Central and Western District

District of Hong Kong

Not to be confused with West Central District of Tainan, also named 中西區 in Chinese.

District in Hong Kong, City of Victoria

Central and Western

中西區

District

Central and Western District

Day view of the Central and Western District skyline

Location within Hong Kong[clarify]

Coordinates: 22°17′12″N 114°09′18″E﻿ / ﻿22.28666°N 114.15497°E﻿ / 22.28666; 114.15497
Statutorily-defined territory| City of Victoria (partially overlapped)
Region| Hong Kong (special administrative region)
Country| China
District Council constituencies| 2
Government

• District Officer| David Leung Chi-Ki[2]
• District Council Chairman| David Leung Chi-Ki (ex-officio)
• District Council Vice-Chairman| Victor Yeung Sui-Yin[needs update]
Area

• Total

| 12.55 km2 (4.85 sq mi)
• Land| 12.55 km2 (4.85 sq mi)
| Lands Department[3]
Population

(2021)

• Total

| 235,953

* 77% Chinese
* 7.6% Filipino
* 5.8% White[1]

| Census and Statistics Department[1]
Time zone| UTC+8 (Hong Kong Time)
Largest neighbourhood by population| Kennedy Town (62,272 – 2016 est)[4][clarify]
Website| Central and Western District
Central and Western District

Central, Hong Kong

Traditional Chinese| 中西區
Simplified Chinese| 中西区
Cantonese Yale| Jūngsāi Kēui
Jyutping| Zung1sai1 Keoi1
Literal meaning| Central Western District
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōngxī Qū
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization| Jūngsāi Kēui
Jyutping| Zung1sai1 Keoi1
IPA| [tsʊŋ˥.sɐj˥ kʰɵɥ˥]

The Central and Western District (Chinese: 中西區; Cantonese Yale: Jūngsāi Kēui, Jyutping: zung1 sai1 keoi1), located on northwestern part of Hong Kong Island, is one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 243,266 in 2016.[needs update] The district has the most educated residents with the second highest income, and the third lowest population due to its relatively small size.

Central is the central business district and the core urban area of Hong Kong. Western District covers Shek Tong Tsui, Kennedy Town, Sai Ying Pun, parts of Lung Fu Shan. Most of the district lies within the statutory limits of the City of Victoria, the earliest urban settlement in colonial Hong Kong, except the far western end of the district, i.e. Victoria Road, Mount Davis and areas above the 700-feet contour, aka. the Peak.

## History

[edit]

Central District, as Victoria City, was the first area of planned urban development in Hong Kong during the colonial era. The British held a land sale in June 1841, six months after the flag was raised at Possession Point. A total of 51 lots of land were sold to 23 merchant houses to build offices and warehouses. The property buyers included Dent's, Jardine's, Russell's and Olyphant's. At the time, the two roads Albany Nullah (now Garden Road) and Glenealy Nullah (now Glenealy) were mainly used by the British. The streets later became known as Government Hill.[5]

In 1857, the British government expanded Victoria City and divided it into seven districts. Those located in present-day Central and Western are: Sai Ying Pun, Sheung Wan, Tai Ping Shan, Central. The area was essentially a European area until 1860 when Chinese merchants begin buying up European properties around Cochrane, Wellington and Pottinger Streets. The Central district was the principal European business district, hence the arrival of the first major bank HSBC. The Western district was the commercial centre for Chinese businesses. When property values in the district rose, a meeting was held in February 1866 to establish a "District Watch Force" to police and protect this specific area.[6]

In 1880, Shek Tong Tsui was established, followed by Kennedy Town in the 20th century. By the 1890s the majority of Hong Kong's population was concentrated in the district with about 200,000 residents, mostly in Victoria City.[7]

## Politics

[edit]

Corner of Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road Central, in Central.

See also: 2023 Hong Kong local elections

District councils in Hong Kong are primarily consultative bodies of the HKSAR government with very limited powers, primarily restricted to building and maintaining parks, open areas, recreational and cultural activities and tourist promotion. The corresponding body for the district is Central and Western District Council.

