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45-580: Kwun Tong is an area in the Kwun Tong District of Hong Kong, situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula , and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in the north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the former Kai Tak Airport runway in the west. One of the first new towns in Hong Kong, Kwun Tong was, and remains,

90-617: A concern to the Hong Kong Government . There was a need to expand the colony to accommodate its growing population. The Qing Dynasty 's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War had shown that it was incapable of defending itself. Victoria City and Victoria Harbour were vulnerable to any hostile forces launching attacks from the hills of Kowloon. Alarmed by the encroachment of other European powers in China, Britain also feared for

135-548: A major industrial area . Its population has been growing rapidly, and the demand for housing, medical and educational facilities and services has been increasing. In view of this, a number of community development projects, such as the redevelopment of old housing estates and the construction of major parks, have been implemented in recent years. These projects have incorporated a wide range of supporting facilities, like primary and secondary schools , clinics, community centres and open spaces. All these facilities have brought about

180-701: A new face to the Kwun Tong District, making it a more comfortable place for the people to live. The Chinese name of Kwun Tong (" 觀塘 ") was formerly written as " 官塘 " (transcribed as Koon Tong in Cantonese Yale ). Despite the identical pronunciation of these two names in Cantonese, they have different meanings. " 官塘 " literally means Mandarin Pond , which was allegedly named after the Koon Fu salt yards ( 官富鹽場 ) set up by

225-423: A population density of 4,140 per square kilometre (10,720/sq mi). Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain in 1842 and Kowloon south of Boundary Street and Stonecutters Island in 1860. The colony of Hong Kong attracted a large number of Chinese and Westerners to seek their fortune in the city. Its population increased rapidly and the city became overcrowded. The outbreak of bubonic plague in 1894 became

270-476: A woman health centre, a chest clinic, a child assessment centre, a dermatological clinic, a dental out-patient clinic, a school dental clinic, a social hygiene clinic, two maternal and child health care centres, two methadone clinics and three student health service centres/special assessment centres. There are nine community centres under the District Office, and they are distributed over the 8 sub-districts of

315-465: Is a commercial property developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties . Together with Millennium Cities 1, 2, 3, and 6, they are commercial properties situated along Kwun Tong Road. APM Millennium City 5 is next to the Kwun Tong station . There is also a 7-storey shopping arcade with an array of restaurants, clothing stores, cosmetics shops, and a cineplex. It also contains a bus terminus and parking facilities. It

360-574: Is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in Kowloon , and is the easternmost and southernmost district in Kowloon. It had a population of 666,500 in 2023. The district has the second highest population in Hong Kong, after Sha Tin District , while the income is below average. Kwun Tong District borders Sai Kung District to the east, Wong Tai Sin District to the north, and Kowloon City District to

405-599: Is served by the Kwun Tong station of MTR 's Kwun Tong line . Roads that are serving the area include: Kwun Tong Pier used to be a major transport hub for cross-harbour passengers until the opening of the MTR and the Eastern Harbour Crossing. Today, ferry services to Sai Wan Ho and North Point are still available. KMB bus terminus serving the area include: Following some recent redevelopment plans in Kwun Tong,

450-577: Is the largest mall in the district, and caters for the habits of the community by having extended operating hours. Its name 'APM' implies that visitors are welcome during day (am) and night (pm). In fact, many shops inside the mall are open overnight. Some retail shops close at 12 midnight, and restaurants close at 2am. There are also stores that operate 24 hours. The residential areas in Kwun Tong are mainly located in Ngau Tau Kok , upper Kwun Tong Central, Sau Mau Ping and Lam Tin . In 2005, Around 61% of

495-552: The Six-Day War of 1899 , a number of clans attempted to resist the British, mobilising clan militias that had been organised and armed to protect against longshore raids by pirates. The militia men attempted a frontal attack against the temporary police station in Tai Po that was the main British base but were beaten back by superior force of arms. An attempt by the clansmen at guerilla warfare

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540-626: The Tseung Kwan O line (one station) of the MTR metro system. Major roads that serves the area include: In the same constituency with Wong Tai Sin District as "Kowloon East", effective from October 2004: New Territories Later, after New Kowloon was defined from the area between the Boundary Street and the Kowloon Ranges spanned from Lai Chi Kok to Lei Yue Mun , and the extension of

