View source for Kowloon Peninsula

{{Short description|Heavily populated peninsula of mainland Hong Kong}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Hong Kong English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Kowloon Peninsula
| native_name              = {{lower|.3em|九龍半島}}
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 
| image_skyline            = HK Kowloon View 2006.jpg
| image_caption            = An aerial view of Kowloon Peninsula from [[Hong Kong Island]] in 2006
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = Hong Kong Kowloon.svg
| map_caption              = 
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| coordinates              = {{Coord|22.31|N|114.18|E|display=inline,title}}
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| timezone                 = [[Hong Kong Time]]
| utc_offset               = +8
}}
{{Chinese
| pic = 
| piccap = 
| size = 280
| t = 九龍半島
| s = 九龙半岛
| p = jiǔ lóng bàn dǎo
| ci = {{IPA|yue|kɐ̌ulʊ̏ŋ pʊ̄ntǒu|}}
| h = Giu<sup>3</sup>lung<sup>2</sup> Ban<sup>4</sup>Dau<sup>3</sup>
| j = gau<sup>2</sup>lung<sup>4</sup> bun<sup>3</sup>dou<sup>2</sup>
}}
[[File:Kowloon, Hong Kong; military encampments (pic 4 of 6) Wellcome L0067732.jpg|thumb|Military encampments on Kowloon Peninsula in 1860, looking south toward [[Hong Kong Island]].]]

The '''Kowloon Peninsula''' is a [[peninsula]] that is part of the southern part of the main landmass in the territory of [[Hong Kong]], alongside [[Victoria Harbour]] and facing toward [[Hong Kong Island]]. The Kowloon Peninsula and [[Ngong Shuen Chau]] comprises the '''Old Kowloon'''. The Old Kowloon and the area of [[New Kowloon]] are collectively known as [[Kowloon]].

Geographically, the term "Kowloon Peninsula" may also refer to the area south of the mountain ranges of [[Beacon Hill (Hong Kong)|Beacon Hill]], [[Lion Rock]], [[Tate's Cairn]], [[Kowloon Peak]], etc. The peninsula covers five of the eighteen [[districts of Hong Kong]]. [[Kowloon Bay]] is located at the northeast of the peninsula.

==Geology and reclamation==
The main rock type of the peninsula consists of a medium grained [[monzogranite]] with some fine granite outcrops, part of the Kowloon Granite.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about/organisation/klk.html |title=CEDD – Kowloon Granite – Klk |publisher=Government of Hong Kong |access-date=12 April 2018 |archive-date=9 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009174502/https://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about/organisation/klk.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Geological Map, Sheet 11, Hong Kong and Kowloon (1:20,000), Hong Kong Geological Survey</ref> Early maps and photographs show flat, low-lying land behind the beach of Tsim Sha Tsui Bay with a raised area, Kowloon Hill, in the west.<ref name=EPDEIA>{{Cite web |url=http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/report/eiareport/eia_0982004/HTML/23573-Ch9-17.htm |title=– Environmental Impact Assessment – Land Contamination Assessment, 10.2.1 Geology Information |access-date=12 July 2009 |archive-date=7 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107182132/http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/register/report/eiareport/eia_0982004/HTML/23573-Ch9-17.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

The peninsula has been significantly expanded through [[Land reclamation in Hong Kong|land reclamation]] from the sea, over several phases. In the south and west most of the reclamation was carried out before 1904. Reclamation in several other small areas along the main [[Tsim Sha Tsui]] waterfront was completed by 1982. Since 1994, parts of the [[Hung Hom Bay]] were [[Land reclamation in Hong Kong|reclaimed]] and by 2019, it had been completely extinguished. The [[West Kowloon]] Reclamation was formed as part of the [[Airport Core Programme]] and largely completed by 1995.<ref name=EPDEIA/>

