Government (Hong Kong)
======================


     Long-form name:
         none; abbreviated HK
     Type:
         dependent territory of the UK; scheduled to revert to China in 1997
     Capital:
         Victoria
     Administrative divisions:
         none (dependent territory of the UK)
     Independence:
         none (dependent territory of the UK); the UK signed an agreement with China
         on 19 December 1984 to return Hong Kong to China on 1 July 1997; in the
         joint declaration, China promises to respect Hong Kong's existing social and
         economic systems and lifestyle for 50 years after transition
     Constitution:
         unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice; new Basic Law
         approved in March 1990 in preparation for 1997
     Legal system:
         based on English common law
     National holiday:
         Liberation Day, 29 August (1945)
     Executive branch:
         British monarch, governor, chief secretary of the Executive Council
     Legislative branch:
         Legislative Council
     Judicial branch:
         Supreme Court
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
       Head of Government:
         Governor-designate Chris PATTEN (since July 1992); Chief Secretary Sir David
         Robert FORD (since February 1987)
     Suffrage:
         direct election - universal at age 21 as a permanent resident living in the
         territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election - limited
         to about 100,000 professionals of electoral college and functional
         constituencies
     Elections:
       Legislative Council:
         indirect elections last held 12 September 1991 and direct elections were
         held 15 September 1991 (next to be held for the first time in September
         1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total; 21
         indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 18 directly elected, 18
         appointed by governor, 3 ex officio members); indirect elections - number of
         seats by functional constituency NA; direct elections - UDHK 12, Meeting
         Point 3, ADPL 1, other 2
     Communists:
         5,000 (est.) cadres affiliated with Communist Party of China
     Other political or pressure groups:
         Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China), Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union
         Council (pro-Taiwan), Confederation of Trade Unions (prodemocracy), Hong
         Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
         (pro-China), Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Chinese Manufacturers'
         Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union, Hong Kong
         Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China
     Member of:
         APEC, AsDB, CCC, ESCAP (associate), GATT, ICFTU, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO
         (correspondent), WCL, WMO