Special administrative region facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China
中華人民共和國特別行政區 (Chinese)
中华人民共和国特别行政区 (Chinese) Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó tèbié xíngzhèngqū (Pinyin) Jūngwàh Yàhnmàhn Guhngwòhgwok dahkbiht hàngjingkēui (Cantonese Yale romanisation) Regiões administrativas especiais da República Popular da China (Portuguese) |
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  Regional flags of Hong Kong and of Macau |
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| Largest SAR/city | Hong Kong |
| Languages | Standard Chinese (in Traditional characters), English (in HK), Cantonese (de facto in HK and Macau), Portuguese (in Macau) |
| Demonym(s) | Chinese |
| Special Administrative Regions | |
| Government | One country, two systems |
| Xi Jinping | |
| Li Keqiang | |
| Li Zhanshu | |
| Area | |
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• Total
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1,135.7 km2 (438.5 sq mi) |
| Population | |
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• 2014 estimate
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7,858,800 |
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• Density
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6,920/km2 (17,922.7/sq mi) |
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar Macanese pataca |
| Date format | |
| special administrative region(s) | |||||||||||||
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 特別行政區 | ||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 特别行政区 | ||||||||||||
| Cantonese Yale | Dahkbiht Hàngjingkēui | ||||||||||||
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| Portuguese name | |||||||||||||
| Portuguese | regiões administrativas especiais |
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Special administrative regions (SARs) are regions within Mainland China that have their own governments separate from the rest of China. As a result of this, they enjoy a high degree of freedom. The two SARs are Hong Kong and Macau, both were European colonies that got transferred to China during the 1990s.
Due to their new addition to the territory of China, Article 31 of the Chinese Constitution forms the legal foundation for the territories, as opposed to Article 30 which establishes the rest of China's territory.
Government System
The term used to refer to the government of Hong Kong and Macau is the phrase, "One country, two systems", coined by Deng Xiaoping in which the territories would be part of one country (China) but use two different systems of government (Hong Kong and Macau basic law) instead of the Communist system of the Chinese national government. This was done to prevent protest of the new government and a loss of freedom that citizens may attribute it to.