District council elections are held every four years; the last one was held on 10 December 2023, for terms beginning 1 January 2024. The district was divided into two constituencies, each returning two members. Before 2023 the district comprised 15 single-member constituencies. The constituency areas were smaller than the commonly used geographic areas, which are in turn based on the old 1857 and 1880 divisions.

* v
* t
* e

Central and Western District Council (15)

## Demographics

[edit]

In Hong Kong's 2011 Census the district population was 251,519, down four percent from 261,884 in the 2001 census, and with an average of 2.7 people for each of the 89,529 households. Among the 18 districts, Central and Western has the second highest median household income in the territory (behind only Wan Chai District). In terms of average size of households, it is third smallest at 2.8 persons, behind only Wan Chai and Yau Tsim Mong District, at 2.7 each.

In 2021 census, the district population was slightly reduced to 235,953 .It has a relatively ethnically diverse population. As of 2021, 77% of the district's residents are Chinese, and the largest ethnic groups are Filipinos (7.6%) and white people (5.8%). 72% of the district's residents speak Cantonese as their primary language, while 14% use English and 3% use Mandarin.[8]

## Geography and political subdivisions

[edit]

The district is located at 22°17′00″N 114°09′00″E﻿ / ﻿22.28333°N 114.15000°E﻿ / 22.28333; 114.15000, based on the location of the General Post Office in Central. With an area of 12.4 km2 (4.8 sq mi), the district occupies the northwestern portion of Hong Kong Island. It is surrounded by Wan Chai District on the east, Southern District on the south, and Victoria Harbour in the north. The district also encompasses Green Island and Little Green Island, two uninhabited islands to the west of Hong Kong Island.

Areas from west to east along Victoria Harbour are: Kennedy Town, Sai Ying Pun, Sheung Wan, Central, Admiralty and other localities.

## Central

[edit]

Main article: Central, Hong Kong

Central is the business centre of Hong Kong, and many multinational financial services corporations have their headquarters there. Government Hill, the site of the government headquarters, is also in Central.

### Central mid-levels escalator

[edit]

Central-Mid-Levels escalator, passing through SoHo at Elgin Street

The Central-Mid-Levels escalator in Hong Kong is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. The system is 800 metres (2,600 ft) long, connecting Des Voeux Road Central, in Central with Conduit Road in the Mid-Levels, passing through narrow streets in SoHo.

The escalator runs downhill from 6 am to 10 am and uphill from 10:20 am to 12:00 am (midnight) every day. Apart from its significance in transport linkage, it is also a tourist attraction, with many restaurants, bars, and shops lining its route.

### Bank of China Tower

[edit]

The Bank of China Tower in Central houses the headquarters of BOCHK. Designed by I. M. Pei, the 70-storey building's height is 315 metres (1,033 ft) with two masts reaching 369 metres (1,211 ft). Construction began in 1985 and the building was completed in 1989. It was the first building outside the United States to exceed 1,000 feet (305 m) and to exceed 300 metres (984 ft). It was the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, when the nearby, taller Central Plaza was completed.

### City Hall

[edit]

Main article: Hong Kong City Hall

Built in 1962, the City Hall complex housed the old central library of Hong Kong, as well as concert halls, restaurants and a marriage registry. The conference room of the former Urban Council was also at the lower building of the City Hall.

The garden at the north-western side of the complex includes a memorial to those killed in Hong Kong during World War II.

### Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building

[edit]

The funnel-shaped Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building (formerly, and still commonly known as the Prince of Wales Building) housed the headquarters of the British garrison in Hong Kong until the territory's handover to the People's Republic of China on 30 June 1997. It now houses the local garrison of the People's Liberation Army and is formally known as Central Barracks, in line with PLA convention for naming barracks after the name of the locality.

