Hong Kong

Economy

In 1998, Hong Kong had an estimated labor force of over 3.3 million. The labor force can be roughly divided into manufacturing (28 percent), services (46 percent) finance (9 percent) communications and transportation (4.5 percent), construction (2.5 percent), and other (ten percent). With exports valuing some $181 billion, primarily in textiles, electronics, and small manufacturing, Hong Kong's gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at $175.2 billion. Inflation stood at slightly less than three percent, and unemployment just under five percent.

Imports (primarily in the form of food, raw materials, petroleum, and unfinished manufactured products) amounted to $199 billion. While exports of goods and services accounts for the bulk of Hong Kong's economy, tourism constitutes seven percent of the GDP. Cinematic production is also a significant part in the region's economy. Hong Kong's primary trading partners are mainland China and Japan for import sources and the U.S., China, Britain, Canada, Germany, and Japan as export markets.

With scarce natural resources, Hong Kong imports much of its food. Water is also largely brought in from the Chinese mainland. Only 12 percent of the land is arable, and of that only half is actually cultivated, mostly in the New Territories. Vegetables are the primary crops. Fishing remains a major industry, with an annual harvest of almost 200,000 metric tons of fish. Two percent of the land is under fish ponds.