officiallytheHongKongSpecialAdministrativeRegionofthePeople'sRepublicofChina,isalargelyself-governingterritoryofthePeople'sRepublicofChina(PRC),facingtheGuangdongProvinceinthenorthandtheSouthChinaSeatotheeast,westandsouth.ABritishdependentterritoryuntil199,HongKonghasahighlydevelopedcapitalisteconomyandenjoysahighdegreeofautonomyfromthePRCunderthe"onecountry,twosystems"policy.Beginningasatradingport,HongKongbecameacrowncolony(laterdependentterritory)oftheUnitedKingdomin1842,andremainedsountilitstransferofsovereigntytothePeople'sRepublicofChinain199.Underthe"onecountry,twosystems"policy,HongKongenjoysconsiderableautonomyinallareaswiththeexceptionofforeignaffairsanddefence(whicharetheresponsibilityofthePRCGovernment).Aspartofthisarrangement,HongKongcontinuestomaintainitsowncurrency,separatelegal,politicalsystemsandotheraspectsthatconcernitswayoflife,manyofwhicharedistinctfromthoseofmainlandChina.Renownedforitsexpansiveskylineandnaturalsetting,itsidentityasacosmopolitancentrewhereeastmeetswestisreflectedinitscuisine,cinema,musicandtraditions.[15]AlthoughthepopulationispredominantlyChinese,residentsandexpatriatesofotherethnicitiesformasmallbutsignificantsegmentofsociety.Withapopulationofmillionpeople,butonly1,108km2(428sqmi)ofland,HongKongisoneofthemostdenselypopulatedareasintheworld.