Kwun Tong District

Infobox HK District
official_name = Kwun Tong




map_caption = Location in Hong Kong
leader_title = District Council Chairman
leader_name = Chan Chung-bun, BBS, JP
constituencies = 34
area_note =
area_magnitude =
area_total = 11.05
area_land =
area_water =
population_as_of = 2006
population_note =
population_total = 587,423 | population_density = 52,123
latitude =
longitude =
website = [http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/kt/english/welcome.htm Kwun Tong District Council]
footnotes =

Kwun Tong (zh-t|t=觀塘區) is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in Kowloon. It had a population of 562,427 in 2001. The district has the third highest population while the income is below average.

It is the most densely populated district, with 55,000 per km², but it is also one of the largest industrial areas in Hong Kong. Pollution, poverty and aging population are the concerns. According to statistic figure of 2001, the proportion of poor people and elder people in this district is 22.6% and 15.5% respectively. Besides, the number of poor people living in this district is 124,803, which is the highest in Hong Kong.

The district contains the following areas:

* Kwun Tong (觀塘)
* Ngau Tau Kok (牛頭角)
* Kowloon Bay (九龍灣)
* Sau Mau Ping (秀茂坪)
* Pak Tin
* Yau Tong (油塘) and Lei Yue Mun (鯉魚門)

Features

Industrial area

Kwun Tong District is one of the industrial areas in Hong Kong. The factories had been built since 1950's. These industrial areas are mainly located in Kowloon Bay, Kwun Tong (to the southwest of Kwun Tong Road), and Yau Tong. Since the importance of industry in Hong Kong is fading out, many factories have been torn down and commercial buildings are being constructed to replace them.

APM Millennium City 5

Opened in Hong Kong in April 2005, [http://www.apm-millenniumcity.com/eng/index.php APM Millennium City 5] (Chinese: 創紀之城 5期) is a commercial property developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties. Together with Millennium Cities 1, 2, 3, and 6 (under construction), they are commercial properties situated along Kwun Tong Road. apm Millennium City 5 is next to the Kwun Tong MTR Station. There is also a 7-storey shopping arcade with an array of restaurants, clothing stores, cosmetics shops, and a cineplex. It also contains a bus terminus and parking facilities.

It is the largest mall in the district, and caters for the habits of the community by having extended operating hours. Its name 'apm' implies that visitors are welcome during day and night. In fact, many shops inside the mall are open overnight. Some retail shops close at 12 midnight, and restaurants close at 2am. There are also stores that operate 24 hours.

Residential area

The residential areas in Kwun Tong are mainly located in Ngau Tau Kok, upper Kwun Tong Central, Sau Mau Ping and Lam Tin.

Around 54% of the population of the Kwun Tong District live in public housing estates, 13% in the Home Ownership Scheme estates, 4% in the Private Sector Participation Scheme estates, and the rest in private housing. With the redevelopment schemes of housing estates being completed successively in recent years, many older estates have been replaced by new ones, and this scenario gives a fresh look to the amenities of the District.

Health care

The supply and demand of medical and health services in Kwun Tong are all along very stringent, and especially the accident and emergency services are provided by the United Christian Hospital which is the only hospital in the District equipped with casualty facilities. In the event of accidents and disasters, the injured have to be sent there for emergency medical treatment. In addition, various health services are provided by the Department of Health in the District, including an elderly health centre, a woman health centre, a chest clinic, a child assessment centre, a dermatological clinic, a dental out-patient clinic, a school dental clinic, a social hygiene clinic, 2 maternal and child health care centres, 2 methadone clinics and 3 student health service centres/special assessment centres.

Recreational facilities

There are 9 community centres under the District Office, and they are distributed over the 8 sub-districts of the Kwun Tong District. The oldest one is the Kwun Tong Community Centre, which is already 34 years old, while the newest one is the Sai Tso Wan Neighbourhood Community Centre. The construction of the Centre, which was completed in 1993, is the ancillary requirement that Laguna City developer has to fulfil for property development therein.

Transportation

Kwun Tong is served by the Kwun Tong Line (6 stations) and the Tseung Kwan O Line (1 station) of the MTR metro system.

Major roads that serves the area include:

* Kwun Tong Road
* Kwun Tong Bypass
* Tseung Kwan O Tunnel
* Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC)

Public transport

* MTR
** Kwun Tong Line : Yau Tong, Lam Tin, Kwun Tong, Ngau Tau Kok, Kowloon Bay, Choi Hung
** Tseung Kwan O Line : Yau Tong
* (franchised) bus
** KMB : 1A, 2A, 3D, 6D, 9, 11B, 11C, 11D, 11X, 13D, 13M, 13X, 14, 14B, 14C, 15, 15A, 16, 16M, 17, 23, 23M&, 24, 26, 26M, 27, 28, 29M, 38, 40, 42, 42C, 62X, 70X, 74A, 74X, 80, 80X, 83X, 89, 89B, 89C, 89D, 89X, 91, 91M, 92, 93A, 93K, 95, 95M, 98A, 98C, 98D, 215X, 216M, 219X, 224M, 224X, 258D, 259D, 268C, 269C, 277X, 296A, 296C, 296D, 297, N216
** NWFB : 796A, 796B, 796S, 796X, N796
** CityBus : A22, E22, E22A, N26, N29
** Harbour-crossing routes : 101/R, 107, 111, 601/P, 603/S/P, 606/P, 619/P, 671, 690/P, 692/P, 694, 698R, N601, N619, N691
* Minibus / Public Light Bus
** Green Minibus
*** to-and-fro Kowloon : 16, 16A, 16B, 22M, 23, 23B, 23C, 23M, 24, 34M, 35, 36A, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51M, 54, 54S, 56, 59, 60, 63, 63M, 68, 69, 71A, 71B, 76A, 76B
*** to-and-fro New Territories (Tseung Kwan O) : 10M, 12, 13, 17, 18, 102, 102B, 103, 104, 106, 108M, 110, 111
** Red Minibus
*** There are about 28 routes, some travel throughout the district, while others goes to-and-fro Mong Kok, Castle Peak Road, Jordan Road, Hung Hom etc.

* Ferry : Kwun Tong Pier
** Fortune Ferry operates a regular service between Kwun Tong and North Point.
** Coral Sea Ferry operates a regular service between Kwun Tong and Sai Wan Ho.

*only full-day operated routes are listed above.

Administration

Government District Officer

*Ms. Pauline WONG Po Lin

Chairman of Kwun Tong District Council

*Mr. Chung-bun Chan

=LegCo=

In the same constituency with Wong Tai Sin District as "Kowloon East", effective from October 2004:

* Mr. Kam-lam Chan (DAB)
* Ms. Yuen-han Chan (HKFTU)
* Mr. Albert Jinghan Cheng (ran as independent, pro-democracy camp)
* Mr. Alan Kah Kit Leong (Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group)
* Mr. Fred Wah-Ming Li (Democratic Party)

ee also

* List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong

External links

* [http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/kt/english/welcome.htm Kwun Tong District Council]
* [http://www.eac.gov.hk/pdf/distco/2007dc/dc2007j.pdf List and map of electoral constituencies (large PDF file)]