From the mainland it is separated by a narrow channel, which at Hong-Kong roads, between Victoria, the island capital, and Kowloon Point, is about 1 m.
Practically an outlying suburb of Victoria, Kowloon or (Nine Dragons) is free from the extreme heat of the capital, being exposed to the south-west monsoon.
An agreement was entered into in 1898 whereby China leased to Great Britain for ninety-nine years the territory behind Kowloon peninsula up to a line drawn from Mirs Bay to Deep Bay and the adjoining islands, including Lantao.
But although only 400 acres are cultivated on Hong-Kong island, and the same number of acres in Kowloon, there are 90,000 acres under cultivation in the new territory, of which over 7000 acres were in 1900 planted with sugar-cane.
Three ports in the province have been ceded or leased to foreign powers - Macao to Portugal, Hong-Kong (with Kowloon) to Great Britain, and Kwangchow to France.