Chek Lap Kok

About

Chek Lap Kok is an island in the western waters of Hong Kong's New Territories which is home to the Hong Kong International Airport. Initially a hilly 4-square-kilometre (1.5 sq mi) island, it was flattened and greatly expanded via land reclamation into its current size of 12.48 square kilometres (4.82 sq mi) during 1992–1996 as part of the airport's construction, absorbing the nearby island of Lam Chau in the process. Due to its location, the airport is popularly referred to as Chek Lap Kok Airport to distinguish it from the former Hong Kong International Airport, now commonly known as Kai Tak Airport; conversely, the post-reclamation Chek Lap Kok is sometimes referred to as Airport Island, since two-thirds of the expanded island is made out of reclaimed land and it also encompasses the historic Lam Chau. Hong Kong SkyCity, a business and entertainment complex, is also located on Chek Lap Kok. It includes AsiaWorld–Expo, a convention and exhibition centre, which opened in 2005. Cathay Pacific City, the head office of Cathay Pacific; HAECO, and formerly Hong Kong Airlines are also located on the island.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.