How Hong Kong has changed in 15 years

Hong Kong is one of two special administrative regions of China, the other being Macau. It is situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour.

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839-42). Originally confined to Hong Kong Island, the colony's boundaries were extended in stages to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and then the New Territories in 1898.

It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War, after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty.

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Artists from China install wax figures of late Chinese paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the Hong Kong Museum of History, on June 30, 1998, one day before the first anniversary of the territory's handover to Chinese rule.

The scene, entitled 'The Historic Moment', depicts the talks between the two leaders on September 14, 1982, in Beijing on the subject of China resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong.

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Chinese People's Liberation Army troops sit in rows as they listen to speeches in the south China economic boom town of Shenzhen, June 30, 1997, during a farewell ceremony before crossing the border into Hong Kong on July 1.

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Revellers in Lan Kwai Fong in central Hong Kong celebrate in the streets the handover of sovereignty to China at the stroke of midnight on July 1. The handover of Hong Kong ends 156 years of British colonial rule.

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A view of the handover ceremony showing the Chinese flag, left. flying after the Union flag, right, was lowered on July 1, 1997.

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Fireworks explode over the sky-line of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour on June 30 to mark the end of Britain's colonial rule in the territory.

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Visitors at the Peak view Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour on September 25, 2003.

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A mourner wearing a mask to ward off Sars hides under an umbrella during the funeral of Sars doctor Tse Yuen-man in Hong Kong May 22, 2003.

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Worshippers clean the graves of their ancestors at a cemetery during Chung Yeung festival in Hong Kong on October 22, 2004.

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Participants compete during a dragon boat race at Hong Kong's Aberdeen fishing port to celebrate the Tuen Ng, or dragon boat festival, in Hong Kong on June 11, 2005.

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Participants eat dumplings as they compete in the semi-final of the 'Stomach of the World' eating contest in Hong Kong on August 13, 2005.

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Cosplayers dressed up as characters from Japanese comic 'Konjiki no Gash' pose as they take photos in front of the harbour view outside the Ani-com Hong Kong, an animation and comic fair in Hong Kong, on July 30, 2006.

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A bartender carries glasses at a booth during the 'Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2006' in Hong Kong on May 23, 2006.

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Cosplayers dressed up as characters from the movies 'Star Wars' and 'Batman' pose during the Ani-com Hong Kong, an animation and comic fair in Hong Kong, on July 30, 2006.

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People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison soldiers rehearse a flag-raising ceremony at Hong Kong's Happy Valley race track on June 25, 2007, as part of the preparations for the upcoming 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China.

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A wax figure of Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader, is exhibited at a shopping mall in Hong Kong on June 28, 2007.

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Will 'The Gunner' Sirret from Interactive Brokers takes part in a boxing fight at a five-star hotel in Hong Kong November 28, 2007.

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A view of Hong Kong's West Kowloon, on September 12, 2007, which is planned to be built into a multi-billion dollar harborfront cultural project.

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A policeman walks past a banner from the France's press freedom activist group Reporters Sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) in front of the Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong on December 10, 2007.

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Yoshiaki Oiwa of Japan rides Gorgeous George during the equestrian eventing show jumping competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong on August 12, 2008.

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A tourist poses in front of a statue of Bruce Lee on the Avenue of Stars along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Hong Kong on December 19, 2008.

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People dressed as cartoon characters Mickey and Minnie greet visitors with their latest Year of the Mouse costumes at Hong Kong Disneyland on January 21, 2008.

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Hong Kong's chef Yeung Koon-yat cooks abalones at the kitchen of his Forum restaurant in the Causeway Bay district in Hong Kong on February 6, 2008.

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Kong Siu-kau, 63, a cage home resident for several years relying on government pension, sits in his cage bed in Hong Kong on March 20, 2009.

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People walk near piles of waste paper products stored at a collection site before being shipped to mainland China for recycling, in Hong Kong on Earth Day on April 22, 2009.

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A man walks past a banner, printed with a photo of a man standing in front of tanks during the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, at Hong Kong's Victoria Park on June 4, 2009.

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Tens of thousands of people take part in a candlelight vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park on June 4, 2009, to mark the 20th anniversary of the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.

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Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan speaks to reporters as he attends a promotional event for the upcoming Hong Kong International Film Festival in Hong Kong on February 26, 2009.

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Two policemen patrol the Avenue of Stars, along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, on a misty day on December 15, 2009.

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People walk past a statue of the Goddess of Democracy as they join a candlelight vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park on June 4, 2007, to mark the 18th anniversary of the military crackdown of a pro-democracy movement at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989.