585-734: The United Kingdom in 1898 for 99 years in the Second Convention of Peking (The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory). Upon the expiry of the lease, sovereignty was transferred to the People's Republic of China in 1997, together with the Qing-ceded territories of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula. In 2021, the population of the New Territories was recorded at 3,984,077, with

630-456: The anti-Qing loyalists in Taiwan . This caused the salt farms in Kwun Tong to be abandoned. When the ban was lifted in 1669, many of the original inhabitants did not return, re-settlers who came from agricultural backgrounds soon took over, leading to the vanishing of the salt industry in Kwun Tong. In the 1950s, when Kwun Tong was being developed as a satellite town , the local residents disliked

675-432: The indigenous inhabitants with regards to land use, land inheritance and marriage laws; the majority of which remained in place into the 1960s when polygamy was outlawed. Some of the concessions with regard to land use and inheritance remain in place in Hong Kong to this day and is a source of friction between indigenous inhabitants and other Hong Kong residents. Lord Lugard was Governor from 1907 to 1912, and he proposed

720-794: The 1978 economic reforms in Mainland china which established cities such as Zhuhai and Shenzhen as Special Economic Zones , many factories have moved away from Hong Kong into the mainland. Manufacturing in Hong Kong had since sharply declined. In 2001, Kowloon Bay and Kwun Tong's industrial districts were rezoned for 'business' use, many industrial buildings have been demolished or repurposed as commercial buildings or shopping malls such as APM . While old industrial buildings have become popular to small businesses, artists, musicians, and collectors, who set up their working spaces there due to cheaper rents. Opened in Hong Kong in April 2005, APM Millennium City 5

765-546: The 1980s, talks between the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China led to the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration (1984), in which the whole of Hong Kong would be returned, instead of only the New Territories. The New Territories comprises nine districts each with their own District Council : According to the 2021 census , the population of the New Territories was 3,984,077, representing 53.7% of Hong Kong's total population. 90.4% of

810-611: The Kwun Tong District. The oldest one is the Kwun Tong Community Centre, which is already 34 years old, while the newest one is the Sai Tso Wan Neighbourhood Community Centre. The construction of the Centre, which was completed in 1993, is the ancillary requirement that Laguna City developer has to fulfil for property development therein. Kwun Tong is served by the Kwun Tong line (six stations) and

855-456: The Song Dynasty, troops were stationed there to monitor the salt yards' operation. Despite the government's close watch, illegal salt trade was still active on Lantau Island . When officials tried to tax salt production on the island, in 1197 Lantau Salt farmers instigated a riot to revolt against them. Government authorities ordered Koon Fu administrators to take control, troops were deployed to

900-623: The Yuet Wah Street Bus Terminus is about to be demolished, and the routes originally terminating there will be moved to the New Kwun Tong Station Bus Terminus and Yue Man Square Bus Terminus. Located near the area is the former Kai Tak Airport , which is currently the site of a large cruise terminal , opened in 2013. 22°18′54″N 114°13′30″E  /  22.315°N 114.225°E  / 22.315; 114.225 Kwun Tong District Kwun Tong

945-521: The accident and emergency services are provided by the United Christian Hospital which is the only hospital in the District equipped with casualty facilities. In the event of accidents and disasters, the injured have to be sent there for emergency medical treatment. In addition, various health services are provided by the Department of Health in the District, including an elderly health centre,

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990-491: The government has started to re-develop the coastal area of Kwun Tong to correspond with the re-development of the Kai Tak district. A promenade and a park has been built along the coast near Kwun Tong Pier . The residential areas in Kwun Tong are mainly located in lower Kwun Tong, to the northeast of Kwun Tong Road . Kwun Tong is situated at the eastern part of the Kowloon Peninsula , and its boundary stretches from Lion Rock in

1035-531: The government to secure central administration of the salt trade and prevent unauthorised salt preparation and trading in the Song dynasty . In those days, there were many salt yards in and around Kwun Tong, whose long coastline stretched to as far as Kowloon Bay and To Kwa Wan in the west. Koon Fu salt yards was one of the four largest salt beds in Dongguan province, and was a site of high political significance. Since

