terminal buildings.
About the stamp
On the postcard 0039
The stamp is a definitive one and belongs to a set of 16 issued on December 31th, 2006 (the third series after 1997). The set, designed by Bon Kwan and showing birds, includes the following stamps:
Low values
• White-bellied sea eagle (0.10 HKD) - It's on the postcard 0253
• Collared scops owl (0.20 HKDc)
• Scarlet minivet (0.50 HKD) - It's on the postcard 0253
• Common kingfisher (1.00 HKD)
• Fork-tailed sunbird (1.40 HKD)
• Roseate tern (1.80 HKD)
• Black-faced Spoonbill (1.90 HKD)
• Little egret (2.00 HKD)
• Greater-painted snipe (2.40 HKD)
• Barn Swallow (2.50 HKD)
• Red-whiskered bulbul (3.00 HKD) - It's on the postcard 0039
• Long-tailed shrike (5.00 HKD)
High values
• White wagtail (10 HKD)
• Northern shoveler (13 HKD)
• Common magpie (20 HKD)
• Dalmatian pelican (50 HKD)
On the postcard 2402
The stamp is part of the fourth set of definitive stamps, about which I wrote here.
Sender 0039: Stephanie Wong (direct swap)
Sent from Hong Kong (Hong Kong / China), on 14.10.2011
Photo: Edmond Chan
Sender 2402: Yvonne / PuiYiuYvonne (postcrossing) HK-395616
Sent from Hong Kong (Hong Kong / China), on 14.01.2016
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