Part 381

Agriculture - products: fresh vegetables; poultry

Exports: total value : $197.2 billion (including reexports; f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: clothing, textiles, yarn and fabric, footwear, electrical appliances, watches and clocks, toys partners: China 33%, US 22%, Japan 6%, Germany 4%, UK 3%, Singapore 3% (1995)

Imports: total value: $217.2 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum; a large share is reexported partners: China 36%, Japan 15%, Taiwan 9%, US 8%, Singapore 5%, South Korea 5% (1995)

Debt - external: none (1996)

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HK$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Hong Kong dollars (HK$) per US$ - 7.730 (1996), 7.800 (1995), 7.800 (1994), 7.800 (1993), 7.741 (1992); note - linked to the US dollar at the rate of about 7.8 HK$ per 1 US$

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

@Hong Kong:Communications

Telephones: 3.31 million (1996)

Telephone system: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios: 3 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (British Broadcasting Corporation repeater 1; British Forces Broadcasting Service repeater 1)

Televisions: 1.75 million (1992 est.)

@Hong Kong:Transportation

Railways: total : 34 km standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (1996 est.) note: also has 43 km of metro with 38 stations

Highways: total: 1,717 km paved : 1,717 km unpaved: 0 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Hong Kong

Merchant marine: total: 221 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,908,237 GRT/13,580,012 DWT ships by type: bulk 124, cargo 31, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 2, container 38, liquefied gas tanker 2, multifunction large load carrier 2, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 15 countries among which are UK 50, South Africa 12, Belgium 10, China 9, Japan 8, Bermuda 5, US 5, Israel 4, Germany 3, and Switzerland 3; Hong Kong owns an additional 498 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,810,794 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Cyprus, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Vanuatu

Airports: 2 (1996 est.) note: new international airport under construction and will open in 1998

Airports - with paved runways: total : 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Headquarters of British Forces, Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Hong Kong Police Force

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,884,488 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,427,567 (1997 est.)