1080-463: The island for a full-scale crackdown, resulting in the massacre of many islanders. Antiques and coins traced back to Northern Song Dynasty and Southern Song Dynasty were discovered in neighbouring Kowloon City district and Wong Tai Sin . Similar coins were also unearthed along the coast of Kwun Tong starting from Kowloon Bay , suggesting that Kwun Tong has already been a relatively prosperous area since then. According to other stories, Kwun Tong

1125-406: The late 1970s, when many new towns were built to accommodate the population growth from urbanised areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Despite rapid development of the new towns, which now accommodate a population of over 3 million, the Hong Kong Government confines built-up areas to a few areas and reserves large parts of the region as parkland . As the expiry date of the lease neared in

1170-401: The later ones. Kwun Tong was one of the first and major industrial areas in Hong Kong, with factories having been built there since the 1950s. The industrial area has since then expanded to Kowloon Bay and Yau Tong . Since the manufacturing sector of Hong Kong is in decline, many factories have been torn down and commercial buildings are being constructed to replace them. In recent years,

1215-536: The north to Lei Yue Mun in the south, and from the winding paths of Kowloon Peak in the east to the north coast of the Airport (Kai Tak) runway in the west. Gammon Construction has its head office in Kwun Tong. It occupies 36,900 square feet (3,430 m) of space there. It moved from Quarry Bay circa 2019. Citibank (Hong Kong) has its head office at One Bay East . Link REIT has its head office at The Quayside  [ zh ] (海濱匯) in Kwun Tong. Kwun Tong

1260-576: The population of the Kwun Tong District live in public housing estates, 16% in the Home Ownership Scheme estates, and 23% in private housing. With the redevelopment schemes of housing estates being completed successively in recent years such as the Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate in 2009, many older estates have been replaced by new ones, with most residents being able to relocate to new flats of better condition. Another renewal project,

1305-536: The proportion of poor people in this district is 28.8% in 2020, while the proportion of the elderly population is 23.4% in 2022. Furthermore, the number of poor people living in this district is 191,500, which is the highest in Hong Kong. The district consists of the following areas: Kwun Tong District was one of the many industrial areas in Hong Kong. The factories had been built since the 1950s. These industrial areas are mainly located in Kowloon Bay , Kwun Tong (to

1350-422: The relocation of the manufacturing industry, Kwun Tong district has seen a rise of commercial buildings, such as APM Millennium City 5 . Kwun Tong is served by six stations on the Kwun Tong line : Yau Tong (also on the Tseung Kwan O line ), Lam Tin , Kwun Tong , Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay . Pollution , poverty and ageing population remain concerns for the district. According to statistical figures,

1395-472: The renewal of Kwun Tong Town Center (KTTC) led by the Urban Renewal Authority , aimed at redevelop many infrastructures including residential buildings and was also largely successful. The project increased the living conditions of many residents while giving a renewed look to the amenities of the district, many residents were satisfied with their relocated places. Though many have benefited from

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1440-529: The residential redevelopments starting from the 2000s, it has also sparked dissatisfaction from many people, who feel that redevelopment broke down social linkages and is destroying people's sense of belonging. The working class and grassroots people were the most hard hit, as they could not afford the new prices and rents of the redeveloped KTTC, leading many to be forced to leave their established communities. The supply and demand of medical and health services in Kwun Tong are all very stringent, and especially

1485-480: The residents of New Territories use Cantonese as their main language. 3.5% of its residents use English , 2.0% use Mandarin Chinese , and 2.3% of New Territories' residents use other Chinese dialects. 93.1% of the district's population is of Chinese descent. The largest ethnic minority groups are Filipinos (2.1%), Indonesians (1.8%), South Asians (1.1%), Mixed (0.8%) and Whites (0.7%). New Kowloon covers

1530-417: The return of Weihaiwei to the Chinese government, in return for the ceding of the leased New Territories in perpetuity. The proposal was not received favourably, although if it had been acted on, Hong Kong might have remained forever in British hands. Much of the New Territories was, and to a limited extent still is, made up of rural areas. Attempts at modernising the area did not become fully committed until

