New Territories

New Territories is Hong Kong's largest region by area—leased to Britain in 1898 for 99 years, triggering the handover negotiations when the lease expired. Unlike Hong Kong Island (ceded in perpetuity in 1842) and Kowloon (1860), the New Territories' lease expiration created the deadline that ended British rule. The Basic Law specifically protects 'the lawful traditional rights and interests of the indigenous inhabitants'—a reference to pre-colonial village communities whose land rights predate British sovereignty. New Towns like Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, and Tsuen Wan were developed from the 1970s to accommodate population overflow from the urban core. The region includes Hong Kong's borders with Shenzhen, country parks covering 40% of the territory, and the Hong Kong International Airport on reclaimed land at Chek Lap Kok. Eight districts house approximately 3.9 million people—more than half the SAR's population. The Lok Ma Chau Loop development zone aims to integrate with the Greater Bay Area economy, while indigenous village politics create unique governance dynamics. New Territories represents Hong Kong's capacity for expansion and its spatial limits in a territory otherwise defined by density.