Hong Kong Through the Decades

As one of the most vibrant cities in Asia, the land in Hong Kong has undergone drastic changes since World War II. Along with being an economic hub, Hong Kong has proven itself a great city for immigrants from all over the world.

World War II proved to be a pivotal moment of change in Hong Kong’s history. Lasting from December 8 to 25, 1941, many lives from Hong Kong, Britain, Canada, and India were lost during the Battle of Hong Kong against Japanese troops. The land cover was also changed drastically during this time as it attempted to recover from the war. The following decades from 1940 to 2000 saw the land change with the onslaught of economic growth and a rapid population influx.

USGS Land Cover Classification Level I

The land use time series maps of Hong Kong from 1940 to 2000 are digitized based on the following land use classes defined by the United States Geological Survey.

• Urban or built-up land
• Agricultural
• Rangeland
• Forest land
• Water
• Wetland
• Barren land
• Tundra
• Perennial snow or ice

Due to the latitudinal characteristics of Hong Kong’s location, only seven land use classes of the nine are found.

 

Author: Jacqueline Hung
Contact: jhung33@uwo.ca
Sources: base maps were taken from Google Maps and the Town Planning Board of Hong Kong