### Other landmarks

[edit]

The headquarters of HSBC is a landmark in the Central and Western District of Hong Kong

* Cenotaph, Hong Kong
* Central Harbourfront
* Central Market
* Chater Garden
* Chinese People's Liberation Army Forces Hong Kong Building (formerly the Prince of Wales Building)
* Edinburgh Place, Hong Kong – including Queen's Pier and the Star Ferry pier
* Exchange Square
* Former Supreme Court Building
* Fringe Club
* Harcourt Garden
* Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens
* Hong Kong Club
* Hong Kong Maritime Museum
* Hong Kong Park
* HSBC Hong Kong headquarters building
* International Finance Centre
* Jardine House
* Lan Kwai Fong
* Legislative Council building
* Lippo Centre
* Old Bank of China Building
* Peak Tram terminus
* St John's Cathedral (Hong Kong)
* St Joseph's College, Hong Kong
* St. Paul's Co-educational College
* SoHo, Hong Kong
* Statue Square
* PMQ
* Tai Kwun

## Admiralty

[edit]

* Queensway

## Mid-Levels

[edit]

* Government House

## Sai Ying Pun

[edit]

* Sai Ying Pun Community Complex

## Sheung Wan

[edit]

* The Center

## Schools

[edit]

See also: List of schools in Central and Western District

### Secondary schools

[edit]

Arranged by alphabetical order of their full names in each category.

Government-administered schools:

* King's College

Aided schools:

* Lok Sin Tong Leung Kau Kui College
* Raimondi College
* St. Clare's Girls' School
* St. Joseph's College
* St. Louis School
* St. Stephen's Church College
* St. Stephen's Girls' College
* Ying Wa Girls' School

Schools under Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) and grant schools:

* St. Paul's Co-educational College
* St. Paul's College

International schools:

* German Swiss International School
* Island School [1] (under funding of English Schools Foundation, subsidised by government)

### Tertiary institutions

[edit]

* The University of Hong Kong
* Caritas Institute of Higher Education

## Transport

[edit]

### Link

[edit]

* Route 3 (Hong Kong)
* Route 4 (Hong Kong)

Major roads that serves the area include:

* Harcourt Road
* Connaught Road Central, Connaught Road West
* Queensway, Queen's Road Central, Queen's Road West
* Des Voeux Road Central, Des Voeux Road West
* Hill Road Flyover
* Caine Road
* Robinson Road
* Park Road
* Bonham Road
* Western Harbour Crossing

### Public transport

[edit]

Public transport includes Hong Kong Tramways, the Peak Tram and the MTR.

MTR lines include:

* Island line: Sheung Wan station, Central station, Admiralty station, Sai Ying Pun, HKU, Kennedy Town
* Tsuen Wan line: Central station, Admiralty station
* Tung Chung line: Hong Kong station
* Airport Express: Hong Kong station
* South Island line: Admiralty station
* East Rail line: Admiralty station

## See also

[edit]

* Hong Kong portal

* List of places in Hong Kong
* Tourism in Hong Kong

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b 2021 Population Census: Summary Results (PDF). Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Government (Report). February 2022.
2. ^ Home Affairs Dept, Welcome page for Central and Western District, Retrieved 2018-05-25
3. ^ "Hong Kong Geographic Data (As at October 2021)". Lands Department, Hong Kong SAR. January 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
4. ^ District Profiles, Hong Kong Government, 8 December 2017, retrieved 15 April 2020
5. ^ Wordie, Jason (2002). Streets: Exploring Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 962-209-563-1.
6. ^ Tsai Jung-fang. [1995] (1995). Hong Kong in Chinese History: community and social unrest in the British Colony, 1842-1913. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-07933-8
7. ^ Sanderson, Edgar (1897–1898). The British Empire in the nineteenth century: its progress and expansion at home and abroad. Vol. IV. London: Blackie and Son. p. 339. LCCN 02002538. OCLC 11625716.
8. ^ 2011 Population Census - Fact Sheet for Central and Western District Council District Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Hong Kong Census

## External links

[edit]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Hong Kong/Central.

* Central and Western District Council
* List and map of electoral constituencies (large PDF file)
* Coordinates are courtesy of the GNS system of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency.

