VICTORIA HARBOUR
Victoria Harbour is the harbour between the Kowloon Peninsula and the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong, China. With an area of about 41.88 km² as at 2004, its natural depth and sheltered location enticed the British to occupy the island of Hong Kong during the First Opium War, and subsequently establish the colony as a trading post.
The harbour is famous for its spectacular panoramic views, and is in itself a top tourist attraction. It is a natural focal point of the territory, and considered a crucial natural geographical element for city dwellers.
This sense of geographical attachment is most notably demonstrated in recent years, when the Hong Kong government's efforts to undertake reclamation projects in the harbor were met with widespread popular protests, despite the fact that such work had taken place in the harbor for the past century and a half.