Compare Contrast Hk Macau

Compare and contrast essay

In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to China. Two years after that, it was Macau's turn. At first sight, it would be understandable to think that both cities shares a lot in common since they both share the same sub-tropical climate, having over 90 percent of their populations speaking Cantonese and were both once colonized by European powers. However, by taking a closer look, we realize that they are different in many ways, as in population, historical background, and points of interest.

First of all, Macau is only 16 square km in land area, which is made up of a peninsula and two islands. It is connected by ferry to Hong Kong and Guangzhou. An airport was opened in 1995 and the islands are being developed, but many parts remain rural and peaceful. On the other hand, Hong Kong has a land area of 1042 square km, but regardless of its smallness, it plays an important role in the world economy. There are three main regions: Hong Kong Island, the mainland Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories/Lantau Island. Most of Hong Kong is hilly, and much of the low level plains had turned into domestic land, only 28 per cent of the land remains rural. Even though both cities are considered as small cities, yet the populations between them are extremely different. Macau has a population of 500,000, while Hong Kong has a population of 7,116,302, with a density of 6707 per sq km. It is regarded as one of the world's most densely populated regions. Furthermore, because of the difference in population, the transportation in both cities is different as well. In Hong Kong, there are at least ten different types of public transportation, for example, buses, mini buses, ferries, taxies, subways and trains. Whereas in Macau, even though there are buses and trains, but some people are still using hand pulled carts and bicycles to travel around the cities. With this extreme difference, it is obvious that the population of the cities has largely influenced the cities transportation demands.

Secondly, despite of Hong Kong and Macau were both once colonies, they have a different and a somewhat reversed historical backgrounds. Before the British occupation, Hong Kong was a small fishing community and was a haven for pirates and smugglers. After the Opium War, Great Britain acquired Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories under a 99-year lease. Because of its excellent natural harbor, Britain first used the island as a naval base. After World War II, Hong Kong transformed into one of the wealthiest and most productive areas and