Places adjacent to Central and Western District

|  | Kwai Tsing District, Sham Shui Po District | Yau Tsim Mong District

|
|

|  |
Islands District |

Central and Western District

| Wan Chai District
|  |
|  | Southern District

* v
* t
* e

Central and Western District

Main borders and locations

Areas|

* Central
* Admiralty
* Tamar
* τ
* Mount Davis
* Glenealy
* Harcourt Road
* Kennedy Town
* Lung Fu Shan
* Mid-Levels
* The Peak
* Sai Ying Pun
* Shek Tong Tsui
* Sheung Wan

Education|

| Primary/
secondary|

* Bonham Road Government Primary School
* German Swiss International School Peak Campus
* King's College
* Lok Sin Tong Leung Kau Kui College
* Sacred Heart Canossian School
* St. Clare's Girls' School
* St Joseph's College
* St. Louis School
* St. Paul's College
* St. Paul's Co-educational College
* St. Stephen's Girls' College
* Ying Wa Girls' School

|

Tertiary|

* University of Hong Kong
* template

Landmarks|

* Landmarks in Central
* Bank of America Tower
* Bonham Road
* British Consulate
* Breezy Path
* Central and Western Heritage Trail
* Civic Square
* First houses on the Peak
* Gate Lodge
* Grenville House
* Harcourt Garden
* Headquarters House
* High West
* Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences
* Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens
* Island Pacific Hotel
* King George V Memorial Park
* Lippo Centre
* Lung Fu Shan Country Park
* Mount Davis
* Chiu Yuen Cemetery
* Mountain Lodge
* Ohel Leah Synagogue
* Old Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital
* The Peak Galleria
* Hong Kong Trams Station (former)
* Pacific Place Phases I-II
* JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong
* Island Shangri-La
* Peak Tower
* Queensway
* Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
* SoHo
* Shun Tak Centre
* South Korean Consulate
* Smithfield
* Tamar Park
* Tim Mei Avenue
* Tsan Yuk Hospital
* Victoria Peak Garden

Transport|

| MTR stations|

* Kennedy Town
* HKU
* Sai Ying Pun
* Sheung Wan
* Central
* Hong Kong
* Admiralty

|

Ferry terminals|

* Macau Ferry

Tram|

* Peak Tram

History|

* Peak District Reservation Ordinance 1904

This list is incomplete. Central has its own template due to the number of sites in that area.
Sites specifically associated with University of Hong Kong are listed at the relevant template.

* v
* t
* e

Districts of Hong Kong

* District Officers
* District councils

Hong Kong Island|

* Central and Western
* Eastern
* Southern
* Wan Chai

Kowloon and New Kowloon|

* Kowloon City
* Kwun Tong
* Sham Shui Po
* Wong Tai Sin
* Yau Tsim Mong

New Territories (excluding New Kowloon)|

* Islands
* Kwai Tsing
* North
* Sai Kung
* Sha Tin
* Tai Po
* Tsuen Wan
* Tuen Mun
* Yuen Long

* v
* t
* e

Urban areas of Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories

MHong Kong1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9a,10,11,12,14,15,16|

| Central and Western District2
(Central District2, Western District2)|

* Sai Wan (Kennedy Town13, Shek Tong Tsui13 and Sai Ying Pun13)
* The Peak13
* Mid-Levels13
* Sheung Wan13
* Central13 (Admiralty)

|

Wan Chai District2|

* Wan Chai13
* Causeway Bay13 (Tin Hau13)
* Tai Hang13
* So Kon Po
* Jardine's Lookout
* Happy Valley13

Eastern District2|

* North Point13
* Braemar Hill13
* Quarry Bay13
* Sai Wan Ho13
* Shau Kei Wan13
* Aldrich Bay
* Chai Wan
* Siu Sai Wan

Southern District|

* Pok Fu Lam13
* Waterfall Bay (Wah Fu)
* Aberdeen13(Tin Wan13 and Shek Pai Wan13)
* Ap Lei Chau
* Wong Chuk Hang
* Shouson Hill
* Deep Water Bay
* Repulse Bay
* Chung Hom Kok
* Stanley13
* Tai Tam
* Shek O13
* Cape D'Aguilar

MOld KowloonKL,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9a,10,11,12,14,15,16|

| Yau Tsim Mong District|

* Tai Kok Tsui13
* Mong Kok (Prince Edward)
* Yau Ma Tei (Jordan)
* King's Park
* Tsim Sha Tsui13 (Jordan)
* West Kowloon

|

Sham Shui Po District|

* Stonecutters Island

Kowloon City District|

* Ma Tau Wai
* Ma Tau Kok
* To Kwa Wan
* Ho Man Tin
* Hung Hom13

MNew KowloonNKL,2,3,4,5,6,7,9a,10,11,12,14,15,16|

| Sham Shui Po District8|

* Lai Chi Kok
* Cheung Sha Wan
* Sham Shui Po
* So Uk
* West Kowloon
* Shek Kip Mei
* Tai Wo Ping
* Yau Yat Tsuen

|

Kowloon City District8|

* Kowloon City
* Kowloon Tong (Beacon Hill)
* Kai Tak

Wong Tai Sin District8|

* Wong Tai Sin
* Wang Tau Hom (Lok Fu)
* Tsz Wan Shan
* Diamond Hill
* San Po Kong
* Ngau Chi Wan
* Hammer Hill

