Eastern District, Hong Kong

Eastern District
東區
District
Eastern District
Night view of the Eastern District skyline
Night view of the Eastern District skyline
Official logo of Eastern District
Official emblem
Map
Location of Eastern District within Hong Kong
Location of Eastern District within Hong Kong
Coordinates: 22°17′03″N 114°13′27″E / 22.28411°N 114.22414°E / 22.28411; 114.22414
Statutorily-defined areaHong Kong
RegionHong Kong (special administrative region)
CountryChina
Constituencies37[needs update]
Government
 • District OfficerHerman Cho
 • District Council ChairmanVacant
 • District Council Vice-ChairmanVacant
Area
 • Total
18.9 km2 (7.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2011[1])
 • Total
588,094
 • Density31,000/km2 (81,000/sq mi)
Largest neighbourhood by populationShau Kei Wan (85,188 – 2016 est)[2]
WebsiteDistrict Website
Eastern District
Traditional Chinese東區
Simplified Chinese东区
Cantonese Yaledūng kēui
Jyutpingdung1 keoi1
Literal meaningEastern District
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDōng Qū
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationdūng kēui
Jyutpingdung1 keoi1
IPA[tʊŋ˥ kʰɵɥ˥]

The Eastern District (Chinese: 東區; Jyutping: dung1 keoi) located on northeastern part of Hong Kong Island, being one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 529,603 in 2021[3] The district has the second highest population while its residents have the third highest median household income among the 18 districts.

The Eastern District is well-developed, with a complete public transport and transport network, including subway, bus, ferry, minibus and tram services, while the Island Eastern Corridor and the Eastern Harbour Crossing are important arteries for external traffic. There are comprehensive educational, medical, community and recreational facilities in the area, as well as large shopping malls and commercial centres. [examples needed] At the same time, there are also many historical and cultural attractions in the Eastern District, which are good places for citizens and tourists to relax and entertain.[examples needed]

As the Hong Kong Government is determined to develop the Eastern District, many government departments such as the Customs and Excise Department, Fire Services Department, ICAC and the Water Supplies Department, have moved their headquarters and offices from Central and Wan Chai to the Eastern District. In addition, many multinational corporations from Central have moved to Taikoo Place, which has formed to become a new central business district. As such the Eastern District has undertaken some functions of being a political and economic centre in Hong Kong, which had only belonged to Central and Wan Chai.

Geography

It is located in the northeastern part of the Hong Kong Island and includes the areas of Fortress Hill, North Point, Braemar Hill, Quarry Bay, Tai Koo Shing, Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan, Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.

The eastern portion of Causeway Bay and Tin Hau were once in Eastern District, but were moved to Wan Chai District on 1 January 2016.

History

Originally a backwater of fishing villages, quarries and dockyards, there are archaeological evidence there were villages and small towns appeared during the Song dynasty (AD 960–1279).

The Eastern District is now mostly residential, with some industrial areas and several large shopping malls. While mostly Home Ownership Scheme and public housing estates are located from Sai Wan Ho to Chai Wan, large private housing estates are also located within the eastern district, such as Taikoo Shing, Kornhill and Heng Fa Chuen. A commercial hub has been developed from the former industrial areas in western part of Quarry Bay. Hotels and commercial buildings are also developed near Fortress Hill along the coast.

In the past the district was linked by a single traffic artery, King's Road, which was notoriously congested during peak hours. This was largely resolved by the construction of the Island Eastern Corridor and the Island line within the MTR rapid transit system in the 1980s. It also contains the tram line, now over 100 years old, that runs near the sea shore from Shau Kei Wan west towards other districts.

Kai Tak airport area is opposite the Eastern District

Demographics

According to the ninth survey of Hong Kong millionaires conducted by Citibank (Hong Kong) and The University of Hong Kong from November 2011 to January 2012, Eastern District is the area with the most millionaires in Hong Kong.

Also, according to the 2021 Population Census in Hong Kong,[4] the population information of the Eastern District is as follows:

Demographics
  • Population： 529,603
    • Under 15 years old： 9.8%
    • 15 to 24 years old： 6.8%
    • 25 to 64 years old： 60.5%
    • 65 years or above： 22.9%
  • Median age： 48
  • Proportion of never-married population aged 15 and over:
    • Male： 30.0%
    • Female： 27.4%
  • Proportion of non-school population aged 20 and over with post-secondary education： 38.3%
Working Population Characteristics
  • Working Population： 275,500
  • Median age of working population： 44
  • Labour force participation rate
    • Male： 63.2%
    • Female： 54.3%
    • Total： 58.2%
Household Characteristics
  • Number of households： 188,400
  • Average size of household： 2.8
  • Median Monthly Household Income of Households： HK$31,500
Housing Characteristics
  • Number of occupied quarters： 183,628
  • Proportion of Owner-Owner Households in Total Domestic Households： 61.5%

