Hong Kong International Airport Is 10 Times Larger than Monaco

Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is an impressive feat of engineering. The island it was built on—and which gave the airport its name—Chek Lap Kok, originally measured only about 2.8 to 3.02 square kilometres (1.08 to 1.17 square miles; exact figures vary depending on the source). However, following extensive land reclamation that started in 1992, Chek Lap Kok airport now occupies a total surface area of 21.08 square kilometres (8.14 square miles), representing a seven-fold increase in size.

With its initial 2.8 square kilometres, Chek Lap Kok was already larger than the European city-state of Monaco and its 2.084 square kilometres (0.805 square miles). However, after the latest major land reclamation projects on Chek Lap Kok—conducted between 2016 and 2020 in anticipation of HKIA’s third runway (completed in 2022)—Chek Lap Kok has grown to become over ten times larger than Monaco.

Not only do these figures give a feel for how small the wealthiest country in the world (by nominal GDP per capita) really is, but they also give a feel for the true magnitude of the land reclamation project required to build Hong Kong International Airport.