Kwun Tong District|

* Kwun Tong8
* Ngau Tau Kok8
* Kowloon Bay8
* Jordan Valley8
* Sau Mau Ping8 (Except Shun Lee Estate) (Anderson8)
* Lam Tin8
* Cha Kwo Ling8
* Yau Tong8
* Lei Yue Mun8

New Territories|

| MKwai Tsing District6,7,9b,10,11,14|

* Kwai Chung (Sheung Kwai Chung, Chung Kwai Chung and Ha Kwai Chung)8
* Tsing Yi8 (Except Tsing Yi Station)
* Stonecutters Island8

|

MTsuen Wan District6,7,9b,10,11,14
(Except Tsing Chau Tsai Peninsula
on Lantau Island)|

* Tsuen Wan8 (Except Chuen Lung North and Tsuen Wan Station)
* Chai Wan Kok8
* Yau Kom Tau8
* Ting Kau8 (Except west of Ting Kau Interchange)
* Sham Tseng
* Tsing Lung Tau
* Ma Wan8
* Lei Muk Shue8

Sha Tin District9b,10|

* Sha Tin8
* Tai Wai8
* Shatin Heights8
* Sha Tin Tau8
* Sha Tin Wai8
* Yuen Chau Kok8 (Except Prince of Wales Hospital)
* Shek Mun8
* Siu Lek Yuen8
* Fo Tan8 (Except Sha Tin Racecourse)
* Kau To Shan8 (Except Lai Ping Road)
* Ma Liu Shui
* A Kung Kok8
* Ma On Shan
* Wu Kai Sha

Sai Kung District15|

* Tseung Kwan O New Town9b,11,12
* Ma Yau Tong8,16
* Po Lam8
* Tsui Lam8
* Hang Hau8 (Except Hang Hau Station and A&E of Tseung Kwan O Hospital)
* Tseung Kwan O8
* Tiu Keng Leng8
* Pak Shing Kok8 (Except Wan Po Road)
* Siu Chik Sha8 (Except Wan Po Road and Shek Kok Road)
* Tai Chik Sha8
* Fat Tong O7,8
* Fei Ngo Shan8,16
* Tai Sheung Tok8,9a (Anderson8,9a)

Islands District11,14,15
(Tsing Chau Tsai Peninsula
of Tsuen Wan District included)|

* Tung Chung New Town9b

Official place names are summarized from "Geoinfo Map" of Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, "Hong Kong Guide" of Lands Department, "Hong Kong Guide Book" of Universal Publications Ltd. and "Areas and Districts" of Rating and Valuation Department.
M：Narrow meaning of urban areas
KL: Kowloon Peninsula at the south of Boundary Street
NKL: Former New Territories area at the north of Boundary Street and at the south of Lion Rock
1: Common definition (1)
2: Common definition (2)
3: Common definition (3)
4: Areas not adopting small house concessionary right of indigenous inhabitants
5: Jurisdiction area of former Urban Council
6: Definition of "Metropolitan Area" of Planning Department
7: Jurisdiction area of Urban Renewal Authority
8: Unique operating area of urban taxis
9: "Urban" (9a) and "Extended Urban" (9b) areas defined by Hong Kong Housing Authority
10: Definition of Urban rates
11: Hospital cluster belongs to Hong Kong or Kowloon
12: Police region belongs to Hong Kong or Kowloon
13: Regions having 999-year land lease
14: Geographical Constituency in Hong Kong Legislative Council belongs to Hong Kong or Kowloon
15: Regional Education Office belongs to Hong Kong or Kowloon
16: Primary One Admission School Net belongs to Hong Kong or Kowloon

Authority control databases

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

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