Tai Mo Shan Is the Tallest Mountain in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an extremely densely populated city. Yet, quite surprisingly, 40% of its land area is designated as country parks, and another 35% consists of natural landscapes. In fact, the very reason Hong Kong had to reclaim land from the sea so early in its history is precisely because of this topography.

Hong Kong Island is essentially a mountain jutting out of the sea, its steep hillsides leaving very little room to build a city. Likewise, Kowloon—which literally means "Nine Dragons," referring to the eight surrounding mountains plus the emperor who named the area—is a highly rugged territory.

This terrain is precisely why, in 1898, the colonial government of Hong Kong leased the New Territories for 99 years. Yet, even the New Territories consist primarily of hills and mountains. Indeed, the tallest peak in Hong Kong is located just north of Tsuen Wan in this very region.

Paradoxically, though Hong Kong is a territory defined by mountains, those mountains are rather small. Its highest peak, Tai Mo Shan—which translates literally to "Big Hat Mountain"—stands at a measly 957 metres (3,140 feet) above sea level.