Community

Notable Private Housing Estates

Name Chinese name Area Completed No. blocks No. units Developer Photo Coordinates
City Garden 城市花園 North Point 1980s 14 2,393 Cheung Kong 22°17′11″N 114°11′29″E / 22.28637°N 114.19152°E / 22.28637; 114.19152 (City Garden)
Grand Promenade 嘉亨灣 Sai Wan Ho 2006 5 2,020 Henderson Land Development, The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Co Ltd. 22°17′06″N 114°13′29″E / 22.2850°N 114.2247°E / 22.2850; 114.2247
Heng Fa Chuen 杏花邨 Chai Wan 1982 48 6,504 MTR Corporation
Kerry Properties
22°16′32″N 114°14′30″E / 22.2756°N 114.2416°E / 22.2756; 114.2416
Island Resort 藍灣半島 Chai Wan 2001 4 3,098 Sino Land
22°15′56″N 114°15′04″E / 22.2655°N 114.2512°E / 22.2655; 114.2512
Kornhill 康怡花園 Quarry Bay 1986 44 8,831 Hang Lung Properties
New World Development
MTR Property
22°16′58″N 114°12′59″E / 22.282778°N 114.216389°E / 22.282778; 114.216389
Lei King Wan 鯉景灣 Sai Wan Ho 1988 17 2,295 Swire Properties
22°10′16″N 114°07′57″E / 22.1710°N 114.1325°E / 22.1710; 114.1325
Les Saisons 逸濤灣 Sai Wan Ho 2001 4 864 Swire Properties, China Motor Bus & Sun Hung Kai Properties
22°17′02″N 114°13′29″E / 22.28377°N 114.22476°E / 22.28377; 114.22476
Nam Fung Sun Chuen 南豐新邨 Quarry Bay 1978 12 2,826 Nam Fung Group
22°16′58″N 114°12′48″E / 22.2829°N 114.2134°E / 22.2829; 114.2134
Taikoo Shing 太古城 Quarry Bay 1980s 61 12,698 Swire Properties
22°17′11″N 114°13′03″E / 22.2863°N 114.2176°E / 22.2863; 114.2176

Public Estate under Home Ownership Scheme

Public estates under Home Ownership Scheme in the Eastern District are mainly concentrated in Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan.

Public Housing Estates

The public housing estates in the Eastern District are mainly concentrated in Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.

Shopping Malls

Cityplaza Phase 1

Commercial Buildings

The offices of many multinational corporations like LVMH and BNP Paribas are located in the area of Eastern District, such as Taikoo Place, which makes the East District take over the functions of the new core business district and economic centre.

  • Taikoo Place: One of the Central Business District in Hong Kong, where the commercial buildings include: One Island East, Devon House, Dorset House, Cambridge House, Lincoln House, Oxford House, Westlands Centre, Berkshire House, One Taikoo Place and Two Taikoo Place.
  • Cityplaza
  • AIA Tower
  • K11 ATELIER King's Road
  • 625 King's Road
  • Chinachem Exchange Square
  • Two Chinachem Exchange Square
  • AIA Hong Kong Tower
  • K. Wah Centre
  • Kerry Centre
  • E-Trade Plaza
  • Harbour East

Government and Judiciary Organisations

As the Government of Hong Kong is determined to develop the Eastern District, many government departments have moved from Central and Wan Chai to the Eastern District, including many headquarters buildings, so that the Eastern District has undertaken some functions of the political centre that originally belonged to other districts.

In addition, the Securities and Futures Commission is headquartered in Taikoo PlaceOne Island East, the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council is headquartered in Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong Housing Society is headquartered at 1063 King's Road, Consumer Council is headquartered in K. Wah Centre, Tourism Commission is headquartered in Habour East, Fortress Hill, and Estate Agents Authority is headquartered in E-Trade Plaza, Chai Wan.

Public Facilities

Education

Tertiary Education
Secondary Education
Primary Education
International Schools
Special Schools

Medical Services

Public Clinic
Public Hospitals (Hong Kong East Cluster)
Private Clinic

Leisure

Tourism

Tourist Attractions

Hospitality

Economic Development

Commercial

Commercial buildings and hotels in the Eastern District are concentrated in Fortress Hill, Taikoo Shing and Quarry Bay. The main building is Taikoo Place, the tallest in the Eastern District since April 2008 SkyscraperHong Kong Island East Center Occupied in stages.

Industrial

Industrial buildings are concentrated in the east of North Point, Chai Wan Pier and Chai Wan Road near the MTR station.

Household Income

North Point, Quarry Bay and Sai Wan Ho are one of the most expensive urban residential areas in traditional locations, with convenient transportation and the fourth highest median income in Hong Kong. There are 15 public housing estates in Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan, and 23 HOS housing estates, resulting in a large income gap within the Eastern District. However, public housing has also injected grassroots labour into the Eastern District, enabling the middle-class population in the Eastern District to enjoy cheaper services, so the urban planning of the Eastern District has been very successful.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2011 Population Census: Summary Results" (in English and Chinese). Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government. 2011. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  2. ^ "District Profiles". Hong Kong Government. 8 December 2017. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  3. ^ "香港2021年人口普查". Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  4. ^ 香港政府統計署 (21 April 2022). "按區議會分區劃分的人口及住戶統計數字". Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Eastern Hong Kong Island.