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The "Hong Kong in Old Times - A Collection of Aerial Photos Taken in 1964", prepared and published by the Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department, will be on sale with other SMO map products at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2007 to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre tomorrow (July 18).
From the aerial view of the ground features as shown in the "Hong Kong in Old Times - A Collection of Aerial Photos Taken in 1964", readers can go through the development changes in Hong Kong over the past 43 years. To help readers identify ground features and compare the now-and-then developments, location plans and recently taken colour aerial photos were added to the collection.
This collection is compiled from a series of black and white aerial photos taken in 1964. The photography was primarily used for topographic mapping. But recently, it was rectified and digitised to form digital orthophotographs. The digital orthophoto data provides an accurate reference to geographic positions. It is therefore very useful for land management as well as cadastral surveys.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Lands Department this year, the SMO edited the digital orthophoto data again and published the "Hong Kong in Old Times - A Collection of Aerial Photos Taken in 1964".
To make the album more interesting, more than 100 historical photos and hand-drawn pictures in the 1960's are included. Readers may be able to see historical buildings, street scenes, industries, rituals, traditions and customs in the early days. In fact, social characteristics, means of transport, or even a person's clothing and hairdo in the past can evoke nostalgia among readers on how people overcame difficulties in the days gone by.
The case binding 192-page "Hong Kong in Old Times - A Collection of Aerial Photos Taken in 1964" will also be available for sale at all SMO's map sales counters at $145 per copy. Details of the counters can be browsed at http://www.landsd.gov.hk/mapping/en/pro&ser/outlet.htm. The book will soon be available for sale at the six post offices (General Post Office, Kowloon Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun Central), and Online Government Bookstore of ESDlife at http://bookstore.gov.hk.
For enquiry, please call 2231 3187 or 2780 0981.
Ends/Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:42
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