On This Day
·

Over 200 pro-democracy activists arrested in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories.

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.

Hong Kong was established as a colony of the British Empire after the Qing dynasty ceded Hong Kong Island in 1841–1842 as a result of losing the First Opium War. The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and was further extended when the United Kingdom obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Hong Kong was occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. The territory was handed over from the United Kingdom to China in 1997.

Historical Significance

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China.

Events Before

  1. 10 people are killed, and 120 are injured in a stampede in Luanda, Angola

    10 people are killed, and 120 are injured in a stampede in Luanda, Angola

  2. Calcium deposits are discovered on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover

    Curiosity is a Mars rover that is exploring Gale crater and Mount Sharp on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission.

  3. Lance Armstrong admits to doping in all seven of his Tour de France victories

    Lance Edward Armstrong (né Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist.

  4. Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation effective February 28, becoming the first pope to resign since 1415

    The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI took effect on 28 February 2013 at 20:00 Roman-Vatican Time, following Benedict XVI's announcement of the same on 11 February.

  5. North Korea allegedly conducts its third nuclear test, claiming it is a nuclear device that can be weaponized

    North Korea allegedly conducts its third nuclear test, claiming it is a nuclear device that can be weaponized

Events After

  1. Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the Litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone

    Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the Litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone

  2. 17-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand becomes the youngest golfer in men's or women's golf history to be ranked No. 1 in t

    17-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand becomes the youngest golfer in men's or women's golf history to be ranked No. 1 in the world

  3. Marvin Gaye's family wins a record $7.3 million lawsuit for music copyright infringement against Robin Thicke, Pharrell

    Marvin Gaye's family wins a record $7.3 million lawsuit for music copyright infringement against Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and T.I.

  4. TV personality Kris Jenner and athlete Bruce Jenner divorce after 13 years of marriage

    Caitlyn Marie Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner, is an American media personality and retired Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete. Jenner played college football for the Graceland...

  5. Barack Obama and Raúl Castro meet in Panama, the first meeting of US and Cuban heads of state since the Cuban Revolution

    Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and general who served as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, the most senior position in the one-party communist state, from 2011 to...

More from the 2010s

New FINA rules re competition swimsuits come into effect; all body-length swimsuits banned; men's suits to maximally cov

New FINA rules re competition swimsuits come into effect; all body-length swimsuits banned; men's suits to maximally cover from the waist to knee, and women's from shoulder to knee; fabric must be a "textile" or woven material

10 people are killed, and 120 are injured in a stampede in Luanda, Angola

10 people are killed, and 120 are injured in a stampede in Luanda, Angola

Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is t

Dutchman Michael van Gerwen wins his first PDC World Darts Championship, defeating Peter Wright of Scotland 7-4; it is the first time no Englishman has been in the final

Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the Litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone

Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the Litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 12, 2014?
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.
Why is Over 200 pro-democracy activists arrested in Hong Kong significant?
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China.

Explore More

December 12 in HistoryYear 2014