The Eastern District (Chinese: 東區; Jyutping: dung1 keoi) located on northeastern part of Hong Kong Island, being one of the 18 administrative districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 529,603 in 2021[3] The district has the second highest population while its residents have the third highest median household income among the 18 districts.
The Eastern District is well-developed, with a complete public transport and transport network, including subway, bus, ferry, minibus and tram services, while the Island Eastern Corridor and the Eastern Harbour Crossing are important arteries for external traffic. There are comprehensive educational, medical, community and recreational facilities in the area, as well as large shopping malls and commercial centres. [examples needed] At the same time, there are also many historical and cultural attractions in the Eastern District, which are good places for citizens and tourists to relax and entertain.[examples needed]
As the Hong Kong Government is determined to develop the Eastern District, many government departments such as the Customs and Excise Department, Fire Services Department, ICAC and the Water Supplies Department, have moved their headquarters and offices from Central and Wan Chai to the Eastern District. In addition, many multinational corporations from Central have moved to Taikoo Place, which has formed to become a new central business district. As such the Eastern District has undertaken some functions of being a political and economic centre in Hong Kong, which had only belonged to Central and Wan Chai.
It is located in the northeastern part of the Hong Kong Island and includes the areas of Fortress Hill, North Point, Braemar Hill, Quarry Bay, Tai Koo Shing, Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan, Heng Fa Chuen, Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.
The eastern portion of Causeway Bay and Tin Hau were once in Eastern District, but were moved to Wan Chai District on 1 January 2016.
Originally a backwater of fishing villages, quarries and dockyards, there are archaeological evidence there were villages and small towns appeared during the Song dynasty (AD 960–1279).
The Eastern District is now mostly residential, with some industrial areas and several large shopping malls. While mostly Home Ownership Scheme and public housing estates are located from Sai Wan Ho to Chai Wan, large private housing estates are also located within the eastern district, such as Taikoo Shing, Kornhill and Heng Fa Chuen. A commercial hub has been developed from the former industrial areas in western part of Quarry Bay. Hotels and commercial buildings are also developed near Fortress Hill along the coast.
In the past the district was linked by a single traffic artery, King's Road, which was notoriously congested during peak hours. This was largely resolved by the construction of the Island Eastern Corridor and the Island line within the MTR rapid transit system in the 1980s. It also contains the tram line, now over 100 years old, that runs near the sea shore from Shau Kei Wan west towards other districts.
According to the ninth survey of Hong Kong millionaires conducted by Citibank (Hong Kong) and The University of Hong Kong from November 2011 to January 2012, Eastern District is the area with the most millionaires in Hong Kong.
Also, according to the 2021 Population Census in Hong Kong,[4] the population information of the Eastern District is as follows:
Public estates under Home Ownership Scheme in the Eastern District are mainly concentrated in Sai Wan Ho, Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan.
The public housing estates in the Eastern District are mainly concentrated in Shau Kei Wan, Chai Wan and Siu Sai Wan.
The offices of many multinational corporations like LVMH and BNP Paribas are located in the area of Eastern District, such as Taikoo Place, which makes the East District take over the functions of the new core business district and economic centre.
As the Government of Hong Kong is determined to develop the Eastern District, many government departments have moved from Central and Wan Chai to the Eastern District, including many headquarters buildings, so that the Eastern District has undertaken some functions of the political centre that originally belonged to other districts.
In addition, the Securities and Futures Commission is headquartered in Taikoo PlaceOne Island East, the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council is headquartered in Two Taikoo Place, Hong Kong Housing Society is headquartered at 1063 King's Road, Consumer Council is headquartered in K. Wah Centre, Tourism Commission is headquartered in Habour East, Fortress Hill, and Estate Agents Authority is headquartered in E-Trade Plaza, Chai Wan.
Commercial buildings and hotels in the Eastern District are concentrated in Fortress Hill, Taikoo Shing and Quarry Bay. The main building is Taikoo Place, the tallest in the Eastern District since April 2008 SkyscraperHong Kong Island East Center Occupied in stages.
Industrial buildings are concentrated in the east of North Point, Chai Wan Pier and Chai Wan Road near the MTR station.
North Point, Quarry Bay and Sai Wan Ho are one of the most expensive urban residential areas in traditional locations, with convenient transportation and the fourth highest median income in Hong Kong. There are 15 public housing estates in Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan, and 23 HOS housing estates, resulting in a large income gap within the Eastern District. However, public housing has also injected grassroots labour into the Eastern District, enabling the middle-class population in the Eastern District to enjoy cheaper services, so the urban planning of the Eastern District has been very successful.
