What's Changed

The Expat Exodus

On July 1, 1997, as Hong Kong waved goodbye to its colonial rulers on board the HMS Britannia, pessimists predicted the city's expatriate professionals would follow. The number of Britons living in Hong Kong has dropped 85% since 1997. But while there are about 100,000 fewer foreigners than a decade ago, the city retains its entrepot flavor: today, citizens of other Asian nations make up more than 80 percent of the city's foreign population.

• Hong Kong, China
• Timeline: Hong Kong, 1997-2007