<P> British Hong Kong was the period during which Hong Kong was under British Crown rule from 1841 to 1997 ( excluding the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945 ) . It was established as a Crown colony and later designated a British Dependent Territory in 1981 . Hong Kong Island was ceded to the United Kingdom by the Qing dynasty of China after the First Opium War ( 1839 -- 42 ) . The Kowloon Peninsula was added to the colony after the Second Opium War ( 1856 -- 60 ) . Finally , in 1898 , the New Territories were added under a 99 - year lease . Although Hong Kong Island and Kowloon were ceded to Britain in perpetuity , the New Territories -- which comprised over 90 per cent of Hong Kong 's land -- had such a vital role in the economy that the British government agreed to transfer sovereignty of the entirety of Hong Kong to China upon the expiration of the lease in 1997 . The transfer has been credited by some as marking the end of the British Empire . </P>
<P> British Hong Kong was the period during which Hong Kong was under British Crown rule from 1841 to 1997 ( excluding the Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945 ) . It was established as a Crown colony and later designated a British Dependent Territory in 1981 . Hong Kong Island was ceded to the United Kingdom by the Qing dynasty of China after the First Opium War ( 1839 -- 42 ) . The Kowloon Peninsula was added to the colony after the Second Opium War ( 1856 -- 60 ) . Finally , in 1898 , the New Territories were added under a 99 - year lease . Although Hong Kong Island and Kowloon were ceded to Britain in perpetuity , the New Territories -- which comprised over 90 per cent of Hong Kong 's land -- had such a vital role in the economy that the British government agreed to transfer sovereignty of the entirety of Hong Kong to China upon the expiration of the lease in 1997 . The transfer has been credited by some as marking the end of the British Empire . </P>
when did hong kong cease to be a british colony
when did hong kong cease to be a british colony
1997
1997