Before 1842, Hong Kong was really an outpost of China with only a few farmers and fishermen living in the area. Some other inhabitants, if they could be called as such, were pirates who recognised the usefulness of the coves and inlets along the coast which they could use to as hiding places to waylay boats passing by and to put away their loots.
In 1842, Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain in perpetuity by the Treaty of Nanking following the First Opium War between China and Britain. In 1860, Kowloon was also ceded to Britain on the same terms by the Convention of Peking following the Second Opium War. The New Territories was leased to Britain in June 1898 for 99 years.
In the early 1980's, China and Britain entered into negotiations about the future of Hong Kong and by the end of 1984 reached an agreement that China would recover sovereignty over the whole of Hong Kong on 1 July 1997.
Log In