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The Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department has released the Hong Kong Guide 2006 (Photomap Edition) for sale. The photomap edition, first published in 2004, has been widely welcomed by readers.
The new edition comprises 146 pages of photomaps and large-scale conventional line maps. Readers can have a bird's eye view of the landscape from the photomap and then obtain detailed geographic information from the corresponding conventional line map.
In the production of the photomap edition, SMO has included aerial photos of various districts that have been adjusted delicately with the assistance of computers. To facilitate the reading of the photomaps, roads hidden by buildings and trees are resurfaced through computerised techniques. Major districts, roads in urban areas, paths in suburban areas and scenic trails are labelled so readers can easily identify various locations.
The new edition also contains comprehensive public transport information and simplified indexes of about 10,000 names of places, streets, major estates and buildings, and declared monuments.
Same as last year, SMO has compiled a separate book entitled "Names of Hong Kong Places, Streets and Buildings" which comprises 200 pages with more than 40,000 names of places, streets, housing estates, buildings and community facilities, together with their grid references on the guidebook. The name book is available in a bundle with the Hong Kong Guide 2006. Readers can purchase the Hong Kong Guide 2006 without the name book or the Bundle Version with the name book.
To make the Hong Kong Guide more informative and useful, SMO has, for the first time, included bus stop locations on the line maps and re-included ferry services information. In addition, photos of declared monuments provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department are shown on relevant map pages with grid references to help readers identify their locations. These, together with a feature article on three heritage trails in Hong Kong, have made the guidebook more interesting.
Another novel feature of the new guidebook is the inclusion of a 3D image for the first time. Readers can use the complimentary 3D-glasses to view the photo showing Shouson Hill/Wong Nai Chung in three dimensions.
The 416-page Hong Kong Guide 2006 (Photomap Edition) and its Bundle Version are available for sale at all SMO's map sales counters at $100 and $120 respectively. Details of the counters can be browsed at http://www.landsd.gov.hk/mapping/en/pro&ser/outlet.htm. The new guidebook and its Bundle Version will also be available at six post offices (General Post Office, Kowloon Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mongkok, Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun Central), some bookstores and Online Government Bookstore of ESDlife at http://bookstore.esdlife.com/eng.
For enquiries, please call 2231 3187 or 2780 0981.
Ends/Monday, March 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:31
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