==History==
Before the actual [[Kowloon]] boundaries were established, the Kowloon Peninsula served as one of the first destinations for escape during China's dynastic times. In 1287, the last emperor of the [[Song dynasty]], [[Emperor Bing of Song|Emperor Bing]] was fleeing from the [[Mongol]] leader [[Kublai Khan]]. Taking refuge in a cave in the Kowloon peninsula, the inscription wrote "Sung Wong Toi" or "Song Emperor's Pavilion".<ref name="Warres">Warres, Smith D. [1990] (1990). European Settlements in the Far East: China, Japan, Indo-China, Straits Settlements, Malaysia. Stanford University Press. No ISBN Digitized</ref> In the 17th century, after the fall of the [[Ming dynasty]], many of the [[Emperor of China|Emperor]]'s followers also found shelter in the Kowloon peninsula to hide from the [[Manchu]]s.<ref name="Warres" /> Britain's occupation of Kowloon was similarly initiated in 1860 for the ostensible reason of policing against "thieves", "outlaws", and "marauders" who raided [[British Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] and then fled to the peninsula for sanctuary.<ref name=lease>{{citation |contribution-url=https://oelawhk.lib.hku.hk/items/show/1014 |contribution=Lease of Kowloon |title=Historical Laws of Hong Kong Online |date=20 March 1860 |last=Parkes |first=Harry Smith |author-link=Harry Smith Parkes |author2=Laou |display-authors=1 |publisher= |location= }}.</ref>

In the later half of the 19th century, Kowloon Peninsula usually referred to British Kowloon, the territory ceded in 1860 as part of a lease<ref name=lease/> subsequently incorporated into the [[Convention of Peking]] ending the [[Second Opium War]].<ref>{{citation |contribution-url=https://webb-site.com/codocs/ConventionOfPeking.pdf |contribution=Convention of Peace between Her Majesty and the Emperor of China Signed at Peking, October 24th, 1860"; "Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, between Her Majesty and the Emperor of China, Signed at Tien-tsin, June 26th, 1858, Ratifications Exchanged at Peking, October 24th, 1860"; "Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Her Majesty and the Emperor of China, Signed at Tien-tsin, June 26th, 1858, Ratifications Exchanged at Peking, October 24th, 1860"; and "Agreement in Pursuance of Articles 26 and 28 of the Treaty of Tien-tsin, Signed at Shanghai, November 8th, 1858 |last=Bruce |first=James |author-link=James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin |author2=Kung |author3=Kweiliang |author4=Hwashana & al. |display-authors=1 |title=Hongkong Government Gazette |date=15 December 1860 |publisher= |location= }}.</ref> This was set by a line east from the fort at the northernmost point of [[Stonecutters Island]],<ref name=lease/> first demarcated by a bamboo palisade and now by [[Boundary Street]]. Kowloon Peninsula had a population of 800 when it was ceded to the [[British Empire]] in 1860.<ref name="treaty ports">{{cite book |title=The treaty ports of China and Japan: A complete guide to the open ports of those countries, together with Peking, Yedo, Hongkong and Macao. Forming a guide book & vade mecum for travellers, merchants, and residents in general |first1=William Frederick |last1=Mayers |first2=Charles |last2=King |author-link1=William Frederick Mayers |year=1867 |publisher=Trübner and Co |page=[https://archive.org/details/treatyportschin00unkngoog/page/n38 17] |url=https://archive.org/details/treatyportschin00unkngoog}}</ref>

Geographically and presently, the peninsula is reckoned as the land south of the mountain ranges of [[Lion Rock]], [[Kowloon Peak]], and adjacent hills. 

In 1898 a resolution was passed by the [[colonial Hong Kong]] [[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]] to preserve the land where some of the caves stand.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/1897-98/h980815.pdf |title=15TH AUGUST, 1898 |access-date=9 December 2012 |archive-date=21 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621133353/https://www.legco.gov.hk/1897-98/h980815.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Boeing 747-428, Air France AN0278440.jpg|thumb|An Air France Boeing 747 passing above Kowloon, landing at the [[Kai Tak|old airport]].]]
[[File:Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport 1971.jpg|thumb|Hong Kong's old airport, [[Kai Tak Airport|Kai Tak]], was located in Kowloon.]]

==City landscape==
{{wide image|Kowloon Panorama.JPG|800px|align-cap=center|A view of Kowloon Peninsula taken from [[Hong Kong Island]].}}

==See also==
*[[Boundary Street]]
*[[Kowloon]]
*[[List of islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong]]
*[[List of places in Hong Kong]]
*[[New Kowloon]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Kowloon}}
{{Peninsulas of Hong Kong}}
{{Hong Kong Urban Areas}}

[[Category:Peninsulas of Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Kowloon]]