1575-768: The security of Hong Kong. Using the most favoured nation clause that it had negotiated with Peking, the United Kingdom demanded the extension of Kowloon to counter the influence of France in southern China in June 1898. In July, it secured Weihaiwei in Shandong in the north as a base for operations against the Germans in Qingdao (Tsingtao) and the Russians in Port Arthur. Chinese officials stayed in

1620-494: The southwest of Kwun Tong Road ), and Yau Tong . The area south of Kwun Tong road was the largest industrial area in Hong Kong during the 1970s to mid 1980s, accounting for one third of all industrial employment at the time. Many textile, manufacturing, food, and electronics industries were based there during this period, such as: Union Button Factory Ltd., Seven-up Beverages Limited, Sanden Electronics Equipment Ltd, Hong Kong Soya Bean Products Co. Ltd (Later Vitasoy ). Since

1665-525: The takeover of the New Territories was fixed as 17 April 1899, and Tai Po was chosen as the administrative centre. The transfer was not smooth and peaceful. In early April 1899, Captain Superintendent of Police, Francis Henry May and some policemen erected a flagstaff and temporary headquarters at Tai Po and posted the Governor's proclamation of the takeover date. Fearing for their traditional land rights, in

1710-611: The town. There was no mountain range as a natural border. Lockhart suggested moving the frontier to the line of hills north of Shenzhen. This suggestion was not received favourably and the Chinese official suggested the frontier be moved to the hill much further south of the Sham Chun River. It was settled in March 1899 that the boundary remain at the Sham Chun River. The new Hong Kong Governor, Henry Blake arrived in November 1898. The date for

1755-524: The urban areas of Kowloon, New Kowloon was gradually urbanised and absorbed into Kowloon. The New Territories now comprises only the mainland north of the Kowloon Ranges and south of the Sham Chun River, as well as the Outlying Islands. It comprises an area of 952 square kilometres (368 sq mi). Nevertheless, New Kowloon has remained statutorily part of the New Territories instead of Kowloon. The New Territories were leased from Qing China by

1800-430: The walled cities of Kowloon City and Weihaiwei. The extension of Kowloon was called the New Territories. The additional land was estimated to be 365 square miles (950 km ) or 12 times the size of the existing Colonial Hong Kong at the time. Although the convention was signed on the 9 June 1898 and became effective on 1 July, the British did not take over the New Territories immediately. During this period, there

1845-475: The west. To the south is Victoria Harbour , and the Eastern District directly across on Hong Kong Island . It is the most densely populated district in Hong Kong, at 60,000 per km², but it is also one of the largest industrial areas in Hong Kong. Kwun Tong District is known for its industry, with factories built during the 1950s; they were mainly located in Kowloon Bay , Kwun Tong , and Yau Tong . Since

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1890-486: The word Koon ( 官 ), which literally means official or government , and they persuaded the Hong Kong government to change the place name to Kwun Tong ( 觀塘 , lit.   ' Viewing a Pond ' ). The development of Kwun Tong spearheaded the construction and planning of new towns in the New Territories , although the first project was limited in scope and did not share the features of self-contained communities like

1935-643: Was a typhoon shelter for the Kowloon Water Police, which made it an important political and defence point of south-eastern Kowloon . Black Hill (Ng Kwai Shan), which today rises up behind Lam Tin Estate , was known as Koon Fu Hill ( 官富山 ) at that time. During the Great Clearance in the Qing Dynasty, coastal residents were forced to evacuate inland 50 li (roughly equivalent to 25 Km ) to quell support for

1980-483: Was no Hong Kong Governor and Wilsone Black acted as administrator. James Stewart Lockhart , the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong , was sent back from England to make a survey of New Territories before formal transfer. The survey found that the new frontier at Sham Chun River (Shenzhen river) suggested by Wilsone Black was far from ideal. It excluded the town of Shenzhen (Sham Chun), and the boundary would divide

2025-463: Was put down by the British near Lam Tsuen with over 500 Chinese men killed, and collapsed when British artillery was brought to bear on the walled villages of the clansmen. Most prominent of the villages in the resistance Kat Hing Wai , of the Tang clan , was symbolically disarmed, by having its main gates dismounted and removed. However, in order to prevent future resistance the British made concessions to

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